‘I was just afraid’: Mourinho says he felt Tottenham star might get sent off against Southampton

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Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho has suggested to Football London that he was afraid to leave Tanguy Ndombele on against Southampton, as he was frightened he could get sent off.

Ndombele was hooked at half-time during Tottenham’s match against Southampton, in what was a controversial decision at the time.

Ndombele produced Tottenham’s best moment of the first-half, as he helped to set-up Heung-Min Son’s first goal with a wonderful bit of skill.

The French midfielder first overpowered Oriol Romeu, before turning past another Southampton midfielder and playing Harry Kane through.

Ndombele had been one of Tottenham’s brighter sparks, in what was a poor first-half display.

But Mourinho admits that the fact Ndombele was on a yellow card scared him, and he felt that bringing Giovani Lo Celso was the best course of action as a result.

“No, he was not injured, but we all know that his condition is not yet top condition and that is why we are playing him basically coming from the bench,” the Portuguese boss said.

“Gio Lo Celso was very, very tired and he clearly wouldn’t be able to play 90 minutes. We decided to play Tanguy but we had planned that Gio would come into the game in the second half.

“The yellow card left Tanguy in a difficult position in the same way Romeu was in a difficult position and could possibly get a second yellow card during the second half. I didn’t want that to happen to Tanguy in a game against Southampton, which is always fair and honest but an aggressive game in lots of ways. I was just afraid and Gio is in this moment still has a little bit more sharpness than Tanguy and second half was fantastic for us.”

In fairness to Mourinho, nobody can say that his decision to take Ndombele off was incorrect now.

Tottenham improved hugely in the second-half and went on to win 5-2.

Ndombele does seem to have forced his way back into Mourinho’s plans now though, and has featured in every one of Tottenham’s games so far this season.