Dele Alli first saw the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at the end of March 2019 – just before the opening game against Crystal Palace. He did not want to see it half-done; he had chosen to wait until it was finished in order to enjoy the full impact. It would blow him away.
Inside the empty bowl, Alli’s eyes were drawn towards the 17,500-capacity South Stand and he knew what he was most looking forward to – seeing it packed and scoring in front of it. It is reflective of how Alli’s Spurs career fizzled out that he managed to do so only twice – the late equaliser against Watford in October 2019 and the touch and finish in the win over Bournemouth the following month.
