Dele Alli Hopes First Everton Goals Lead To Upturn In Form
Dele Alli is hoping his first goals for Everton will inspire a turnaround in his career.
Six months on after joining from Tottenham Hotspurs, Alli scored his first two goals for the club in a 4-2 pre-season friendly win over Blackpool on Sunday.
Alli missed a sitter in Everton's previous pre-season match; a 4-0 loss to Major League Soccer side Minnesota United.
Alli's career has taken a nosedive in recent years following a bright start to life at Tottenham Hotspurs.
The two-time PFA Young Player of the year joined Spurs from MK Dons in the summer of 2015 and impressed particularly in his first two seasons at the club, reaching double figures for goals in both campaigns.
His form dropped off in the last two seasons and he struggled for game time under Jose Mourinho, Nuno Esperito Santo and Antonio Conte before joining Everton in January.
Alli did not find the back of the net in his 11 Premier League outings for Everton last season but is hoping his latest brace will lead to an upturn in form.
"I got two goals, so I'm happy," said Alli.
"Overall, it was a good team performance and times like this, that’s what we’re looking for. It’s not about individual moments. It’s about how we’re improving, how we’re building as a team. I think today was a step in the right direction, but we need to keep going now."
"To achieve anything, we need to be fighting for places," Alli said, quoted on Everton's website.
"No one's place is guaranteed. We have to work hard in every game and training session. Everything we do, we need to apply ourselves.
"When you're at a club like Everton, it's not for the manager to say that places are up for grabs."
