Jose Mourinho on Dele Alli and Gedson Fernandes standing out for Tottenham... and Alfie Devine’s ‘special day’

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Jose Mourinho said unsettled pair Dele Alli and Gedson Fernandes inspired Tottenham to a 5-0 win over eighth-tier Marine in the FA Cup third-round on Sunday.

Both players have been linked with moves away from Spurs this month: Benfica are exploring the possibility of recalling Gedson early from his 18-month loan at Spurs, while Mauricio Pochettino's Paris Saint-Germain are interested in Dele.

Dele exchanged passes with Gedson before crossing for the first of three goals by Carlos Vinicius, while Lucas Moura and 16-year-old Alfie Devine also scored for Spurs.

Dele was making only his fifth start of the season, while it was Gedson's second appearance - but Mourinho said the midfield pair made the difference on Merseyside.

Asked his view of Dele's performance, Mourinho said: "I like very much. I think him and Gedson they were two players who were responsible from minute 10 until minute 75.

"They were the ones that created. They were the ones with mobility, they were the ones that started that dynamic that created problems for them and goals for us.

"So I'm really happy. Of course he [Dele] was a little bit cautious, like all of the creative players, they were a little bit afraid of the pitch, of some emotional tackle. But very happy, very professional attitude and a good performance."

Devine replaced Moussa Sissoko at half-time to become Spurs' youngest-ever player at 16 years and 163 days, and soon became their youngest goalscorer with a fine near-post finish.

"He's a kid with good potential that came to the club only this summer," Mourinho said. "He was lucky enough to have pre-season with us because we were short of players, so he had pre-season with us and played a few friendlies. Which of course gave him close contact with the first team. He's not a stranger, and then working in the academy, playing in different teams in the academy.

"Coming to us sometimes to train so a nice process for him. Also some experience in the youth teams and in the national team so step by step he's going. He's a kid that basically is a midfield player but with an instinct to appear in finishing zones and to score goals. We like him and of course for him today is a special day."

The 160-place chasm between the clubs was the biggest in the competition's history but Mourinho had promised to respect Marine by fielding a strong side, and he stuck to his word with Dele joined by Toby Alderweireld, Sissoko and Lucas Moura in the XI - and Gareth Bale a second-half substitute.

"I think it was weird that we were ready for everything, even on the bench, the bench that we had, we were ready for everything," Mourinho said.

"We didn't want to be surprised. We were ready for difficulties. We were ready for absolutely anything because we wanted to win the game.

"To be 4-0, 5-0 or 6-0, for us in fact doesn't make a difference. The difference for us is only to always have the game under control. They hit the bar, yes, but what could we do to stop it?

"We played always in their half. They didn't create any danger. They had that long distance shot that I thought that Joe [Hart] thought was not even going close to his goal so was an isolated situation. I have to admit that if they score 1-0 it would bring even more emotion to the game but it's OK."

Mourinho said he was preparing to face Aston Villa in the Premier League on Wednesday, despite doubts over the game following a coronavirus outbreak at the Midlands club.

"Nobody told me that I'm not going to play so tomorrow morning we start to prepare for that game, and the same Tuesday unless somebody tells us different," he said.

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