Add as preferred source on Google

Martin Keown has insisted that Tottenham’s Gareth Bale is included in the starting XI this weekend against Burnley.

Spurs host Burnley on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League, which is a fixture that they desperately need three points in to try get themselves back into the mix for the European positions.

Jose Mourinho’s side have remarkably lost five of their last six league matches, albeit during that time they have qualified for the last 16 in this season’s Europa League competition.

The North London club are now ninth in the table, with a nine-point deficit to the top four.

Pundit Keown is convinced that Spurs attacker Bale needs to be recalled to the side against Burnley.

The 87-time capped Wales international has started to rediscover a bit of form after spending the majority of the campaign watching from the bench.

“He’s purring again. Watching him come on against West Ham, what he did this match against Wolfsberger. He’s started going through the gears now,” Keown told BT Sport 1 (11:26pm, 25 February).

“He’s got to,” Keown responded when asked if he thinks he’ll start against Burnley.

“Five defeats from six for Spurs [in the league, they’ve got to turn up now and Gareth Bale is coming into form at the right time and could rescue their season.”

TBR’s View:

If there was ever a time for Bale to find form anywhere near his best, then it’s now.

Spurs fans will hope the Welsh forward can be their catalyst this season to turn things around and he’s scored in back-to-back games in Europe against Wolfsberger.

The left-footed winger also came off the bench to make an assist in the defeat to West Ham in the league, with signs that he’s playing with more confidence now on the ball and he’s looking more like a goal threat.