Gary Neville has told Monday Night Football, which was broadcast live on Sky Sports, that he still doesn’t think Jose Mourinho trusts his back four at Tottenham Hotspur.
Spurs have now conceded just one goal in their last five league games, with their defence much tighter in recent weeks.
But Neville feels that Mourinho’s tactics prove that he doesn’t have full faith in Tottenham’s backline.
Spurs effectively played in a back six out of possession against Chelsea at the weekend, as they claimed a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge.
It is a tactic that Mourinho has frequently used during his managerial career.
However, Spurs have slightly tweaked the system, which means their attacking players stay close to the striker, with their central midfielders dropping into defence.
And Neville said: “He still wants the defensive stability, he still wants that clean sheet and I think there’s an element of – I don’t think he trusts his back four at Tottenham.
“But you look at the Spurs team now and you still have a back six, but there’s a big difference.
“Harry Kane drops in a bit deeper, but Bergwijn and Son are near to him.
“You have the right places still in advanced positions to counter attack quickly.
“It’s a subtle change, Jose is still getting the same system, but he’s doing in a different way which is far more palatable.”
Mourinho’s tweaks have certainly paid dividends this term, as Tottenham have been brilliant since the start of the season.
Spurs are currently leading the way in the Premier League table, and have scored the joint-most goals in the division.
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