FedEx Performance Zone: Spurs' new entries
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
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Tottenham's Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli are making a big splash as they enter the FedEx Performance Zone, with a busy winter schedule favouring English-based players.
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With the teams that transferred from the UEFA Champions League – and all new winter signings – now being monitored, the UEFA Europa League form guide has taken on a different complexion, and for the moment, a strong English accent.
1: Christian Eriksen (Tottenham Hotspur)
Tottenham have brought a host of in-form players with them to the UEFA Europa League, most notably Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen. Since the turn of the year he has laid on three assists and created 15 chances, and was on the winning side once more on Saturday.
2: Zlatan Ibrahimović (Man. United)
Age is not dimming the 35-year-old, whose seasonal tally now stands at 20 in all competitions. Ibrahimović has scored three times in the Premier League in 2017 and will be looking to add to the two goals and two assists he has already registered in the UEFA Europa League.
4: Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur)
While other leagues were on their winter break, the Premier League players piled on the points. Alli netted twice in three consecutive Premier League games over the Christmas period, and the 20-year-old has notched a further two goals and an assist in all competitions since.
7: Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Man. United)
Now a regular in the Manchester United side, the Armenian international has found his feet and is showing his class. With two goals and an assist in his last three domestic outings, it is not difficult to see why Mkhitaryan has become a key member of José Mourinho's team.
8: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
A new entry at No8, Kane has claimed six goals in as many matches in 2017 and has thrown in a pair of assists for good measure. Kane also hit the target twice in his three UEFA Champions League group stage appearances, and will be a hard man to mark in the UEFA Europa League.
13: Sergio Asenjo (Villarreal)
No team have conceded fewer Liga goals this term than Villarreal – just 14 – and goalkeeper Asenjo deserves his share of the credit. The 27-year-old kept a clean sheet in three of his last four games and his distribution in January was particularly impressive – 33 successful passes.