“He has to play in that team – especially with Harry Kane injured” Merson sticks his oar into Alli debate

Paul Merson reckons that Dele Alli has to play now that Tottenham is missing Harry Kane.

Alli has struggled to get back in the team after failing to impress Jose Mourinho earlier in the campaign.

He has been used sparingly in cup competitions, but even that might not happen again as the Lilywhites have now reached the business end of each competition.

They have just lost Kane to an ankle injury that looks set to keep him on the sidelines for some time.

The England captain’s absence has opened the door for one more player to become a first-team regular, and Merson thinks Alli should be playing.

He said when he watched Tottenham’s loss to Brighton, their performance was screaming for Alli’s involvement as no one was making the runs that he would have made.

He then adds that Alli is one of the best English talents on his day and feels sorry for him that he isn’t playing for the club right now.

‘I don’t know what’s going on with Dele Alli,” Merson told Sky Sports News as quoted by the Metro.

‘I watched Tottenham last night and how he doesn’t get in that team at the moment is beyond me. I don’t know what goes on at the training ground, but he has to play in that team – especially with Harry Kane injured.

‘No one was running off the ball, and Alli when he’s at his best, he makes those runs and is a good finisher. I watched them against Brighton and they were just static. If he plays against Chelsea, you hold your hands up and understand why he isn’t being allowed to go to PSG. 

‘Otherwise, I feel for the lad as he has got the chance to play for PSG – a massive club – and he wants to play. Spurs are saying they need to replace him… but they might as well take me if he’s going to just sit on the bench for the next three or four months!

‘The lad’s got to play. On his day, he’s a special player and he’s one of the best talents in this country when he’s on his game.’

Merson has a track record of calling for underperforming players to be selected, maybe it is something personal with him or more likely just him taking an opportunity to howl from the soapbox once again.