Mousa’s mission
SPURS midfielder Mousa Dembele has flown to Qatar to see specialists in a bid to solve his ankle problem.
He suffered his latest injury during this month’s win over Wolves, with scans later revealing he had suffered ligament damage.
Dembele, 31, played through the pain barrier last season but will be out until 2019 with the injury.
He has travelled to visit Qatar specialists Aspetar, who also treated team-mate Harry Winks in April.
Dembele is just one of nine Tottenham players to have suffered an injury following the World Cup.
IT IS little wonder that Jose Mourinho claimed he is not a fan of statistics as a measure of progress or success following the derby-day battering.
Because whichever way you look at the numbers detailing Manchester United’s season, it is impossible to escape a feeling they demonstrate a club locked in muddled underachievement.
The stats are damning. But the standout red mark against their name is that they already lie 12 points off the title pace.
Things have gone badly for Mourinho this season and the problems look deep rooted enough to suggest the campaign may already be in danger of becoming a write-off.
If a stirring comeback victory against Juventus last week was a rare moment of relief, a crushing derby defeat was like arriving back from holiday to be reminded the roof is still leaking and garden fence needs mending.
Contention
And it will not help Mourinho’s mood that a glance over that fence shows the neighbours playing the sort of football his fans would give their right arms for.
The defence is a major problem facing Mourinho as he somehow tries to find a way back into contention for a club who have spent upwards of £300m in his time at Old Trafford.
In addition, a lack of creativity and consistency in the midfield and front men badly out of form continue to hamper recovery efforts.
Mourinho has made no secret of his irritation that he failed to sign a centrehalf in the summer. But even allowing for that, it took him to the start of October to decide on a settled back four.
Despite an upturn in form with three wins in their last five games, they have still shipped nine goals.
Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof have been shown some degree of loyalty now Mourinho has resisted undermining their