Tottenham duo sidelined ahead of Friday night Everton clash

Tottenham are still without full-backs Matt Doherty and Ben Davies for Friday night’s tough Premier League trip to Everton.

Both defenders have been missing since the international break but while Doherty is back in light training after a muscle injury, Davies is still some way from recovering from his ankle injury.

“Matt Doherty did the warm-up with us,” said Spurs boss Jose Mourinho ahead of the Goodison Park clash.

“He did the warm-up with the group and then went to sports science for individual work. So he’s not ready for tomorrow, but he’s coming.

“Ben Davies is not even close to that. I would say that after 51 matches or so in the last couple of months to arrive in this sort of situation with only two injured that we cannot complain because the work has been good and the squad as a whole is in a good situation.”

Mourinho was also quizzed again on why his team continues to drop points from winning positions.

He responded in typical Mourinho fashion, saying: “That’s what I’m not ready to discuss with you. I think it has to do with some of our qualities as a team but I’m not ready to discuss with you. (When?) Maybe never.”


Subscribe for free to TEAMtalk’s daily newsletter…


No centre-back issues for Mourinho

The Portuguese has also been criticised for continually changing his centre-back partnership. However, Mourinho does not see it as an issue at all.

He added: “Because one of the things that you – the media generally – and always for players in general, the perception is that everybody wants to play, everybody wants opportunities.

“When they don’t do it you always ask the players not playing and why not. You can look at it in a different perspective.

“You can always play the same two or say that kind of rotation which gives opportunities equally to everyone.”

READ MORE: Tottenham fan favourite closing in on summer exit after Milan, Napoli talks