Jose Mourinho’s Spurs are in Premier League action at the Tottenham Hotspur Arena on Boxing Day.
Sky Sports pundit Charlie Nicholas has criticised Tottenham Hotspur ahead of their Premier League Boxing Day meeting with Brighton, singling out two Spurs players who he feels haven’t done well recently (Sky Sports News).
Tottenham’s season looked very much in danger of imploding before Mauricio Pochettino was replaced by Jose Mourinho and, although results did pick up, the Portuguese has nonetheless already lost twice in the league.
Last time out, Spurs put in a poor display as Chelsea came to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and left with all three points in a 2-0 win, Willian bagging a brace for Mourinho’s former employers and Son Heung-min seeing red.
Nicholas doesn’t feel that Tottenham have changed under Mourinho, and singled out Harry Kane and Jan Vertonghen as two players who have struggled, the latter potentially being given a hard time today – but ultimately feels Spurs won’t be suffering a repeat of their last game against the Seagulls.
I have been really impressed with Brighton, but they were poor against Sheffield United,” Nicholas wrote on Sky Sports News. “At the same time, Tottenham were awful and well-beaten against Chelsea. Heung-Min Son’s red card tells you all you need to know. Have things changed under Jose Mourinho? I don’t think they have.
“Harry Kane looks off the pace and Jan Vertonghen is really struggling to deal with pace. If I were Brighton I would get Leandro Trossard on his side and really test him. It’s essential that Spurs stay in the frame for the top four so for that reason alone I think they will get over the line.”
Tottenham’s defeat to Chelsea last time out ended a run of six Premier League home games without defeat – they haven’t lost consecutive home games in the competition since January (Sky Sports News).
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