It has always been said that one player can be the difference for a football club, and Tottenham seem to be a case study in midfielder Moussa Dembele’s absence.
The 29-year-old, who is currently serving a six-game ban for poking Diego Costa in the eye last season, has become the heartbeat to the Spurs midfield.
Since returning from injury in October last year, the Lilywhites have not lost in the 23 matches he has started, while taking only nine points in 10 games without the Belgian international.
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Dembele often finds himself as the link between attack and defence for the North Londoners, collecting the ball off the back four before moving the ball forward to the likes of Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli.
Harry Kane has also suffered without Dembele. Since the start of the last campaign the England international has scored 24 goals in 27 games with the midfielder starting compared to only one goal in 12 games without him.
“Without Moussa Dembele, we do not exist, Tottenham do not exist,” manager Mauricio Pochettino joked, following his side’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool at the weekend.
“I am joking because it is a difficult question.”
“We played against Liverpool, and we need to show respect to the players that played.”
Pochettino will be relieved that the midfielder will serve the final game of his ban against Stoke following the international break.
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