Tottenham Hotspur extended their unbeaten run to six matches across all competitions with a dominating performance against an Everton side who have enjoyed a vast upturn in form since Sam Allardyce took charge at Goodison Park.
The displays of Harry Kane, who became Spurs` all-time Premier League scoring, and Son Heung-Min particularly caught the eye but it was the performance of one defender who has provided the biggest case for a debate following the match.
Serge Aurier benefitted from a weak Everton side down the left, providing the assist for Son`s opening goal and consistently showing an attacking presence, particularly in the first-half.
The Ivorian has had to be patient waiting for his chances since his move from Paris Saint-Germain last summer, with Kyle Walker-Peters impressing in the early stages of the campaign and Kieran Trippier often selected ahead of him, but Aurier is now showing his class.
Still just 25, Aurier has already eclipsed Trippier with his average match ratings on WhoScored and his attacking threat, as shown in the win against Everton, is difficult to match- which is filling a void that Tottenham had following the departure of Kyle Walker last summer.
During his time in North London, Walker was often praised for his attacking contribution and that has continued to be the case following his performances for the runaway Premier League leaders- but Aurier is reducing the severity of the England international`s departure.
Netting in the victory over Brighton in December and providing an assist this weekend, Aurier has seen a big upturn in form in recent weeks and it`s imperative that he keeps his spot for the forthcoming Premier League matches- where the Lilywhites face a run of games against Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal.
All three of the top-four chasing sides have displayed defensive vulnerabilities this season, often struggling to deal with pace down the flanks, and Aurier can capitalise on this- particularly against Liverpool, who also like to throw their full-backs forward, and an Arsenal side that have gaping holes in their back-line.
Trippier may well be able to capitalise on those frailties but he`s unlikely to spark concern in the opposing ranks, whereas Aurier`s presence will need to be identified and countered in tactical meetings ahead of matches against Spurs.
The difficulty is that Trippier will be desperate to continue playing first-team football ahead of the World Cup this summer, where he`s likely to be understudy to Kyle Walker in England`s right-hand side, but Tottenham have their own battles to prioritise- and Aurier is a better man for the job.
It has taken him a while to find his feet properly in the Premier League but the fact that his better performances have come during the winter period, where he would have been accustomed to having a break from his time in Ligue 1, shows how quickly the African ace has adapted to life in England.
There`s undoubtedly still plenty more to come from a player that Spurs splashed a whopping £27m on but, as the months and seasons progress, the decision to cash-in on Walker may prove to be very wise indeed as Aurier will be vital in Tottenham`s continued push for glory.
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