Jose Mourinho speaks on Dele Alli’s Spurs future after Southampton snub
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Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho remained tight-lipped over Dele Alli’s future after dropping him from his squad for the 5-2 win over Southampton on Sunday.
Alli, who was substituted at half-time against Everton, did not travel to Bulgaria for the Europa League qualifying match against Lokomotiv Plovdiv in expectation that he would be involved against the Saints.
It is understood that the 24-year-old is not injured, which raises further questions about his future.
And speaking following Spurs’ win over the Saints, Mourinho refused to rule out an exit for Alli amid rumours that Paris Saint-Germain are interested in signing the midfielder.
(Image: Getty Images)
Mourinho said: “I’m not responsible for the market. I’m not able to answer your question on that. I can only say I left eight players behind training.
“They are a big group and Dele was among this group. The same way a squad is a puzzle and in the same way so is the bench.
“I cannot have three wingers and a number 10 and then no defender.”
Tottenham are back in action in the Carabao Cup against Leyton Orient on Tuesday, with Mourinho suggesting Alli may play a part.
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He added: “Dele stayed out but probably Tuesday he will play. I want a balanced squad. (Can he be in a balanced squad?) Yes, he doesn’t have to be sacrificed.”
Mourinho was speaking after Son Heung-min scored four goals set up by Harry Kane to earn their first Premier League win of the season.
In an action-packed first half at St Mary’s, both sides had a goal ruled out by VAR before Danny Ings finished well from a tight angle in the 32nd minute to put Southampton ahead.
The hosts deserved their lead and had chances to add a second before Son, with Spurs’ first shot at goal, latched onto a fine first-time pass from Kane before equalising in first-half stoppage time.
(Image: Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I)
That same combination unlocked the hosts two minutes after the break, with Son taking advantage of a high Saints defensive line before racing clear to score.
Son’s first Premier League hat-trick was completed in the 64th minute before Kane set him up again with a sublime pass 17 minutes from time.
It was the first time one player has assisted another’s Premier League hat-trick since 2003, when Thierry Henry set up Freddie Ljungberg’s treble for Arsenal against Sunderland.
Kane himself completed the rout with a close-range finish before Ings grabbed a late Southampton consolation from the penalty spot.
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