BBC Sport pundit Jonathan Walters has been critical of Jose Mourinho over the lack of opportunities he has given Tottenham youngster Troy Parrott.
With Harry Kane and Heung Son-Min currently sidelined due to injury, Mourinho’s options have been limited in attack.
Parrott, 18, has impressed at youth level this season, but he has been limited to brief outings for the senior side despite being a recognised striker.
Mourinho has instead opted for experience but has played Dele Alli out of his more natural role, and Walters believes that the Tottenham boss is simply being stubborn over Parrott and ignoring the calls for the starlet to play more.
“I think Mourinho’s going to be a bit stubborn with it,” he told the BBC, as quoted by the Express. “I think he came out this week and said everyone’s calling for him to play but they don’t even know what he looks like.
“I’m not surprised [Parrott did not start] because it’s Mourinho and he won’t relent to the pressure. But he’s been saying Alli is the closest thing to a No 9 – Troy Parrott is.
“He would have played there all through the youth team, that’s his position. That’s not Alli’s position so he’ll know how to play that position.”
Having scored just four goals in their last four games across all competitions, it’s evidently becoming an issue for Spurs as they have struggled in recent weeks.
Out of the FA Cup, off the pace in the battle for Champions League qualification via the Premier League and facing a deficit in their round-of-16 tie with RB Leipzig, Mourinho has plenty to think about ahead of their trip to Burnley on Saturday evening.