Here is your Tottenham Hotspur morning digest for Wednesday, December 16.
Dele Alli impresses in Crystal Palace cameo
After being frozen out of the Spurs squad for much of the season, Dele Alli impressed in a brief cameo late on in Sunday's 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace.
Jose Mourinho threw the midfielder into the fray after Palace equalised in the second half in the hope that he could find a goal. Alli was not able to score, but he did have an impact, as Carlton Palmer recounted.
Palmer, speaking to Football FanCast, said that Alli showed the willingness to defend, something that can help turn his career around as Jack Grealish has done at Aston Villa.
"He’s a young lad and without a doubt, he’s a talented player," Palmer said. "If he takes that on board, which is the side of his game which is missing.
"It’s just like [Jack] Grealish. Jack Grealish has done that. When they had the break just before the end of the season, where Villa had those three or four weeks where they had to change things around because they were as good as down. Jack Grealish has realised that’s [defensive duties] part of the game now.
"He knows he has the ability on the ball, but he now knows what he has to do off the ball. And he’s doing that now. Dele Alli can turn his career around as simple as that.
"As he did on Sunday when I realised that and Mourinho’s the type of person that will give him plenty of confidence and will have told him ‘this is what I expect from you’."
Klopp names Spurs' alternative key players
Jurgen Klopp has named five key players ahead of Spurs' clash with his Liverpool side on Wednesday evening.
The two teams currently sit top of the Premier League table and face one another in what is a test of Tottenham's title credentials. Harry Kane and Son Heung-min will lead the Tottenham threat, of course, but Klopp named five other players that he and his Liverpool team will have to be wary of.
"If we keep [Son and Kane] quiet, they have a lot of others," he said in his pre-match press conference.
"A proper team with threats. Bergwijn is important to counters. Ndombele needed a bit longer but now 100% there. Lo Celso, Sissoko, Hjobjerg, a proper unit in midfield. It works well."
On Son and Kane specifically, Klopp added: "Harry Kane, of course, at all times, you have to make sure he is not involved and with Son it is the same.
"The relationship they have has clicked properly. A lot of good things to say about Tottenham. We will still try to win the game."
Spurs January Premier League fixtures unveiled
The Premier League updated its January fixtures on Tuesday and Tottenham have been handed several updated kick-off times as a result.
They start the month on Saturday, January 2 against Leeds United. It is a 12:30pm kick-off and will be televised on BT Sport.
Then, 11 days later, Tottenham return to league duty after their FA Cup third-round clash with non-League Marine, against Aston Villa with an 8.15pm kick-off. The match is televised on Sky Sports.
Sky Sports will also show Tottenham's trip to Sheffield United on Sunday, January 17 for a 2pm kick-off, before Spurs' return match against Liverpool is shown on BT Sport. That will be an 8pm kick-off in what could be another title-credential tester.
