Mourinho recalls ‘not normal’ player v City, drops £11m star – potential Spurs XI

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It’ll be a big surprise if Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho doesn’t bring Eric Dier back into his first XI tomorrow night.

Spurs conceded five goals in two hours of football against Everton in midweek.

And although the attacking football will have pleased Mourinho, the shoddy defending will give a coach like him nightmares.

Plus, Tottenham are away to a Manchester City outfit that have won 15 games on the bounce and if the Toffees can do that to them, Pep Guardiola’s side definitely can.

With that in mind, Mourinho is more than likely going to bring Dier – described as ‘not normal‘ by his coach in a complimentary sense in September – back into central defence and it could well be for Toby Alderweireld.

The Belgian didn’t cover himself in glory at Goodison Park and two goals from his centre-back partner Davinson Sanchez means that he’d be unlucky to lose his place.

The North Londoners really aren’t all that brilliant in defence, which Mourinho knows and therefore defensive changes are of paramount importance.

And although Alderweireld – an £11 million signing in 2015 – is a veteran and the most experienced outfield player at the club, Dier might well get the nod:

Here’s how Mourinho could line up at the Etihad: Lloris; Doherty, Sanchez, Dier, Davies; Hojbjerg, Ndombele; Bergwijn, Lucas, Son, Kane.