Tottenham great Glenn Hoddle has hailed the impact of summer arrival Pierre Emile Hojbjerg.
Hoddle believes he has been the catalyst for their outstanding start – and is an extension of his manager on the pitch.
He told The Sun of the Southampton captain: “He's an absolute classic Jose Mourinho player. He needed a player like him in midfield.
“Early on in the season, I wasn't sure what he was going to do, was he going to be an out-and-out stopper?
“He's better than that. He uses the ball really well, he keeps it simple and knows what his attributes are.
“For that style of player, he's way ahead of anyone in the league this year. He's playing superbly well and drops into the back four.
“He protects the centre-halves. He has been outstanding with and without the ball."
He added: “The one criteria he has got, which is going out of the game, is he's a genuine leader on the pitch.
“He'll tell people where to go, he'll boss them about, he's a winner, you can see that. He's almost like an annoying winner.
“He asks for every tackle, every foul, every throw-in, even when he knows it's not theirs, but that's what you do as a pro.
“He's got that desire and winning mentality. I see him as Jose's little bit of an extension onto the pitch.
“I know Lloris is the captain, but I see him as the driving force of the team, and bossing people about.
“At the moment, he's playing well himself, but I don't think it would matter to him whether he's playing good, bad or indifferent.
“He would still boss people around and that's the sign of good leadership."
