Dejan Kulusevski made Premier League historical past with a decisive show for Tottenham Hotspur throughout the membership’s 3-0 thrashing of Manchester United in September.
The Sweden worldwide created 9 probabilities for his teammates, essentially the most of any opposition Premier League participant at Outdated Trafford since Opta started recording this detailed information in 2003. Chelsea’s Florent Malouda is the one different participant within the final 20 years to have teed up greater than six pictures on the iconic venue.
In line with Kulusevski, setting a brand new landmark on this spectacular – if area of interest – statistical class was a aware goal. “There was a report there that I broke,” the 24-year-old informed the Swedish publication Aftonbladet throughout the October worldwide break. “It was my plan all alongside to do it and I am glad I did. When the crew performs effectively, I play effectively.”
Regardless of his record-breaking inventive figures, none of Kulusevski’s 9 key passes have been transformed into objectives. The previous Juventus ahead did discover the web himself, making it 2-0 three minutes into the second half by tapping in Brennan Johnson’s deflected cross past Andre Onana.
Spurs performed greater than half of the competition with the higher hand after Bruno Fernandes was despatched off for lunging at James Maddison. However as boss Ange Postecoglou rightly identified post-game, the guests “in all probability ought to have been out of sight by that stage”.
Kulusevski created half of the 12 pictures which Tottenham rattled off whereas United had a full complement of gamers. The hosts, by comparability, had been in a position to muster simply three efforts collectively. Fernandes was essentially the most prolific creator within the Premier League final season, per FBref, however is just liable for six key passes this season – lower than Kulusevski’s tally in opposition to the Purple Devils alone.
“It was nice enjoyable to play in a legendary enviornment and I performed precisely as I needed,” Kulusevski grinned when trying again on that hefty victory. “And [we] performed soccer that not solely I wish to play however the entire crew.”
United’s Victor Lindelof watched the carnage unfold from the Outdated Trafford substitutes’ bench. The Swedish centre-back put membership loyalties apart to hail his compatriot as a “position mannequin for a lot of” forward of the nationwide crew’s UEFA Nations League fixtures this month.
“I believe Dejan is a fantastically gifted footballer,” Lindelof continued. “He runs as a lot as he desires. It’s a deal with to see him play soccer and that he’s right here. These gamers additionally get to see what it takes to play on the highest degree.”
