Cristian Romero will be sweating after staggering nine-year Tottenham record Kevin Danso claimed vs Everton
Kevin Danso has stepped up in a huge way since replacing the injured Cristian Romero for Tottenham.
The defender was a standout once again as Tottenham beat Everton 3-0 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday.
It was Danso‘s defensive partner, Micky van de Ven, who stole the headlines, however, after netting two headers in the first half.
Van de Ven was compared to Arsenal defender Gabriel after the game, with the Netherlands international rising highest to head home from two corners.
Rodrigo Bentancur attracted praise for his performance against Everton, too, with the midfielder claiming the assist for the first goal.
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Kevin Danso dominates vs Everton
Romero has missed Tottenham’s last two matches with an adductor strain, but the defender should return imminently.
In his place, however, Danso has been superb. Against Everton, the Austria international put in a stunning performance to secure the clean sheet.
While Van de Ven took the headlines for his goals, the 27-year-old mopped up everything left behind by the Dutchman, completing 89 per cent of his passes and winning 100 per cent of his duels.
But it was his dominance in the box that really stood out. As the game drew on, Everton resorted to lumping balls forward in an attempt to find Beto, and later, Thierno Barry.
There was nothing that could trouble Danso, however.
The defender made a staggering 18 clearances on the night, the joint-most in a Premier League game this season, and, according to Squawka, the most by a Tottenham player since 2016.
Does Cristian Romero get back in for Tottenham?
In his current state, it is difficult to see Danso being pushed out of the Tottenham team when Romero is back fit.
Of course, the Argentina international brings much more than just defensive excellence, and certainly boasts strengths that the Austrian cannot match.
Romero completes 0.14 successful dribbles per game, whereas Danso is yet to complete one, and the 27-year-old offers more danger in the opposition box, too, registering 0.10 expected goals with his replacement yet to take a shot.
But there is a defensive hunger about Danso that Thomas Frank will surely be in love with. The defender is quickly forming a solid partnership with Van de Ven, too.
It will be something to think about for Frank when Romero is back, but ultimately, it is a good problem to have. The Dane could even decide to play all three, with the back-three an option, while Van de Ven could be shifted out wide in another alternative solution.
One thing is clear, though, Spurs are quickly becoming a defensive force under Frank, and that should be cause for excitement.