Dele Alli’s flash of class seals home win for Tottenham over Brighton
A lucky bounce and a flash of class made the difference for Tottenham. It was a messy, uneven display for the most part and José Mourinho ended grateful to have a finisher as ruthless as Harry Kane in his ranks. Kane’s equaliser arrived when a loose clearance fell his way, giving him the chance to puncture the frustration in the stands, and the points belonged to Spurs when Dele Alli elevated an otherwise ineffective showing with a beautiful winning goal.
It felt harsh on Brighton & Hove Albion, who will look back on the moment when Aaron Connolly missed a glorious chance to double their lead at the start of the second half. Yet Graham Potter’s side have one win in their past nine games for a reason. Spurs had greater quality in the final third. Alli’s inspiration defined the game and there was also an impressive cameo from Christian Eriksen, reminding everyone that Spurs will not find it easy to replace his creativity if he leaves during the January transfer window.