Poch jokes that Alli could be a keeper or centre-half

Matt Stead

Mauricio Pochettino joked that Dele Alli could probably play in goal after Tottenham’s young midfielder filled in for Harry Kane and scored in yesterday’s 2-1 win over Southampton.

Alli won and then converted a penalty to double Spurs’ lead at White Hart Lane after Christian Eriksen had earlier broken the deadlock.

James Ward-Prowse pulled a goal back for the visitors but Tottenham held on to restore the gap behind Chelsea to 10 points and move nine ahead of Arsenal.

Alli started as a second striker behind Son Heung-min but was effectively leading the line for a spell after the interval, when the South Korean had been replaced by midfielder Harry Winks.

It means Alli has now played central midfield, left and centre of an attacking three, and up front for Pochettino, who believes the 20-year-old could excel anywhere on the pitch.

“Dele Alli always can surprise and you can’t guess with him. He has an unbelievable personality and character and it is all possible with him,” Pochettino said.

“He is a player who plays in his best position, he is a player who likes to run into the box, he is very often very clever in the box. In the box he looks like a striker because he is more than clever, he has made his mark.

“Outside the box playing like a midfielder, I saw him at 17 years old playing at Milton Keynes as a holding midfielder against Manchester United.

“And I don’t know, always he can surprise me, maybe one day he can play as a goalkeeper or as a full-back or centre-back.”