LONDON – Jose Mourinho’s dream start as Tottenham Hotspur manager continued as Dele Alli scored twice in a 3-2 victory at home to Bournemouth on Saturday – a third successive win for the Portuguese since replacing Mauricio Pochettino.
Despite watching them win their first back-to-back league games since April, it was not all good news for Mourinho, though, as his side conceded late goals for the second week running.
Alli, whose struggles so far this season had mirrored Tottenham’s dismal start, has looked rejuvenated in the past week since Mourinho arrived, and put Tottenham in front in the 21st minute from close range.
Shortly afterwards Davinson Sanchez had a goal scrubbed off by VAR, but Alli doubled Tottenham’s lead five minutes after halftime from Toby Alderweireld’s long ball.
Moussa Sissoko’s 69th minute goal gave Spurs a third, taking their tally to 10 in three games under Mourinho.
While Tottenham’s attack has clicked under Mourinho, another impressive display was rather tarnished once more by a failure to keep a clean sheet.
First, Harry Wilson’s pinpoint freekick gave Bournemouth a surprise lifeline and when the Welsh international scored again in stoppage time there were some jitters on the home bench.
A second successive league victory for the first time this season lifted Tottenham into fifth spot with 20 points from 14 games, six points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.
Bournemouth dropped to 12 with 16 points.