Tottenham Hotspur manager, Jose Mourinho, has admitted that he is “trying his best” with superstar winger, Gareth Bale, following their home defeat to Chelsea last night.

The four-time UEFA Champions League winner has been was an unused sub and the injury-hit Spurs fell to a Jorghinho penalty in a derby that needed a game-changer like Bale.

Since travelling to Anfield at the summit on December 16 they have lost five of their next nine games, including three in a row for the first time since 2012. [Sky Sports]

Asked by a TV reporter why he did not come on, he replied: “Good question. You do not deserve to know the answer.”

Quizzed about it again in his press conference, he said: “I am trying my best. Gareth is trying his best. Everyone is trying their best.”

Bale who returned to Spurs on a season-long loan on 19 September 2020 has played under 250 minutes in the Premier League this season, starting just twice.

He scored his first goal since returning to the club on 1 November as a substitute, in a 2–1 home win against Brighton & Hove Albion. On 3 December, he scored his 200th career goal in a 3–3 draw against LASK in the Europa League. His last goal for the club was in the 4-1 win against Wycombe in the 4th round of the FA Cup.

Meanwhile, despite the poor run and injuries to attacking threats Harry Kane, Giovani Lo Celso and Dele Alli, the former Manchester United coach insists he is seeing a togetherness in his squad.

“We’re trying to go on the search but I saw togetherness. It’s not easy to see togetherness with bad results, defeats, difficulties, injuries,” the Spurs head coach said.”Togetherness is very easy to show when you’re on a high and winning matches, when everything is amazing.

“But in difficult moments it’s more difficult to see that togetherness but I saw that in the second half. No doubts for me.”