Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Glenn Hoddle has admitted that he is finding it difficult to see how Dele Alli can force his way back into Jose Mourinho's starting lineup in North London.
The midfielder was handed a rare start by the Portuguese boss against Royal Antwerp in the Europa League, but Alli was one of four players hauled off at half time as Spurs succumbed to a 1-0 defeat to the Belgian outfit on Thursday evening.
With the 24-year-old struggling to nail down a regular spot in the first XI at Tottenham, Hoddle has claimed that Alli's mistakes when he is given the chance are not helping his cause whatsoever.
Speaking to BT Sport, Hoddle said: "I think it is (getting difficult for Alli). This was his opportunity and Jose put him and and said 'put [a good performance] between my eyes'. But it just didn't happen for him.
"In his overall game, he's giving the ball away too much at times. His options are there and he's trying his best but it's not happening for him. Sloppy play is not going to get him back in the team."
Alli has registered 63 goals in 227 games in a Tottenham shirt across all competitions, but the England international has only started one of Spurs' six Premier League games thus far in the 2020-21 campaign.
Ben Knapton
