Dominic Solanke still has a lot to prove to Thomas Frank and Tottenham.
Tottenham secured all three points against Brighton after coming back from a two-goal deficit.
Richarlison was singled out for his mistakes for Spurs, which some have suggested were costly. However, the Brazilian still managed to net his third goal in the Premier League this season and could match last season’s total next game.
As a result, getting back into the starting lineup may be harder than Solanke may have thought.
This article includes exclusive comment from ex-Premier League midfielder Martin Allen.
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Dominic Solanke told to put in the work
Solanke has been sidelined for Tottenham since their win over Manchester City in August.
While Solanke is set to return for Spurs soon, former Brentford manager Allen – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes that he will need to step up once he does.
“I think Solanke’s got a lot of work to do, to be honest,” Martin said.
“He’s a good player. We all know he’s a good player. It’s a little bit different, from being a good player to actually being a player that’s going to get your team up into the top three, top two, challenging to win the Premier League.
“I’m not sure Solanke’s that good that he can change and move Tottenham up those next couple of places that they’ll be craving. He’s a good player, but I would say a top ten player rather than a top three player.”
How did Dominic Solanke perform in the Premier League last season?
Solanke netted nine goals and three assists in a Premier League season where Tottenham finished 17th on the table.
While not by much, the striker underperformed in expected goals, scoring nine from an expected 10.97 during the period. He missed 12 big chances and recorded a goal conversion rate of 15 per cent.
His expected assists were 1.15 per 90, which signifies an overperformance, while he created six big chances in 27 appearances.
Despite being one of Spurs’ top performers last season, clinical finishing and chance creation seem to be areas Solanke should work on. If he does, there will be little reason outside of injury for Frank to sideline him this season.