Xavi Simons has vowed to ‘keep working hard’ to help us maintain momentum following the impressive 4-0 win over FC Copenhagen in the UEFA Champions League in midweek.
The midfielder was at his creative best at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday night, providing an assist and creating the most big chances (three) of any player in this season’s competition in a standout 61 minutes to scoop the official Player of the Match award.
Starting in the attacking midfield role, it was his superb pass that unleashed Brennan Johnson who rounded the goalkeeper before finishing on the angle for the opener on 19 minutes and then carved out two great opportunities for Randal Kolo Muani who failed to capitalise in the first half.
Xavi was replaced by Joao Palhinha just after the hour-mark with us 2-0 up - following Randal’s sublime assist for Wilson Odobert to double our lead - as a consequence of Brennan’s sending off five minutes prior, with our number seven producing an impressive all-round display in midfield.
“We enjoyed this game together with the fans and the most important thing is three points,” said the Dutch international.
I'm a guy that needs to enjoy playing football and that's what I do the most. And tonight, you could see together with the team was special."
Following his summer move from German side RB Leipzig, the 22-year-old made a promising start with an assist on debut against West Ham United in the Premier League but has only shown glimpses of his quality with that assist on Tuesday night his first in 11 appearances as he finds his feet in English football.
"Everyone wants to perform and wants to play good, but this is life," he continued. "You have to keep working hard and every day is a new day, new challenge and new opportunity to perform well.
"I've enjoyed it. Obviously, together with the team, we want to perform always, but things went a little bit different. We are working hard every day to try to do our best and to bring the best performance together.
"You want to perform always, but in life, not everything goes how you want always. But I will always keep working hard and give my 100 per cent and help the team."
With Micky van de Ven taking all the plaudits for his historic marauding run and finish for our third before substitute Joao rounded off a fine European victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Xavi was pleased to see this from his Dutch compatriot even if the pair did celebrate the goal afterwards in typical dressing-room fashion!
“Now, I'm honest with you, in the dressing room, I told him I would kill you if I was [Randal] on the right side [for not passing], but if he would miss this one, I would kill him definitely,” he joked.
“Everyone knows how fast this guy is. He doesn't look that fast, but on a pitch when you're next to him, it's just crazy. I'm happy for him that he had this goal and we got the three points.”