Pundit claims there’s no way back for Matt Doherty at Tottenham after Antonio Conte ‘run-ins’
Matt Doherty’s “run-ins” with Antonio Conte are keeping him out of the Tottenham starting XI.
That’s according to former Hibernian striker Tam McManus, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the wing-back’s future.
Doherty, 30, has struggled for game time this season, only starting three Premier League games.
Despite criticism, Emerson Royal has been Antonio Conte’s right-back of choice in the Premier League and Champions League.
The wing-back started in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Motherwell on Friday (9 December) and scored twice in the 4-0 win.
However, McManus doesn’t see Doherty’s status in the squad changing.
“I remember Matt Doherty being up here on loan at Hibs years ago,” McManus told Football Insider‘s Ben Wild.
“He played in that famous 5-1 cup final win. So he’s come in during the week in that friendly and scored a couple of goals, that’s great for him, it really is.
“That’s all he can do. When you have players away on international duty it gives you a chance to impress. He came in and he will be wanting to get back into the team.
“He has been in and out and it sounds like he has had a couple of run-ins with the manager but I do think he is a good player.
“He is great going forward but Tottenham’s problem isn’t going forward, is it? They are scoring goals but struggling defensively.
“The problem is Doherty is much better going forward than he is defensively.”
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