Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho gave indication that he was ready to stick with a centre-half pairing ahead of tonight’s Premier League clash at Everton.
“You can look at it in a different perspective,” Mourinho said, when asked why he had not settled on a partnership. “You can always play the same two or say that kind of rotation gives opportunities equally to everyone.”
Davinson Sanchez and Eric Dier have both struggled alongside Joe Rodon in the last two matches, so it is Toby Alderweireld’s turn at Goodison Park – although Mourinho’s relationship with the Belgian remains clouded by the manager’s misleading comments after the recent Newcastle game.
Matt Doherty and Ben Davies remain the only senior players sidelined, although teenage forward Dane Scarlett is also unavailable after being injured on academy duty in the week.
“[Matt Doherty is] not ready for tomorrow, he’s not ready but he’s coming,” Mourinho said.
“Ben Davies not even close to that but I’d say after 51 matches or so, in the last couple of months of the season to arrive in this situation with only two players injured, I would say we cannot complain because the work has been good and the squad as a whole is in good condition.”
Tottenham XI: Lloris, Dier, Alderweireld, Rodon, Aurier, Ndombele, Hojbjerg, Sissoko, Reguilon, Son, Kane
Subs: Sanchez, Winks, Bale, Lamela, Hart, Lo Celso, Alli, Tanganga, Lucas Moura
Everton XI: Pickford, Holgate, Keane, Godfrey, Digne, Allan, Davies, Rodriguez, Iwobi, Sigurdsson, Richarlison
Subs: King, Nkounkou, Coleman, Virginia, Olsen, Broadhead, John, Price, Welch
Referee: Michael Oliver
Venue: Goodison Park, Friday April 16, 20.00
TV: Sky Sports
Referee: Michael Oliver
Spurs squad from: Lloris, Hart, Austin, Aurier, Tanganga, Alderweireld, Rodon, Sanchez, Dier, Reguilon, Hojbjerg, Winks, Ndombele, Dele, Lo Celso, Bale, Lamela, Bergwijn, Lucas, Son, Kane, Vinicius.
Out: Davies, Doherty, Scarlett, Whiteman
Last meeting: Everton 5-4 Spurs (AET in FA Cup)
