Jose Mourinho has strongly hinted Eric Dier will start for Tottenham against Burnley in the Premier League this weekend after the defender was involved in an altercation in the stands following Wednesday’s FA Cup exit.
Dier climbed into the fans’ seating area after Spurs’ penalty shootout defeat to Norwich, allegedly protecting his brother, who had responded badly to comments about Dier from a supporter. The FA is investigating the incident, while the Met Police have told the London Evening Standard they too have made enquiries.
Despite the result, Dier played well against Norwich, making a strong case to start in a must-win meeting with Burnley on Saturday. The midweek controversy usually might have thrown his starting place into doubt, but Mourinho is seemingly dealing with the situation by allowing Dier to retain his spot in the team.
“As you were asking me before, what about Eric being in the right frame of mind to play tomorrow, of course,” Mourinho said in his press conference on Friday (via Football London).
“The only thing that matters is: first of all, that nothing really big happened. And secondly he played so, so well in the last two matches. That of course he is going to play.”
If, as expected, Toby Alderweireld is ready to start after missing the last two matches, the Belgian is likely to partner Dier at centre-back, with Davinson Sanchez dropping to the bench.
Sanchez should play and we should use a back 3 with wingbacks and Parrott up top
Being back poch! If levy is gonna give Jose money for players he should have done it for poch he would have sorted it out 5 years and playing good football and relatively successful Jose bad football and struggling
[…] his press conference on Friday, Mourinho strongly hinted Dier will start at Turf Moor following Wednesday’s altercation in the stands after the FA Cup exit to Norwich […]
[…] The Spurs boss spoke extensively on the Eric Dier situation, strongly hinting the 26-year-old will start on Saturday following his altercation in the stands after the midweek FA Cup exit to Norwich City – read more about those quotes here. […]