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Football London
Football London
Sport
Rob Guest

What Harry Winks did in England's win over Montenegro that Spurs desperately require at present

Harry Kane wasn't the only Spurs player to impress on the international stage on Thursday evening as England ran out 7-0 winners over Montenegro.

The 26-year-old helped himself to a first-half hat-trick as the Three Lions qualified for Euro 2020 in style after only needing a single point from their two remaining group games.

Harry Winks was also in Gareth Southgate's starting XI and he impressed in the heart of midfield after doing likewise in his previous game against Bulgaria.

One of Spurs' better players in an otherwise dismal start to the 2019/20 campaign, the midfielder has had to make do with a place on the bench in recent weeks as Mauricio Pochettino has preferred to go with a midfield two of Moussa Sissoko and Tanguy Ndombele.

Not only did he show at Wembley why he should be in the Tottenham team, he also proved why he must be part of England's midfield for the foreseeable future.

Alasdair Gold: It highlights the mess that Pochettino is having to navigate

Previously opting to go with Declan Rice alongside Jordan Henderson and Ross Barkley, it was all change for Southgate as the Liverpool midfielder was suspended and the Chelsea man had dropped out of the squad through injury.

Winks kept his place in the team after impressing last time out in Bulgaria, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mason Mount joining him in midfield.

The Spurs man was involved straightaway as he released Jadon Sancho in the opening couple of minutes down the right after some brilliant footwork outside the area, before then getting the team moving forward shortly after as he linked up with Marcus Rashford.

However, it wasn't just his work in getting the team up the field that impressed fans.

Harry Winks in action against Montenegro (Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

One of the key features of Pochettino's Spurs side in his first few years in charge was their pressing.

Starting with Kane leading from the front when they tried to regain possession, the team always gave the opposition very little time on the ball as they harried them.

This has been non-existent for the Lilywhites this campaign and they do look a shadow of their former selves at present as they lie 14th in the league table and 11 points off the top four after 12 games.

Winks was doing exactly what Spurs used to do so well throughout England's win over Montenegro as he gave the opposition no time on the ball as he pressed high to win it back.

He was successful a number of times and he has proved in his last two games for the Three Lions why he should be in the team on a regular basis ahead of next year's major tournament.

The 23-year-old was excellent during the convincing win and now Spurs fans would like to see a repeat performance when they return to league action at the London Stadium against West Ham.

Getting Winks and the rest of the team pressing again could just be what Tottenham need to get them challenging at the right end of the Premier League table once again.

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