• Live updates as José Mourinho starts life at Spurs
• Eni Aluko: Mourinho’s Spurs need to turn nasty
• Send your thoughts on the match to Scott via email
An extremely laid-back Jose gives his first pre-match interview as Spurs boss. “Sometimes people think when results are not good that it is something related to motivation, but that is not the case,” he tells BT Sport. “They are good professionals and they tried their best. And that’s what they’re going to do. Tactically, of course there are not big changes. Just little, important things that we think can help them to get our objectives. The match today is very important, but our future is also very important. So I need to understand what is in Christian Eriksen’s mind and heart, and we have to make the right decision for the club. But on top of that, I believe Lucas, Son, Alli and Kane are players with a good understanding. We are going to try to find, in the little time I have had to work, some dynamic to hurt the opposition. Let’s see if we can do it. I like the ideas but I like to work the ideas. And today was more about ideas than working the ideas. So let’s see if we can find happiness.” Some typically enigmatic flourishes at the end, there. Mourinho at his gnomic best. He’s back, baby.
West Ham United make two changes to the side gubbed 3-0 at Burnley before the international break. Angelo Ogbonna comes in for Fabian Balbuena, while Andriy Yarmolenko replaces Pablo Fornals. Captain Mark Noble has passed a fitness test and is good to go. The much-maligned Roberto keeps his place in between the sticks.
There are three differences between Mauricio Pochettino’s last Spurs team and Jose Mourinho’s first. Moussa Sissoko, Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso are out of the XI named for the 1-1 draw with Sheffield United. Ndombele is injured, while the other two are benched. In come Toby Alderweireld, Harry Winks and Lucas Moura. Christian Eriksen is on the bench.
Written by Scott Murray
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2019/nov/23/west-ham-united-v-tottenham-hotspur-premier-league-live under the title “West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur: Premier League – live!”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
