Thursday 8 December 2016 10:24, UK
Tottenham's 3-1 win over CSKA Moscow came too late to save their Champions League campaign, but it featured another impressive display from Christian Eriksen. The playmaker's return to form is good news for Mauricio Pochettino ahead of Sunday's trip to Manchester United…
Mauricio Pochettino has had to contend with a number of issues at Tottenham over the last few months. Injuries to key players and disappointing performances from new signings were chief among them, but there was also the curious case of Christian Eriksen.
The Dane became a key figure for the north Londoners as soon as he arrived from Ajax in 2013, and in Pochettino's first two seasons at White Hart Lane he played in all but three of their 76 Premier League games. It was more than any other Spurs player, and it reflected his importance to Pochettino's project.
Eriksen was rewarded with a new long-term contract at the start of September, but on the pitch he looked like a shadow of his usual self. Pochettino wondered whether the speculation surrounding his future had affected his form, but his struggles continued after committing his future to the club.
The 24-year-old hit six goals and claimed 13 assists in 35 Premier League games last season, but his first 11 appearances of the new campaign yielded no goals and just three assists. Eriksen did find the net twice in an EFL Cup demolition of Gillingham, but it was strange to see such a consistent performer lose his way in the games that mattered.
Thankfully for Spurs, it appears Eriksen is beginning to recapture his best form. He netted his first Premier League goal of the season with his stunning long-range drive against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last month, and there were two more goals and an assist in Saturday's 5-0 thrashing of Swansea. "We needed it," said Pochettino afterwards. Eriksen needed it too.
Moving to the right flank appears to have helped him, and with his confidence restored, he duly delivered his best performance of the season in Wednesday's 3-1 win over CSKA Moscow. Dele Alli and Harry Kane were the scorers as Spurs clinched their place in the Europa League knockout stages, but it was Eriksen who knitted it all together.
The Dane set the tone for the evening with a superb first-time cross from the right flank in the seventh minute. The delivery was perfect for the onrushing Alli, who headed narrowly wide, and Eriksen had a chance of his own just a few minutes later when he shot too close to Igor Akinfeev after latching onto Kane's through ball.
The Russian side punished Tottenham's wastefulness when they scored the opening goal against the run of play, but Eriksen created the equaliser just a few minutes later. Alli was the target for another pinpoint cross, and this time the England international made the most of the opportunity, eluding his marker with a clever first touch and curling the ball into the far corner.
It was no less that Spurs deserved, and Eriksen was the architect when they went in front in first-half stoppage time. The Dane picked out the onrushing Danny Rose with an expertly measured chip over the top, and the Spurs full-back crossed for Kane to tap home from close-range.
Eriksen's probing passes became a regular feature of the evening, and the stats highlighted his influence. Nine of his 15 crosses found a team-mate, and he created eight scoring chances in total. It was three more than any other player on the pitch, and his highest total of any game this season.
While CSKA did not not offer much in the way of resistance, there was still a lot for Pochettino to enjoy about this performance. Toby Alderweireld returned from injury as a second-half substitute and Kane was among the goals again, but Eriksen's impressive impact was perhaps the biggest satisfaction of all.
The next challenge for Spurs is to continue their recent improvement when they face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Nissan Super Sunday. Their chances of doing so are greatly improved with Eriksen back at his best.
