LONDON -- There was a strong sense of deja vu as Jose Mourinho's second Premier League game in charge of Tottenham Hotspur, a 3-2 win over Bournemouth, followed a virtually identical pattern to his first.

Just as against West Ham last weekend, Spurs went 3-0 up and looked to be cruising their way to a simple three points before a couple of late goals -- in exactly the same minutes as a week ago, no less -- made the closing stages much more nervous than they should have been.

And just as against West Ham, Tottenham's win was inspired by Dele Alli. The England midfielder scored two of Tottenham's three goals, had a significant hand in the other with a perfect pass for Son-Heung-min to cross for Moussa Sissoko, and more generally produced a performance of finesse and assurance to inspire Spurs to a third win in three games under their new manager.

This season Alli had managed two goals and an assist in 10 appearances before Spurs made their managerial change, but in the three games since Mourinho's arrival he has scored three and set up another.

Perhaps more important than the numbers, is simply how much more assertive and confident he looks now. Alli at his best had a healthy amount of cockiness to his game, a swagger that when combined with his subtleness and sense of timing made him such a dangerous player.

- ESPN Premier League fantasy: Sign up now!
- VAR in the Premier League: Ultimate guide
- When does the transfer window reopen?
- Premier League winter break: All you need to know

That swagger had seemed to disappear in the past year or so. More or less since the 2018 World Cup, Alli had played with a lack of purpose, without direction or clarity, his role in the team also less certain.

That, at least, is one thing that Mourinho has tried to change. "Every manager has his own ideas, but for me Dele is not a midfield player," he said afterwards. "He's a player to play like he's playing, close to Harry [Kane], follow some of the dynamics [we've worked on] in training but also with some freedom to associate with the attacking players."

The partnership with Kane has certainly been a key factor, not quite so much that they have been pinging passes to each other or telepathically combining, but the striker's increasing tendency to drop deep has created plenty of space in which Alli can thrive, which he did for both of his goals on Saturday.

It might be a bit much to say Mourinho has made Alli a personal project, but getting the best from him has clearly been a top priority. Mourinho literally skipped up the touchline to applaud and encourage Alli after he played a poor pass late in the game, and his substitution in injury time was less a tactical move and more a chance for the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to rise and recognize their man of the match.

And man of the match Alli was. He played with assertiveness and finesse, a healthy mix of delicate flicks and confident runs. The run for his first goal is not one he would've made a few weeks ago, confidently running alongside Son to slide home. The finish for his second was a case in point too, not snatching at the chance as he could so easily have done but instead waiting for just the right moment to clip it over the keeper.

A caveat should be offered in that Bournemouth made life relatively easy for him. His run wasn't tracked for the first goal, he too easily dashed between Jack Stacey and Steve Cook for the second and more generally they seemed to leave a lot of space between defence and midfield for him to operate.

Alli clearly looks refreshed, but how much of this is down to words of enthusiasm and encouragement whispered into his ear by the new manager? Mourinho has not been there long enough to do significant work with him on the training ground, but has he offered some secret magic word to dig up previously buried confidence? Is this just a consequence of hearing a different voice -- any different voice -- from the one directing him for the previous five years?

Is it just a coincidence, his performances trending in an upward direction even before Mourinho's arrival, and this tangible success an inevitable result of gradual improvement since he returned from injury earlier in the season?

Perhaps it is down to the new manager. If this really is the Mourinho effect in full force, that he's a mystical "disillusioned player-whisperer," able to reawaken dormant talent and enthusiasm, the question then becomes: who can he work his magic on next?

If he can turn Sissoko into a regular goal scorer, we may have to dunk him in a river to ensure he's not a witch. Sissoko's strike here was his first for Tottenham since Oct. 2017, and his first league strike since September of that year against Huddersfield, which also could easily have been given as an own goal.

But more seriously, Mourinho's main job -- after the obvious winning of games and trophies and potentially getting Spurs into the top four, which isn't out of the question -- is to see which of the disaffected players with one foot out of the door he can re-enthuse enough to stay.

Can he persuade Christian Eriksen, seemingly determined that new challenges away from Spurs are required, that there are sufficient challenges exactly where he is? Can he squeeze another couple of years out of Jan Vertonghen? Can he keep Toby Alderweireld, whose long passes provided Spurs' first two goals here, at the club beyond his current contract?

Can he make Eric Dier the rock-solid midfield destroyer whom he tried to sign at Manchester United? What about the frustrating full-backs, Danny Rose and Serge Aurier? There are plenty of things to fix at Tottenham, and if Mourinho can do what he might have already done with Alli, he could be a big success here.

For now though, improving Alli will do. "I don't need to speak," Mourinho initially said when asked about Alli. "It's the best thing that can happen to a coach, when you don't have to speak. It's obvious. He's playing really, really, really well. I couldn't ask more from him."

Now the Euro 2020 draw has been made, the previews and predictions can begin! The tournament can be viewed LIVE in the U.S. on ESPN networks, from June 12 to July 12.

Jump to: Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D | Group E | Group F

Group A

Prediction: 1. Italy 2. Wales 3. Turkey 4. Switzerland

Overview: Italy were one of two teams (Belgium) to finish qualifying with a perfect record, but avoiding France and Portugal must come as a relief. Turkey took four points from six against France and go to the Euros with the best defensive record on the continent; an almost impregnable wall comprising Merih Demiral, Ozan Kabak and Caglar Soyuncu. Wales went the furthest of any of these teams at Euro 2016 and we all know where Gareth Bale's priorities lie. Switzerland have a wily coach in Vladimir Petkovic and keep games close.

X factor: The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico, starting with the tournament opener on June 12 against Turkey. Italy manager Roberto Mancini has talked up replicating the fervour he experienced at Italia `90 and doing so could give an intrepid and fresh-faced side an edge, providing an emotional charge their opponents will find tough to play against.

Must-watch game: Italy vs. Wales (June 21) If Italy knock their heads against Turkey's brick wall and find it hard to play through a stodgy Switzerland side, the Wales game at the end of this group could light some fireworks. For all his troubles in Madrid, Bale is the arguably the one attacking player in this group who can win a game on his own, while Aaron Ramsey will know all about that Italy backline, having spent a year either training or playing against it.

Group B

Prediction: 1. Belgium 2. Denmark 3. Russia 4. Finland

Overview: No.1 in the FIFA rankings, Belgium had the best attack and defence in qualification and should not be worried by Russia, having beaten them 7-2 on aggregate during their journey to the finals. The Danes are an altogether different proposition and will fancy their chances. Finland, meanwhile, have nothing to lose after reaching a major tournament for the first time in their history. Teemu Pukki scored 10 goals in qualifying.

X factor: Looking beyond Belgium's array of stars, Christian Eriksen ended qualifying as Denmark's top scorer and qualifying's second-best chance creator behind Antoine Griezmann. Out of contract in the summer, unless he extends with Tottenham, the playmaker could be playing to attract the calibre of interest he was unable to arouse [Real Madrid] at the end of last season.

Must-watch game: Finland vs. Russia (June 17) Saint Petersburg is a ferry-ride away from Helsinki so expect the boats to be full. Routinely biffed by bigger neighbours, the Finns impressed in qualifying and Pukki's battle with Artem Dzyuba, the towering Zenit striker with the best xG numbers of any forward in qualifying [inflated by games against San Marino, Cyprus, Kazakhstan and Scotland], should be fun.

Group C

Prediction: 1. Netherlands 2. Ukraine 3. Kosovo (assuming qualification) 4. Austria

Overview: After missing the last two major tournaments, Netherlands' run to the Nations League final, combined with Ajax making the final four of last season's Champions League, is undoubtedly to the benefit of the Euros. Ukraine were so good in qualifying that they forced their way into the top seeds, dumping France into pot two. Austria are reliant on maverick striker Marko Arnautovic, but have talent elsewhere in Marcel Sabitzer, Valentin Lazaro and David Alaba. Of the playoff teams competing to complete the group, Kosovo were such a joy to watch in qualifying that it's hard not to root for them to reach their first major tournament.

X factor: The Dutch have arguably the best centre-back partnership at the Euros. No centre-back has gone closer to becoming the first defender to win the Ballon d'Or since Fabio Cannavaro than Virgil van Dijk, while his partner Matthijs de Ligt emerged as perhaps the brightest talent of his generation in that position. Moreover, the pair also present a real threat from attacking set-pieces.

Must-watch game: Netherlands vs. Ukraine (June 14) Andriy Shevchenko's side are a tough cookie, having kept five clean sheets in eight unbeaten qualifiers. Draws in Portugal and Serbia indicate Ukraine won't be fazed in Amsterdam, meaning it is a trap game for the Dutch. Atalanta playmaker Ruslan Malinovskyi looks like he came through Ajax's finishing school, such is the refinement of his technique, while Gent striker Roman Yaremcuk -- four goals in seven qualifiers -- could not wish for a better mentor than Sheva himself.

Group D

Prediction: 1. England 2. Croatia 3. Norway (assuming qualification) 4. Czech Republic

Overview: If England go one better than at the last World Cup when Gareth Southgate's team reached the semifinals, five of their seven games will be at Wembley. World Cup runners-up Croatia should push them for top spot, although the Czechs beat England in qualifying. When it comes to the playoff teams, a home nations game between England and Scotland appeals, but what about Norway and the talent emerging in their ranks? Don't you want to see Erling Haland, Martin Odegaard and Sander Berge putting on a show?

X factor: Haland firing Norway to the Euros would be a fantastic story, particularly in the same year he became the first teenager to score in his first five Champions League games. Not guaranteed to see that, we can at least count on the presence of Harry Kane, who finished top scorer in qualifying with 12 goals in eight games.

Must-watch game: England vs. Croatia (June 14) Group D's opener is a repeat of the 2016 World Cup semifinal and a Nations League tie, in which England came from behind to win late, even if much has changed in recent times. After winning the Ballon d'Or on the back of inspiring his country to the final in Russia, Luka Modric has had one of the worst years of his career, while Ivan Rakitic is on the margins at Barcelona. England, meanwhile, have more talent with Jadon Sancho having burst onto the scene, but have not necessarily pushed on in the last two years.

Group E

Prediction: 1. Spain 2. Poland 3. Sweden 4. Bosnia and Herzegovina (assuming qualification)

Overview: Tensions are high in the Spain camp following Luis Enrique's return and subsequent war of words with former assistant Robert Moreno; whether the ripple effects are still felt by June remain to be seen. Poland have the best striker in the world in Robert Lewandowski, skilful midfielders like Piotr Zielinski and Wojciech Szczesny, who is overlooked whenever there is a conversation about the best goalkeepers on the planet. Sweden made the quarterfinals of the last World Cup -- without Zlatan Ibrahimovic -- and look to have found an exciting talent in Dejan Kulusevski. Joining this trio through the playoffs could be Bosnia and Herzegovina. Edin Dzeko would be the third-most prolific international goalscorer at the tournament behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lewandowski, while watching Miralem Pjanic against Spain's midfield would be quite something.

X factor: Look no further than Lewandowski. Just when you thought he could not get any better, particularly in an unsophisticated and poorly-coached Bayern team -- that is, until Hansi Flick replaced Nico Kovac -- the 31-year-old is hitting new heights and has scored 31 goals already this season, including four in 14 minutes against Red Star in the Champions League. There is not a more complete No. 9 on the planet.

Must-watch game: Spain vs. Poland (June 20) The question is whether talented Poland can fulfil their potential has been an issue for them since the 1982 World Cup [hosted by Spain]. Watching Lewandowski against Sergio Ramos will be one of the match-ups of the group stages and while Spain have a ridiculous amount of skill and can fold in the winners of last summer's Under-21 Euros, it is also true that they no longer inspire the same fear as a decade ago.

Group F

Prediction: 1. France 2. Germany 3. Portugal 4. Romania (assuming qualification)

Overview: Didier Deschamps (France) laughed, Joachim Low (Germany) looked ashen-faced and Fernando Santos (Portugal) stared into the distance. Group F, with its six European Championship titles, features holders Portugal and the most recent two world champions in France and Germany, all three of whom reached the semifinals in 2016. Whichever team makes up the numbers via the playoffs, it will be hard to avoid the thought they have simply won the right to finish bottom.

X factor: This could be Cristiano Ronaldo's final international tournament and, recently, his best form has been reserved for Portugal, with 10 goals in qualifying. The 34-year-old is 11 goals away from passing Ali Daei's mark of 109 as the most prolific international goalscorer of all-time. Ronaldo tends to turn it on against elite nations; remember that hat trick against Spain in the last World Cup?

Must-watch game: France vs. Germany (June 16) Since the end of Spain's dominance, France and Germany have become Europe's pre-eminent nations, with one knocking the other out of two of the last three major tournaments. Recent results suggest France have the edge; Antoine Griezmann, for example, inspired a comeback win in the Nations League. This game will set the tone for the rest of the group and eyes will be on Low. Can he go again after disappointing at the last World Cup and in the Nations League, where Germany only avoided relegation because the competition got restructured and expanded.

For more on the Euro 2020 finals, click here; details of the playoffs for the final four places can be found here.

Virat Kohli's India have blown away oppositions at home - just ask South Africa and Bangladesh who were at the receiving end recently. And armed with an incredible bowling attack, they've also established their dominance overseas, including winning a historic Test series in Australia in January earlier this year. So, are India the best team in the world now?

India have been perched at No. 1 on the ICC's Test ranking for a few years now, and Kohli also believed that they're one of best teams overall. "If you look at teams across formats now, I would say we're in the top-two teams in the world," Kohli told India Today. "And we're very proud of that because we started off with a young bunch and transition is never easy but the guys have slowly understood the importance of belief and understanding their role in taking Indian cricket forward. So, insecurity about their own game has vanished. If you see we enjoy each other's success and company and everyone is just wanting to help one way or the other for the betterment of Indian cricket team and in return the betterment of Indian cricket as a whole."

India have chalked up some consistent performances across formats, but Kohli is yet to lift a global trophy as captain. India have not won an ICC global tournament since 2013, when MS Dhoni's men clinched the Champions Trophy. Incidentally, that was Kohli's second global title after being part of Dhoni's 2011 World Cup-winning team.

The missing global title was something that the newly-appointed BCCI president Sourav Ganguly also pinpointed in October.

Kohli conceded that winning an ICC title was "like an obsession", but prioritised process over results and numbers. He also said that his side relished being under pressure and finding a way past it.

"You could say winning an ICC tournament is like an obsession or like a wish that people have, which is a beautiful thing to wish for becaus it's seen at a global level and every cricketer would want to win that," he said. "But if you ask me, honestly I didn't ever think I would be part of the winning World Cup team in my first World Cup or two years down the line we will win the Champions Trophy as well. I never thought of these things but it happened. So, it was meant to happen for us.

"But, in hindsight you can look at a lot of things. We obviously have the desire to win big tournaments and big series and we want to give our best effort possible. But, if you focus on things which are only based on success and numbers and results, you don't enjoy the process. We play well as a team because we enjoy the process."

Kohli himself has been the central figure behind India's bumper run ever since he took charge as captain in all formats in 2016. In his quest to make India the best team ever, he has been very particular about not compromising on his fitness. Working on his diet and monitoring his sleeping habits, Kohli said, helped him be more energetic on the field. But, how does he maintain peak intensity at all times?

"Basically, I hate losing in anything," he said. "That's how a sportsman is made up. That's the make-up of any sportsman competing at the highest level. So, that's a given. No one is fine with losing or failing. You accept it, you process it - that's different. But, the most important thing for me to do anything on the field is I don't want' any maybes or what-ifs."

One of the key ingredients behind India's unprecedented success in recent years is the depth in their attack, especially the well-rounded fast bowling contingent. In the recently-concluded home Test season, both Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar were unavailable, but Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, and Umesh Yadav fired collectively, helping the team notch up four successive innings victories.

Kohli said that while there is "healthy competition" among the pace pack it is the camaraderie they share with each other that makes the attack special.

"No one is wanting to outdo someone else," he said. "They're like a bunch of friends wanting to help each other. [There's] healthy competition but the trust they've on each other, I've never seen them have an argument… a serious one. No jealously. Zero. That's their biggest strength. They don't care whether a Shami is at No. 7 now, Jassi [Jasprit Bumrah] is at whatever ranking he's or Ishant is not. Ishant is happy , he has played 90 Tests and he understands he's a very important part of team India - of inspiring the next lot of fast bowlers. That to him is more special than a ranking of ten players in the world and so on and so forth. So, full credit to these guys for being able to create this aura around them because of that friendship, belief and the intent being in the right place."

Earlier this week, Rahul Dravid, the head of cricket at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), reckoned that India's fast-bowling renaissance at the international level has inspired the next-gen quicks too.

"Every year now in Under-19 cricket, we've had some very good fast bowlers. Last time, we had three of them in Kamlesh, Shivam and Ishan [Porel]. This year also you will see some good fast bowlers in the team," Dravid had said."When you have role models and you have heroes like the senior team… I think what Ishant [Sharma], [Mohammed] Shami, Umesh [Yadav], Bhuvneshwar Kumar and [Jasprit] Bumrah are doing, is they are actually in a way becoming role models for a lot of younger generation of boys who believe now they can be fast bowlers. They can bowl fast and be successful in India. It's great to see that. Obviously we had people like Kapil [Dev], Sri [Javagal Srinath], Zaheer [Khan] and all in the past. But as a group, this is probably one of the best fast-bowling attacks we have ever had. I think that's a great inspiration for a lot of these young boys."

YAS ISLAND, Abu Dhabi – Lewis Hamilton snapped a pole drought dating back to July’s German Grand Prix by claiming the pole for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Saturday at the Yas Island Circuit.

Hamilton put his Mercedes on the pole with a quick 1:34.779 lap time during Q3, which put him just ahead of his teammate Valtteri Bottas.

“It was a very good qualifying session for us. Qualifying hasn’t been the easiest this year, but it’s been something we’ve just been chipping away it. Yesterday was a bit difficult for me, I had to re-center myself for today,” Hamilton said after his 88th career Formula One pole. “But it’s the best thing when you get to Q3 and you pull out two good laps. A big thank you to the entire team for their continued effort. Even though we have both titles won, we continue to push and strive to be better and that’s so inspiring to me. It’s been an incredible journey with this car this year, so to finish the year off with a pole is a great feeling. It’s not even half the job done, but this result puts us in the best position possible for tomorrow when we’ve got to battle with the Ferraris and Red Bulls.”

Bottas settled for second during qualifying, but he won’t start there. Instead, he’ll have to start from the rear after his team swapped in new power unit parts for the season-ending race.

“My lap was good, but it felt like Lewis was a bit too quick today,” Bottas said. “We used different set-ups in qualifying and overall I felt a bit more comfortable in the car yesterday. Anyway, my main focus is on the race tomorrow as I knew going into qualifying that I’d be starting the race from the back owing to the grid penalty. I still pushed as hard as I could, but I only did one run in Q2 to save a set of tyres for tomorrow. I think it’ll be an entertaining race tomorrow and I’ll try to make up as many places as possible. It’ll be a challenge, but I’m looking forward to it.”

Max Verstappen qualified third, but will move up to second thanks to Bottas’ grid penalty. The Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel will start third and fourth, with Alexander Albon and Lando Norris set to start fifth and sixth.

Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz Jr., Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez will start seventh through 10th, respectively.

KENLY, N.C. – Mother Nature has intervened and forced the postponement of the Thanksgiving Classic at Southern National Motorsports Park.

The event, which was to serve as the season finale for the PRA Tours super late model division, has been rescheduled for March 1.

Among those scheduled to compete in Saturday’s event was reigning Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch.

With the cancelation, Kodie Conner has been crowned the PRA Tours super late model champion for this year.