Gary Neville believes there are at least four Spurs players that Mourinho doesn’t trust

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Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho doesn’t fully trust his back four, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has suggested.

Spurs’ back line has been much tighter in recent weeks, with just one goal conceded in their last five Premier League games.

Prior to this run, Tottenham had looked more vulnerable at the back, in particular in the 3-3 draw against West Ham, when Spurs conceded three goals after the 80th minute.

However, Neville feels that Mourinho’s tactics prove that he doesn’t have full faith in the North Londoners’ back line, himself claiming it’s “not strong enough”.

“[Mourinho] still wants the defensive stability,” he told Sky Sports.

“He still wants the clean sheet, and I don’t think he wholly trusts his back four at Tottenham but you look at this Spurs team now, with Moussa Sissoko and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg screening, and you’ve still got a back six [as he had for United against Liverpool] but there are big differences.

“Firstly, the position of Harry Kane is a lot deeper to Zlatan Ibrahimovic into a place that’s difficult to pick up. Secondly, and the most important thing, is that Son [Heung-Min] and [Steven] Bergwijn are near to him… now Jose has the right players still in advanced positions to counter-attack quickly.

“It’s a subtle change but it’s the same system as before in a different way. It is far more palatable and it’s easier on the eye as you’ve still got the attacking players in attacking positions. Jose has adapted, and he’s got the balance of being good defensively with the threat on the counter-attack.

“I feel he has to play this way to have a chance of winning the title because I don’t think his back four is strong enough without two players beefing it up.”

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Spurs have been progressing nicely since the start of the season, their opening-day defeat to Everton now a distant memory.

Tottenham’s firepower has been superb for much of the campaign, but the defence had been letting the side down.

Not any more – Spurs are now looking strong all over the pitch and, even if Mourinho were not to fully trust the nine players from which the back four is currently drawn, he’s found ways to make it work.