FIRED-UP JOSE IS READY FOR FIGHT

JOSE MOURINHO is relishing a new challenge of trying to defy the odds and big-spending rivals to get Tottenham back into the Champions League.

The Spurs boss faces his former club Manchester United tonight under pressure to get his side into the top four.

But he said: “The battle for the top four would be amazing if we all started on the same number of points. Unfortunately that is not the case.

“We start with minus in relation to many teams. It’s a strange battle to fight but at the same time it’s a great challenge.

“You have now examples already of clubs investing and making important movements in the market and we are still nine matches away from the end of the season. But we are going always to be very balanced.”

Harry Kane is back after what has become a six-month lay-off, as the lockdown meant he has not played since his hamstring injury in the festive period.

Mourinho (inset) added: “Harry Kane hasn’t played football for more than six months.

“But he works extremely well, is an amazing professional and is going to start.”

Mourinho has also defended Dele Alli and called his FA ban a “contradiction”.

Alli misses tonight’s game after a one-game suspension by the FA for posting a video on social media which was deemed to be mocking the coronavirus and a man of Asian appearance.

Mourinho said: “Lots of people made mistakes during this lockdown period. I am one of the examples.

“In my case I believe a very small mistake that was not reported in the right way. It was not the way people were saying.

“Lots of people in football and outside football made mistakes. I don’t like these contradictions.”