Dominic Solanke’s hot streak for Spurs continues as he made it three goals in three games with a clever finish against Manchester United on Sunday afternoon, and here are the numbers to prove just how good he was in that game.
Passing and shooting on point for Solanke
With the score at 2-0 heading towards the final ten minutes of the game at Old Trafford, Spurs needed one more to really calm the nerves and wrap up the win, and Solanke duly delivered.
Lucas Bergvall swung in a corner, Pape Matar Sarr flicked the ball on, and Solanke, making a subtle yet effective run into the six-yard box, poked the ball past Andre Onana to finish the game.
But, that smart finish is not all that we can commend about Solanke’s display against Manchester United, and the stats from WhoScored prove it.
Solanke got his goal, but had four shots in total. He also registered one key pass, contributing to 17 total passes at an accuracy rate of 88.2% overall. He also made two dribbles, was fouled once, and racked up a rating of 8.09 from the site.
Solanke’s defensive work is key
As we have quickly learned, though, Solanke’s game is not solely focused on being in the right place at the right time and making some passes in the attacking third. No, he’s a hard-working striker who presses high and relentlessly battles for the ball.
Data from Fotmob dives deeper into just how much of a nuisance Solanke was on the day for the United players.
Solanke won two aerial duels and three ground duels during the game, completed two ball recoveries, and made three clearances in total (two of which were headed clearances). Overall, he was involved in six defensive actions across the 90 minutes.
He was caught offside once, but registered an impressive seven touches in the United box, and 36 touches overall throughout the game. Solanke amassed an xG of 1.3 by the end of the match, and clocked in with a rating of 8.2 out of 10.
Postecoglou’s dream striker
The fact that all three of Solanke’s goal have pretty much been tap-ins should not be a concern but a cause for celebration. We finally have the perfect target man to lap up all the great opportunities this team and this style of football creates.
Not only does he work exceptionally hard for the team, but he’s consistently in the right place at the right time to be on the end of those balls into the box, too.