This evening’s game between West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur was a crucial one in the race for Champions League football next term.
Both Spurs and the Hammers have fallen behind the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United of late so it was crucial for both teams to take three points from the game.
However, the afternoon could not have been much worse for David Moyes’ side who were defeated 3-1 on a dismal afternoon.
Spurs took the lead through a Kurt Zouma own goal and then two strikes from Heung-min Son, someone who arguably hasn’t been at his best in recent weeks, sealed all three points.
The link-up play between the South Korean and Harry Kane was once again mesmerising but it was another of Antonio Conte’s performers that stole the show.
That happened to be Uruguayan midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, a player that has been a certified revelation since signing from Juventus in January.
He has added bite, steel and technical ability to a Spurs midfield that hasn’t always been the sternest.
Yet, against West Ham he was a star performer, dominating both Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek which is certainly no easy task.
Bentancur was combative in central areas, not only controlling possession well but winning it back with great regularity.
According to SofaScore, the 24-year-old had 103 touches of the ball which was the second-most in the entire game, only behind his partner in crime, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
Furthermore, the winter addition completed a seriously impressive 95% of his passes and was successful with 100% of his long balls and 100% of his dribbles.
The numbers keep getting better for Bentancur, however, who also won six defensive duels and committed just one foul during the entire match.
With those statistics in mind, it was hardly a surprise that earlier this week he was compared to one of the finest players we’ve seen in the engine room for Spurs.
Micky Hazard said only a few days ago: “Very impressed with Bentancur, what a good signing he looks, reminds me a bit of Modric, calm and composed but blimey he works so hard and wins so many balls.”
His performance was as complete as they come, playing in an aggressive manner that also got Spurs on the front foot.
The Tottenham midfielder played a crucial role in the second goal, nipping in to win possession before giving it to Kane who then assisted Son’s first strike.
If Bentancur continues to shine like this then Spurs will be in with a real shout of qualifying for Europe come May; he has immediately become a key part of the side.
AND in other news, Paratici eyeing bid for £84m “thoroughbred bomber”, “he’s the future” of Conte’s Spurs…