Jose Mourinho confirms Giovani Lo Celso will miss the games with Wolves and Fulham in December's remaining matches; Spurs go to Molineux on December 27 live on Sky Sports Premier League with coverage starting from 7pm
Thursday 24 December 2020 13:02, UK
Jose Mourinho believes Wolves should now be considered a top-six Premier League team, as he prepares to take his Tottenham team to Molineux on Sunday.
Since promotion to the Premier League in 2018, Nuno Espirito Santo's team have quickly established themselves as European contenders.
Their first two seasons in England's top division saw them finish seventh on both occasions; the first enough to qualify for the Europa League but they missed out on securing European football last season following Arsenal's FA Cup victory.
When asked if he regards Wolves as a top-six team, Mourinho replied: "I believe so."
Wolves go into Sunday's match with Spurs 11th in the table after an inconsistent run of form. They followed victory at home to Chelsea with a defeat at Burnley on Monday.
The Portuguese coach believes every team in the league is struggling to find consistency.
"It is very hard in this league to have a consistent run," Mourinho added. "Every game is very difficult. We were in a period where he had to play the considered top six teams where we played them in a row. Now people could say you are going to get an easier run of matches. What is easier? Go to Wolves, play Fulham and Aston Villa? It is not easier.
"This is a league where we are and we should be really happy with that and not sad with that because that is a fantastic league."
Mourinho doesn't believe his compatriot Nuno should be judged on Wolves' current league position. They lay in the bottom half of the table but are just six points off the top four.
Tottenham, themselves, have dropped to sixth place, just two matches after topping the table.
Mourinho added: "You look to this table and how can you analyse managers with this table. It changes every week and every two matches.
"In one week, one team is in a certain position and after two weeks is in a completely different position. You cannot judge a work of a manager because he is third or he is eighth. Everybody is there.
"Nuno is a very good coach, it doesn't matter if Wolves is second, third, eighth or ninth. He is a very good coach."
Mourinho confirmed Giovani Lo Celso will be missing until January but Tanguy Ndomele is fit despite missing Wednesday night's 3-1 victory at Stoke in the Carabao Cup.
The 57-year-old ruled out Lo Celso, who has a suspected thigh injury, from Spurs' next two matches against Wolves and Fulham.
Ndombele was left out of the squad along with Steven Bergwijn and Serge Aurier with three Premier League matches in seven days on the horizon.
Mourinho said: "I was with seven guys on the bench then one day I was told I could have nine and then the next day I was told in the Carabao Cup I can only have seven.
"If I had nine he would be here. To have him here I wouldn't have Dele Alli or another one. So I left some players behind. I left (Steven) Bergwijn, I left Tanguy (Ndombele), I left Serge Aurier. I left some players behind."
