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Football London
Football London
Sport
Jamie Kemble

'Mourinho has given up' - Tottenham fans react to shock starting XI to face Aston Villa

Jose Mourinho has named his Tottenham starting XI for tonight's clash with Aston Villa.

Spurs are in the West Midlands to take on Villa in what could be a decisive clash in the race for top six with Mourinho's men in eighth and within one point of Liverpool in sixth and Villa in 10th and five points off but with two games in hand over last season's champions.

Both sides are very much in the hunt as we head towards the final straight but Tottenham head into this game having taken a big hit to their confidence during the week.

Jose Mourinho's angry response to being asked if Tottenham lack leaders

Spurs blew a two-goal advantage to crash out of the Europa League, losing to Dinamo Zagreb after extra-time and missing out on the competition's quarter-finals.

Tottenham could do with putting that result swiftly behind them with a good performance at Villa Park, and Mourinho has not held back in wringing the changes after Thursday's disappointment.

Japhet Tanganga and Joe Rodon both get starts in defence, while Giovani Lo Celso starts in midfield having not started since December due to injury.

Carlos Vinicius also gets a surprise start up front, along with Harry Kane, with a bench including youngsters Dane Scarlett and Alfie Devine, as well as first-team regulars Gareth Bale, Steven Bergwijn, Ben Davies, Moussa Sissoko and Eric Dier.

Here's how Tottenham fans have been reacting to the team news for today's game.

Tottenham fans react to Mourinho's team selection (Twitter)

The Spurs defence is noticeable without Toby Alderweireld who misses this one though illness, while Erik Lamela is suspended and Son Heung-min misses out with his hamstring injury.

Here is the team Mourinho has chosen in full to face Aston Villa: Lloris; Tanganga, Sanchez, Rodon, Reguilon; Lo Celso, Hojbjerg, Ndombele, Lucas; Kane, Vincius; Subs: Hart, Dier, Davies, Sissoko, Devine, Bale, Dele, Bergwijn, Scarlett.

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