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Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino gives 'killer' Dele Alli permission to be 'a little bit naughty' against West Brom

Maurico Pochettino will not stop ‘killer’ Dele Alli continuing to use the dark arts to avoid taking the edge away from his game.

Tottenham host West Bromwich Albion at White Hart Lane on Saturday and in the reverse fixture last season Alli ended up with a three-match retrospective ban for spinning and punching Claudio Yacob in the gut as they ran into the penalty area.

Such was Alli’s sneaky deception that the referee failed to spot it, but he was caught on camera and the Football Association took action after the game.

Dele Alli was handed a three-match ban after punching West Brom's Caludio Yacob last season
Dele Alli was handed a three-match ban after punching West Brom's Caludio Yacob last season

Pochettino, who admits himself that he was a naughty player in his day as a centre-back, does not wish to see that disappear from Alli’s game, but spoke to the 20-year-old after that incident to ensure he takes a maturer approach.