Paul Merson has said on Sky Sports that Tottenham Hotspur head coach Jose Mourinho will not include Dele Alli in the starting lineup against Burnley.
Tottenham will take on Burnley at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Premier League this afternoon.
Alli scored a brilliant goal and provided two assists for Spurs in their win against Wolfsberger in the Europa League in midweek.
Former Arsenal star Merson, who now works as a pundit for Sky Sports, believes that Mourinho will not star the 24-year-old midfielder in case the England international does well.
Merson said on Sky Sports: “I am going to go no. I only say that because I think Mourinho doesn’t want to be wrong. He doesn’t. If you play Dele Alli in this game where it’s a winnable football match against Burnley and he comes in and he gets a brace or he kicks off and he is brilliant, everybody is going to go, ‘Wait here for a minute. Why wasn’t he playing before?’”
Strange logic
Alli is starting to get playing time at Spurs now, and Mourinho will surely want to make use of the midfielder’s confidence and rhythm.
Burnley are no easy pushovers, and Mourinho will know that Sean Dyche’s side can pick up all three points against his side at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Mourinho may not include Alli in the starting lineup today, but that will not be because he is worried that the England international will do well, but because of tactical reasons.
The Portuguese will field a team that he thinks will get the three points.
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