Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed a bit of a revival under Jose Mourinho in recent weeks as they have solidified their claims to play in Europe next season.
The north Londoners have won four of their last five matches, which includes impressive scalps against arch-rivals Arsenal as well as a demolition of Champions League-chasing Leicester City.
Instrumental to their turnaround in form has arguably been winger Lucas Moura, who is fast-becoming a Willian-like figure under the Portuguese master.
The 27-year-old has started all but one game since the Premier League’s return to action last month – and in that time, he’s recorded a whopping 20 tackles, 15 dribbles, ten shots and eight key passes, via WhoScored.
Spurs and Willian have a controversial past after the Brazilian opted for a move to Mourinho’s Chelsea instead back in the summer of 2013.
In the two full seasons the Special One was in charge across the river, Willian averaged 1.9 key passes, 1.8 dribbles and 1.5 tackles per game across the PL and the UCL.
Being able to contribute defensively isn’t always the first thing that should be on a winger’s mind, but the responsibility is a key one amongst Mourinho’s rigid systems.
During the north London Derby, Moura racked up ten tackles alone, thus displaying the very fruits of his labours.
Many supporters thought he had gone off the boil since historic hat-trick in Amsterdam over a year ago, yet this is far from the case. He’s become one of the most vital members of this Spurs squad.
So much so that Moura has kept January addition Steven Bergwijn out of the starting XI for several weeks now.
Ex-Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino lauded him as “unbelievable” last season and it certainly won’t be long before Mourinho is saying exactly the same thing.