Christian Eriksen proving to be Pochettino’s pivotal playmaker

Tottenham, 6/1 with Coral for a top four finish, have overcome a lacklustre start to the Premier League campaign and are now pushing hard for a Champions League spot, thanks hugely to Danish playmaker Christian Eriksen.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side began the current campaign with high hopes of securing a European place, but were quickly set back after a series of under-par performances and hapless defeats, including a four-match winless streak last year.

The London outfit have been unable to maintain a strong winning run this season, securing three consecutive victories on just one occasion so far, and stuttering to seven league losses in total.

However, a recent bright spark for Spurs has been the form of their delightful Danish midfielder Eriksen, with the 22-year-old becoming an integral cog in Pochettino’s top four searching machine. This season elegant Eriksen has netted eight times for his side, but it’s the importance and timing of the player’s goals that has propelled him to hero status at White Hart lane.

Fast becoming a fan favourite with the Tottenham faithful Eriksen has, this season, always managed to pop up in the closing stages of crucial clashes to save the day. Of the former Ajax player’s eight strikes for Spurs this term, five of his last six have come in the final six minutes of games.

Although it’s not just important goals that Eriksen is contributing with for his team, his intelligent and decisive thinking in attacks causes the best of Premier League defences major problems, as Gus Poyet’s Sunderland recently found out.

Spurs’ star man stole the show from new Black Cats striker Jermain Defoe, who was returning to England’s top-flight after a spell at MLS franchise Toronto FC. Pochettino’s men looked to be heading for a frustrating draw with the Wearside club, but Eriksen again proved to be difference, popping up with an 88th minute winner.

This was the terrific talisman’s fifth winning goal of the Premier League season, and his seventh which has directly led to the securing of points. All of the Dane’s vital acclaims this term come as even more of an encouragement with the prolific playmaker having been snapped up in 2013 at a mere €15.6m, meaning an obvious rise in his selling price since arriving at White Hart Lane.

Having become a decisive influence in London, Eriksen’s sensational showings have catapulted him to the forefront of Tottenham’s fight for Champions League football, and his clinical creativity is that of which Arsenal would hope to see from their German playmaker Mesut Ozil.

Since Gareth Bale’s departure to Real Madrid, Eriksen has stepped up to fill the void left by the Welsh international, and his tactical awareness has made him one of the most feared attacking midfielders in the top flight.

Despite just one assist this term, Spurs’ creative hub has become a master of setting up the assist, creating space for others and mainly making Tottenham tick as they aim to reach next season’s Champions League.

Pochettino’s men are odds-on 4/5 to finish in the top six, having gone six home games unbeaten, including four triumphs.