Alan Shearer hails ‘fantastic’ Tottenham signing after what he saw on Match of the Day
Alan Shearer has heaped praise on Tottenham after their impressive 2-0 victory over Manchester City on Saturday.
The Lilywhites continued their perfect start to the Premier League season with a commanding display at the Etihad Stadium, as they continued their recent strong record against the Manchester outfit.
Spurs’ side turned in strong performances for Thomas Frank all over the pitch, in what was a hugely encouraging afternoon for everyone connected to the club.
The N17 outfit looked like an organised and effective unit as a collective, but Shearer chose to single out one man in particular for a key piece of praise.
Alan Shearer praises Joao Palhinha ‘masterclass’
Joao Palhinha’s arrival at Tottenham has sparked plenty of excitement over the summer.
The Lilywhites took advantage of the midfielder’s lack of gametime at Bayern Munich and were able to swoop in and secure a loan deal for a player who was sold for over £40million just one year ago.
The Portuguese has already shown that he has what it takes to succeed in the Premier League, after an impressive stint with Fulham prior to his switch to Germany.
Tottenham are yet to concede a goal so far in the league this season, and the 30-year-old has been integral to their efforts both with and without the ball in the middle of the park.
He has understandably been praised by Shearer after what was arguably his best display so far in a Spurs shirt.
Speaking on Match of the Day on 23 August, the Premier League’s record goalscorer was quick to emphasise the strength of the 30-year-old’s display.
“It was a midfield masterclass from those three, (Pape) Sarr, (Rodrigo) Bentancur and Palhinha,” Shearer said.
“They pressed, they were aggressive, and if they didn’t win the first tackle, they won the second tackle. That was a constant all afternoon from those three.
“Palhinha could be a fantastic signing for Tottenham.”
Joao Palhinha was everywhere for Tottenham vs Man City
Frank will be hugely pleased with Spurs’ performance across the board against City, but Palhinha’s impact on the team will be a particular bright point.
The midfielder covered every blade of grass across the 90 minutes and turned in a performance that made it very difficult to pick any sort of fault.
| Minutes | 89 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Accurate Passes | 23/27 (85%) |
| Touches | 41 |
| Tackles Won | 2/4 (50%) |
| Clearances | 2 |
| Duels Won | 8/12 (66%) |
The former Sporting CP man used the ball well, bit into challenges and came out on top in the majority of his duels.
He also provided a crucial moment in the game, when he produced a calm finish in a crowded City box to double the visitors’ lead on the stroke of half-time.
Palhinha looked to be back to his best football that we saw so often during his time with Fulham, and if he continues to churn out performances of that level, then he will quickly become undroppable for Frank.
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