Tottenham Hotspur boss takes a dig on Tanguy Ndombele

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho criticized midfielder Tanguy Ndombele for his poor performance against Burnley and asked for improvement. Ndombele, 23, was dragged off at half-time, along with central partner Oliver Skipp in the 1-1 draw as the Clarets dominated at Turf Moor.

Burnley was able to flock the duo as Spurs played a 5-2-3, while Ndombele didn’t make a single tackle or interception. He was substituted by Giovani Lo Celso, who from then on improvised the game alongside Eric Dier in a 4-2-3-1 as the Portuguese manager tore up his plans. Off late, Ndombele has had fitness issues this season and is hardly completing more than 60 minutes when he begins any match and has had a groin problem during the campaign.

But Mourinho asserted the £63million summer signing has had more than enough time to get up to speed in English football.

“In the first half we didn’t have a midfield,” moaned the Spurs boss. “Of course I’m not speaking of Skipp because he’s a kid of 19 who’s played two hours in the last few days. I don’t criticize him at all. But I’m not going to run away and I have to say he [Ndombele] has had enough time to come to a different level.

“I know the Premier League is difficult, and some players take a long time to adapt to a different league. But a player with his potential has to give us more than he is giving us, especially when you see how Lucas, Lo Celso, and those players are playing. I was expecting more in the first half from him.

“Many fantastic players in their first season, in a new country, for different reasons they struggle. There have been many examples of that. He’s a player with great talent. He has to know he has to do much better and know I cannot keep giving him opportunities to play because the team is much more important.”