Another Tottenham Hotspur game and another starting XI without Dele Alli.

It’s quickly becoming the curious case of Alli in north London.

The 24-year-old superstar hasn’t started a game since Spurs’ 3-1 win over Shkendija in the Europa League third qualifying round several weeks ago. He’s not even been named in the matchday squad for their last two Premier League outings nor the Carabao Cup win over Chelsea earlier this week.

This is a player that looked set to benefit most from the Special One – following his appointment last November, Alli soon became the key man by delivering four goals and three assists in the Portuguese’s first five matches.

Now he’s on the brink of the first-team and has been linked with an exit to Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain.

It’s no secret that Mourinho isn’t a fan of how Alli trains – calling him something much more coloured than ‘very lazy’ during the Amazon docuseries – but we never heard Mauricio Pochettino talk about this. He was still played and he still delivered immensely for many years under the former Spurs boss.

“I think Dele Alli has a personality completely different maybe to Neymar. I think he’s a special player too. I think Dele is an unbelievable player, great player, still very young and his potential is massive and we’ll see what happens. He has the potential to improve a lot.”

Mauricio Pochettino on Alli.

On his day, Alli is one of the best attacking midfielders in the Premier League, the fact that he clinched two PFA Young Player of the Year awards defines that, and even though those days have been far and few between, it’s on Mourinho to get the best back out of him.

In some ways, he’s playing a very, very dangerous game. It could have as big of a detrimental effect as Christian Eriksen leaving in January.

Spurs are still yet to truly replace that creative influence. You can try both Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele there, and you can even bring in Gareth Bale, but there’s still a playmaker-like hole in that midfield.

Neither player has contributed to a goal in the Premier League this season whilst the pair only combined for a total of six goals last season.

This is where Alli is supposed to be stepping up, but how can he when game time is limited.

Once lauded as a “freak of a talent,” it’s time for Mourinho to throw his weight behind the €70m-rated (£64m) Englishman otherwise he’s at risk of failing to replace a key part to his system – that creativity.

AND in other news, Spurs should forget Skriniar to sign “natural leader” likened to Nemanja Vidic…