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Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images

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Glen Johnson says Jose Mourinho will have hammered Tottenham player in dressing room

Will Butcher
Will Butcher

that Tottenham Hotspur star Erik Lamela will have been on the receiving end of a telling off in the changing room after Spurs suffered a 2-1 defeat to North London rivals Arsenal on Sunday.

Lamela, 29, came off the bench early on to replace Son Heung-min, with the South Korea captain suffering what seemed to be a hamstring injury. The Argentina international produced one of the moments of his career, scoring a rabona.

But he went from hero to zero. With the scoreline reading 2-1 to Arsenal thanks to goals from Martin Odegaard and Alexandre Lacazette, Lamela was sent off for a second yellow card – as he palmed Kieran Tierney in the face while in possession.

Having worked under Mourinho at Chelsea, Johnson stated that the Tottenham manager will have spoken to Lamela in the changing room – labelling the £80,000-a-week () midfielder as “daft” for his sending off at The Emirates.

Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League
(Photo by Chloe Knott – Danehouse/Getty Images)

“Unfortunately for him, this is what he is capable of,” Johnson said. “He’s always got something like this in him. It’s daft, he is already protecting the ball – he doesn’t need to put his arm up there.

“He’s against a small player, he doesn’t need his hand that high. It’s hard to defend him there. Mourinho would have had a word when he got indoors, that’s a fact. So avoidable.”

TBR’s view – Lamela might drop down pecking order

Not only because of his recklessness, a red card that overshadowed a moment of genius from him, but because Lucas Moura was excellent. The Brazil international drove Spurs forward with his dribbling, and made things happen.

But with Gareth Bale, Dele Alli, Steven Bergwijn and more looking for game time – perhaps Lamela’s sending off might hand chances to his teammates. Indeed, Mourinho was fuming on the touchline as soon as Lamela made contact with Tierney.

Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League
(Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)