‘He had to go’ – Mourinho explains Dier’s mid-game exit vs Chelsea/Provides Son injury update
Last Updated: September 30, 2020 5:32 pm
Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho this evening revealed exactly why Eric Dier left the field of play during his side’s victory over Chelsea.
Lilywhites advance
The tie of the League Cup’s 4th-round took place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium a short time ago.
Spurs welcomed capital rivals Chelsea to north London, for a highly-anticipated derby clash.
It was the visitors who were widely viewed as favourites ahead of kick-off, with Spurs boss Mourinho just yesterday having admitted that he was set to prioritise his side’s Europa League meeting with Maccabi Haifa on Thursday over tonight’s matchup.
In turn, the Portuguese tactician opted to leave the likes of Harry Kane and Giovani Lo Celso out of his starting line-up.
SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 20: Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur looks on during the Premier League match between Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur at St Mary’s Stadium on September 20, 2020 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)
When all was said and done, however, Mourinho’s heavily altered XI defied the odds, to book their spot in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.
It was Chelsea who took the lead in the clash, when Timo Werner rattled home a superb effort from the edge of the box inside the opening 20 minutes.
The hosts, though, managed to stay within touching distance until the break, before reemerging for the 2nd-half looking revitalised.
And Tottenham’s resiliency eventually paid dividends, as Eric Lamela popped up at the back post 7 minutes from time, to slot home beyond the helpless Edouard Mendy.
In turn, the clash headed to penalties, with both sides having boasted a perfect record with just a solitary spot-kick remaining.
Mason Mount was the man chosen to step up for Chelsea’s 5th of the evening, but the English international could only direct his effort onto the outside of the post, as the early-season struggles of Frank Lampard’s Blues carried on.
SPURS GO THROUGH ON PENALTIES! ⚽️
After nine perfect spot-kicks Mason Mount fails to find the net, sending Jose Mourinho’s men into the quarter finals.
Watch the reaction live on Sky Sports Football 📺
Follow online here: https://t.co/dx2azGi4yc pic.twitter.com/xuR21TJunn— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 29, 2020
‘He had to go’
For Spurs, on the other hand, the club’s hunt for League Cup glory continues, with confidence no doubt sky high as the north Londoners prepare for their final Europa League qualifier in 48 hours’ time.
Speaking in his post-match interview this evening, Jose Mourinho was therefore quick to praise his side’s character, amid a frankly ridiculous early season schedule.
Another topic which the Tottenham boss was inevitably also drawn on, though, was Eric Dier’s bizarre 2nd-half disappearance.
With a quarter of an hour remaining in the clash, out of the blue, Dier darted from the pitch, down the tunnel, and into the home side’s dressing room.
Mourinho quickly followed his side’s stopper, with it having since remained altogether unclear exactly what had unfolded.
What’s going on here?! 👀
Eric Dier disappears off the pitch and Jose Mourinho marches off after him into the tunnel. Before long the Spurs midfielder is back out there in the middle.
Watch live now on Sky Sports Football 📺
Follow online here: https://t.co/dx2azGi4yc pic.twitter.com/PKLQvzWrXO— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 29, 2020
The Portuguese, though, confirmed that Dier was simply in need of a bathroom break, amid a bout of dehydration:
‘He had to go. He had to go. Maybe it’s a normal thing when you’re completely dehydrated. “I knew he had to go, but I was just trying to put some pressure on him to have him back for the remaining time.’
Mourinho continued:
‘With Eric you can imagine what happened, to leave the pitch. I was just going to push him a bit as we had one player less. It was the consequence of what he did for us, tired, dehydrated. I cannot play him on Thursday or I’d kill him.’
“A super team like Chelsea looked a very ordinary team, and they’re not. We played so so well. The boys were phenomenal.”
Jose Mourinho is brimming with pride after that Tottenham performance, and explains why Eric Dier needed a few minutes off the pitch. pic.twitter.com/S9zoxA3FG0
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 29, 2020
In a final piece of significant news surrounding Spurs’ squad, meanwhile, an update was also forthcoming on the fitness of Heung-min Son.
South Korean international Son was hauled off at half-time of the Lilywhites’ meeting with Newcastle at the weekend, with Jose Mourinho having subsequently confirmed that the 28-year-old had picked up a hamstring injury.
And, speaking during a post-match media conference this evening, Mourinho went on to reveal that Son will remain on the sidelines until after the upcoming international break:
‘I expect to have him back after the international duty. I hope the national team coaches have their data and hope they care about players and protect them.’
Lampard confirms Loftus-Cheek could leave on loan & Thiago Silva names Chelsea ‘best in England’
Declan Rice remains Chelsea’s ‘main target’/Lampard provides Kepa & Rudiger future updates
This article was edited by Josh Barker.
Tottenham betting odds, next game:
Tottenham vs Liverpool odds: result, both teams to score, correct score & goalscorers
| Tottenham vs Liverpool Result/Both teams score | Yes | No |
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| Tottenham | 9/2 | 5/1 |
| Liverpool | 3/1 | 3/1 |
| Draw | 7/2 | 12/1 |
| Tottenham vs Liverpool Goalscorers | First | Last | Anytime |
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| Harry Kane | 7/5 | 7/5 | 10/11 |
| Mohamed Salah | 6/4 | 6/4 | 5/6 |
| Sadio Mane | 11/5 | 11/5 | 13/10 |
| Carlos Vinicius | 5/2 | 5/2 | 13/8 |
| Divock Origi | 11/4 | 11/4 | 13/8 |
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| # | Team | MP | D | P |
| 1 | Leicester City FC | 19 | 14 | 38 |
| 2 | Manchester United FC | 18 | 10 | 37 |
| 3 | Manchester City FC | 17 | 16 | 35 |
| 4 | Liverpool FC | 18 | 16 | 34 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 18 | 16 | 33 |
| 6 | Everton FC | 17 | 7 | 32 |
| 7 | West Ham United FC | 19 | 5 | 32 |
| 8 | Chelsea FC | 19 | 10 | 29 |
| 9 | Southampton FC | 18 | 5 | 29 |
| 10 | Arsenal FC | 19 | 4 | 27 |
| 11 | Aston Villa FC | 15 | 13 | 26 |
| 12 | Leeds United | 18 | -4 | 23 |
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| 14 | Wolverhampton Wanderers FC | 19 | -8 | 22 |
| 15 | Newcastle United FC | 18 | -12 | 19 |
| 16 | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 19 | -7 | 17 |
| 17 | Burnley FC | 17 | -13 | 16 |
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| 19 | West Bromwich Albion | 19 | -28 | 11 |
| 20 | Sheffield United FC | 19 | -22 | 5 |
| Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Salah, Mohamed | Liverpool FC | 13 |
| Kane, Harry | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 12 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 12 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 11 |
| Vardy, Jamie | Leicester City FC | 11 |
| Calvert-Lewin, Dominic | Everton FC | 11 |
| Bamford, Patrick | Leeds United | 10 |
| Zaha, Wilfried | Crystal Palace FC | 8 |
| Wilson, Callum | Newcastle United FC | 8 |
| Rashford, Marcus | Manchester United FC | 7 |
| Ings, Danny | Southampton FC | 7 |
| Maupay, Neal | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 7 |
| Lacazette, Alexandre | Arsenal FC | 7 |
| Mane, Sadio | Liverpool FC | 6 |
| Maddison, James | Leicester City FC | 6 |
| Watkins, Ollie | Aston Villa FC | 6 |
| Barnes, Harvey | Leicester City FC | 6 |
| Abraham, Tammy | Chelsea FC | 6 |
| Grealish, Jack | Aston Villa FC | 5 |
| Sterling, Raheem | Manchester City FC | 5 |
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| Bellerin, Hector | Arsenal FC | 0 | 6 |
| Gallagher, Conor | West Bromwich Albion | 0 | 6 |
| Bissouma, Yves | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 1 | 5 |
| Egan, John | Sheffield United FC | 1 | 5 |
| Hayden, Isaac | Newcastle United FC | 0 | 6 |
| McGinn, John | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 5 |
| Reid, Bobby | Fulham FC | 0 | 5 |
| Doucoure, Abdoulaye | Everton FC | 0 | 5 |
| Romeu, Oriol | Southampton FC | 0 | 5 |
| Dunk, Lewis | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 1 | 4 |
| Phillips, Kalvin | Leeds United | 0 | 5 |
| Cash, Matty | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 5 |
| Evans, Jonny | Leicester City FC | 0 | 5 |
| Lundstram, John | Sheffield United FC | 1 | 4 |
| Kante, N`Golo | Chelsea FC | 0 | 5 |
| Milivojevic, Luka | Crystal Palace FC | 1 | 4 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 0 | 4 |
| Grealish, Jack | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 4 |
| Ward-Prowse, James | Southampton FC | 0 | 4 |
| Tielemans, Youri | Leicester City FC | 0 | 4 |
| Player | Team | Assists |
|---|---|---|
| Kane, Harry | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 11 |
| De Bruyne, Kevin | Manchester City FC | 9 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 7 |
| Grealish, Jack | Aston Villa FC | 7 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 6 |
| Rashford, Marcus | Manchester United FC | 5 |
| Robertson, Andrew | Liverpool FC | 5 |
| Digne, Lucas | Everton FC | 5 |
| Vardy, Jamie | Leicester City FC | 4 |
| Ward-Prowse, James | Southampton FC | 4 |
| Werner, Timo | Chelsea FC | 4 |
| Adams, Che | Southampton FC | 4 |
| Harrison, Jack | Leeds United | 4 |
| Chilwell, Benjamin | Chelsea FC | 4 |
| McGinn, John | Aston Villa FC | 4 |
| Cresswell, Aaron | West Ham United FC | 4 |
| Salah, Mohamed | Liverpool FC | 3 |
| Ings, Danny | Southampton FC | 3 |
| Sterling, Raheem | Manchester City FC | 3 |
| Firmino, Roberto | Liverpool FC | 3 |
