It would be hard to imagine two or three years ago that north London would be without two of its biggest names starting week-in, week-out.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli continues to be snubbed by Jose Mourinho having not started another match since their Europa League qualifying win over Shkendija last month.

Whilst just up the road Mesut Ozil seemingly has no future at the Emirates Stadium after he was omitted from their squad entirely.

No one could have expected this to happen.

But at least for Alli, there's hope. There is a way back in and such a transformation is staring him right in the face.

Last season, Tanguy Ndombele endured his own woes under the Special One - it got to the point where rumours of a rift between the two circulated before he was constantly speculated with an exit throughout the summer transfer window.

The club-record £55m signing has turned things around tenfold and has often been a starter for Mourinho. In all competitions, Ndombele has started five of eight matches, scoring twice as per Transfermarkt.

Whatever he has done to get back into the Portuguese's thinking is exactly what Alli should be doing. If it comes down to his application in training, something both players have been scrutinised for throughout their careers, then it's a simple fix.

Alli is far too good to be a bench-warmer for Spurs, even if that seems out-of-reach seeing as he's failed to make the matchday squad five times in all competitions already.

In a similar way to Ndombele, he has also been linked with a move away as Paris Saint-Germain were keen on his signature, according to reports.

The 24-year-old is even out of the picture with England, despite being valued at a whopping €70m (£64m) by CIES Football Observatory.

Darren Anderton once compared him to both Steven Gerrard and Paul Scholes, dubbing him a "freak of a talent" who is a "real joy to watch" whilst ex-Spurs boss lauded him as one of the best in the world only a few years ago.

Alli better get sorted quickly otherwise his legacy in N17 will be closer to that of Paulinho - a £17m arrival with so much promise, only to turn out to be one of their biggest flops of the modern era.

Same position, bigger potential. Will the English superstar perform an Ndombele-like comeback or be seen as someone who never hit the heights he should've?

Only time will tell.

AND in other news, £17m profit, Levy was right to give up on Tim Sherwood favourite...