JOSE’S FRIENDLY FIRE
■ MOURINHO’S NATIONS LEAGUE ANGER AS DOHERTY HIT BY COVID ON IRELAND DUTY ■ CONCERN AS PREMIER LEAGUE RECORDS SHARP RISE IN POSITIVE CORONAVIRUS TESTS
JOSE MOURINHO was left fuming at safety measures during the international break after Tottenham defender Matt Doherty tested positive for coronavirus, as the pressure ramped up on Gareth Southgate to rest his England stars tomorrow.
Mourinho posted a sarcastic rant on Instagram in the wake of the news Doherty will have to isolate for ten days, meaning he misses Spurs’ Premier League clash with Manchester City on Saturday, as well as the Republic of Ireland’s game with Bulgaria tomorrow.
The right-back played in the Nations League defeat to Wales on Sunday – as did team-mate James McClean, who has also tested positive – a game in which Gareth Bale, Ben Davies and Joe Rodon all featured.
And Covid is threatening to have a greater impact on the top flight with it emerging there were 16 positives in the Premier League’s latest tests of 1,207 players and staff – a sharp increase despite only on those not on international duty being tested. And Arsenal’s Mohamed Elneny – like Liverpool star Mohamed Salah – has tested positive while with Egypt.
Mourinho has watched on from afar with just six members of his squad available for training, according to the Spurs boss, while Heung-min Son had to quarantine in a hotel in Austria at the weekend after six of his South Korea team-mates caught the virus.
Ireland’s Alan Browne also tested positive after playing England last week, a game which featured Harry Winks. Harry Kane and Eric Dier were on the bench. Alongside a picture of himself in the gym, Mourinho wrote: ‘Amazing week of football. Great emotions in the national team matches, superb friendlies and total safety. Covid test results after matches been played, randomers running on the pitch while team sessions are taking place and much more.
‘After another training session with only 6 players, it is now time to take care of myself.’
England boss Southgate is feeling the heat to leave out top players for tomorrow’s Nations League dead rubber against Iceland. Injured Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling will miss it and have returned to their clubs. But Ben Chilwell may play after limping off during Sunday’s 2-1 loss in Belgium.