“Such a generous player” – Patrice Evra praises Tottenham’s unsung hero

Patrice Evra has praised Moussa Sissoko for the role he is playing in the base of the Tottenham midfield, claiming that the former Newcastle man has been an unsung hero for the league leaders this season.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s arrival in the summer appeared to look as if Sissoko’s first-team opportunities could become limited after the Dane was paired with Harry Winks in midfield for the first few league games of the campaign.

However, the Frenchman has since become an almost ever-present in the Tottenham side over the past couple of months, playing an important defensive role for Mourinho’s men.

Evra admitted that Sissoko’s work was very unselfish and highlighted the 31-year-old’s contribution as one of the main reasons the North Londoners have been able to win the midfield battle in matches.

Speaking ahead of Tottenham’s 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park on Sunday, the former Manchester United defender told Sky Sports’ Premier League channel (as relayed by The Express): “Mourinho teams are very difficult to beat and he has a strong midfield.

“I would like to talk about Sissoko because we don’t give enough credit to a player like him.

“Such a generous player, he can cover Serge Aurier, really generous, strong, so I think that’s where they’re winning the games, in the midfield.

“They’re so compact and also they’re putting Eric Dier at centre-back. So it’s a strong, strong contender for the title.”

Evra also praised Aurier, who is arguably in the best run of form since arriving at the club three and a half years ago.

The former United left-back insisted that the Ivorian gets unfairly criticised for his defensive frailties.

He added: “[Aurier’s] a nice lad, he’s a sweet lad, and he has a strong character.

“I’ve talked with him personally and I think Mourinho a few times dropped him out of the squad and he wasn’t happy.

“He’s shown why he has to start every game for Tottenham.

“The right side, we talk a lot about Serge Aurier being not a good defender but this is not my opinion, I think he is a great right-back.

“But Moussa Sissoko is a really generous player.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Moussa Sissoko has a lot of characteristics that Mourinho loves in his midfielders. He is quick, strong, can cover a lot of ground and most importantly, is humble enough to listen and take instructions on board. While the Frenchman is obviously limited on the ball, our current system allows the team to make the most of his strengths without exposing his weaknesses.

Keep up to date with all the latest Tottenham news and opinion by following SpursWeb’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.

Related Topics

Have something to tell us about this article? Let us know