After two horrid performances against Aston Villa and Monaco following the October international break, Tottenham Hotspur were in need of a serious statement game on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League against Everton.
Well, Spurs did exactly that, blowing out one of the surprise teams of the 2025/26 season so far, cutting down the Toffees to size with a 3-0 win, reminiscent of 3-0 wins over Burnley and West Ham earlier this season.
But this 3-0 win was far more impressive, as it came without the services of captain and superstar center back Cristian Romero, who has been out injured. Plus, Everton are a much better team than either Burnley or West Ham.
Key to winning so big in the absence of Romero were the performances of the other starting center backs, Micky van de Ven and Kevin Danso. While VVD was the main hero of the afternoon with two goals from the center back position, Danso deserves just as much praise for his standout performance.
A majestic performance in defense
The Austrian international was quietly one of Europe's best overall center backs during his time with Lens, and the January 2025 transfer signing has been just as much of a stalwart at Tottenham - and with just as little fanfare.
An important player for Spurs en route to their Europa League title win, Danso has been exemplary with his no-fuss defending this season whenever called upon, including games like the one against Monaco in which the rest of his teammates do not show up.
Danso was majestic vs. Everton, shutting down a previously exciting attack while scarcely having to make an intervention. His marking is insanely good, and Danso finished the matchup with a jaw-dropping 18 clearances to go with a pair of blocked shots while completing around 90 percent of his passes.
The signings of Joao Palhinha and Mohammed Kudus have been more impactful this season, and Xavi Simons figiures to be a bigger superstar. But when you look at the fact that Danso cost just 25 million euros and is almost never spoken of, you have to say that the signing of the 27-year-old center back in his prime for such a reasonable fee was the shrewdest move of them all.
When he's on the pitch, Danso looks world-class in his own right. He's only overshadowed by Romero and Van de Ven, but that doesn't mean he isn't an excellent player in his own right. He'd be starting for most teams in the Premier League, and rivals like Chelsea would kill to have him as one of their own.