Jermaine Jenas has revealed that he’s puzzled as to why Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho is playing Eric Dier over Toby Alderweireld, claiming that the Belgian is better even when he isn’t even fit.
Since football resumed in June, Mourinho has been using Dier and Davinson Sanchez as his first-choice central defensive pairing for Spurs.
With the England international set for a four-match ban, the Tottenham boss looks like he’s going to recall Alderweireld – who started Thursday’s dismal draw with Bournemouth – and play him on a more regular basis.
The North Londoners finally tied Alderweireld down to a new deal earlier this season after well over a year of failed contract negotiations.
The Belgium international has been arguably Tottenham’s best and most consistent defender since arriving in North London six years ago, and Jenas has told BBC Radio 5 Live that he just doesn’t get how Dier – a midfielder by trade – has been getting in Mourinho’s best XI ahead of him.
Jenas said: “Defensively they’re all over the place. And then you’ve got your two best centre-halves in Alderweireld and Vertonghen. You’ve got Alderweireld being left on the bench for Eric Dier. Sorry but I don’t know what planet anybody else is on but there’s no way Eric Dier is a better centre-half than Toby Alderweireld, even half fit.”
Dier has become something of Mourinho’s pet in North London.
After the 1-1 draw with Manchester United last month, the Tottenham boss claimed that Dier – who conceded a penalty – was ‘absolutely perfect‘ on the night and it’s clear that the Mauricio Pochettino-signed player has a big, big fan in the Portuguese.
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