Don Hutchison has questioned Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho for hauling Gedson Fernandes off during last night’s League Cup clash.
Spurs beat Chelsea 5-4 on penalties to move into the next round, after the game finished 1-1 in regulation.
Mourinho handed the 21-year-old only his second start for Tottenham in all competitions since joining on loan in January.
But his night came to an end after the Portuguese coach removed his compatriot on 63 minutes, swapping him for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who scored a penalty during the shootout.
And Hutchison has claimed that Fernandes was his side’s best player on the night.
He said to BBC Radio 5 Live: “That is a harsh change. Gedson Fernandes has been Tottenham’s best player.”
Was it harsh? Maybe, but Mourinho knows a thing or two about tactical changes, having won everything possible in club football at one point or the other.
And the fact that Tottenham began playing a little better with Hojbjerg in midfield perhaps indicates that Fernandes wasn’t all that missed.
This is a big season for the youngster. Clocking only 61 minutes of Premier League football suggests that he has struggled since joining at the start of 2020, but he’ll be hoping to kick on this season.
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