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'I guessed' | José Mourinho denies Lampard's spying suggestion

Tottenham manager José Mourinho has dismissed accusations of spying against him by Chelsea boss Fran...
Shane Hannon
Shane Hannon

12:47 PM - 23 Feb 2020



'I guessed' | José Mourinho de...

Sport

'I guessed' | José Mourinho denies Lampard's spying suggestion

Shane Hannon
Shane Hannon

12:47 PM - 23 Feb 2020



Tottenham manager José Mourinho has dismissed accusations of spying against him by Chelsea boss Frank Lampard, after yesterday's London derby in the Premier League.

Lampard's side were 2-1 winners at Stamford Bridge, after goals from Olivier Giroud and Marcos Alonso, with an Antonio Rudiger own goal mere consolation for Mourinho's team.

The Portuguese correctly predicted how his former team would line up against his current club - a day before they faced each other.

And that led to Lampard suggesting espionage was possible after the win.

"Serious, that's the world we live in. I am not being sinister about it, but it is the world we live in. When someone has worked at the club previously, I think that can happen. When you have been working on a back three for two or three days, I am not that trusting always in terms of everybody but that's life."

"I wouldn't say tactically outwitted because he matched us up. Maybe that's a bit of credit because he knew we played it well at Tottenham. Then it is up to the players, so we have got some previous of playing the system.

"The system only works if the players play it the way they play. The system only works if Ross [Barkley] and Mason Mount are so mobile around Oli [Giroud] up front and get in behind them.

"Mason [Mount] had that chance early behind their back three. The system only works if our back three today don't sit off and allow people to turn on the ball because they are playing with two kind of false strikers. So it is the players that enforce it. We work on it but the players make the system."

However, Mourinho was quick to dismiss those suggestions, saying he merely predicted how Chelsea would line up thanks to an educated guess.

"I guessed because there is a logic to it.

"When they have a run of bad results, they go to five, when they have a run of bad results they go to Alonso and that's what they did when they played against Lille and against us in the first match.

"That's what of course I knew they were going to do today again. It's obvious. When they're in a run of good results, they go to different players.

"When they are in trouble, five at the back and Alonso. No one leaked me anything. They are loyal to him."

It's not the first time Lampard has had to discuss potential spying - he was in charge of Derby County when Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa's 'Spygate' incident made the headlines.

The three points moved Chelsea four points clear of Spurs in fourth position in the table and means Lampard is the first-ever manager to record a league double over Mourinho in his entire career.



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Chelsea Frank Lampard Jose Mourinho Off The Ball Premier League Spurs Spygate Stamford Bridge

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