Here are your Tottenham Hotspur evening headlines for Thursday, December 24.
Mourinho's Dele Alli criticism questioned
Jamie O'Hara has questioned Jose Mourinho's public criticism of Dele Alli after the Spurs midfielder was hauled off in Wednesday's EFL Cup quarter-final win over Stoke City.
Mourinho was "upset" with Alli, as he stated publicly post-match. Alli lost the ball with a flick in the build-up to Stoke's lone goal on the night. But O'Hara believes that the Portuguese's management of Alli is deplorable.
"What’s he gaining out of coming out in the press and digging out that single performance? It’s just killing his (Alli’s) confidence more," O’Hara told talkSPORT.
"He’s an investment for the club, he’s an asset to the football club whether he’s in your plans or not. You don’t want to really kill his confidence so much that you totally lose him.
"I didn’t like the way that Mourinho dug him out and he comes out and keeps singling him out. For me, it doesn’t sit right the way he keeps digging out Dele Alli."
Lo Celso injury blow confirmed
Giovani Lo Celso will miss Tottenham's upcoming festive fixtures due to a muscle injury he suffered in last weekend's defeat to Leicester City.
Lo Celso was handed the start against Leicester, but was withdrawn barely a minute into the second half after he seemed to suffer a muscular problem as he battled with Harvey Barnes for the ball.
The midfielder was not included in Spurs' squad for the quarter-final with Stoke on Wednesday, and in his press conference on Friday, Mourinho confirmed that he will now miss some time.
"Gio no, he will not be fit," the Tottenham boss confirmed.
When pushed on a timeframe, Mourinho added: "I don't know, I believe that he will not be playing in this period of Christmas and New Year for sure."
Alli's important attribute
Sky Sports pundit Darrent Bent singled Alli's movement off the ball as a key attribute of the midfielder, who impressed in the Stoke victory, despite Mourinho's self-confessed frustration.
Alli looked a little rusty at times, but he was creative and probing, with and without the ball, and Bent believes that this is hugely important.
"I just think maybe it’s a little bit of rust, his timing is a little bit off, he hasn’t played properly for a little while now, especially not consecutively," he said on Sky Sports.
"But his movement was really good; he looked really sharp. The first chance, he could’ve done a little bit better.
"But him getting himself into those areas, running behind Harry Kane, that’s what’s important, that’s when he’s at his best. I thought it was a good performance from him."
