Tottenham Hotspur have been accused of kicking Adama Traore out of the game as they beat Wolves 2-1 on Sunday, per The Daily Mail.

What’s the word?

Jose Mourinho’s men needed a late goal from Jan Vertonghen to overcome Nuno Espirito Santo’s side at Molineux, with Traore having cancelled out Lucas Moura’s excellent opening goal.

Traore enjoyed an exceptional game despite Wolves’ defeat, completing a total of five dribbles, per WhoScored, and registering one key pass while three Spurs players were handed yellow cards for fouling the ex-Barcelona ace, who was brought down four times.

And Wolves’ captain, Conor Coady, believes that the forward needs greater protection.

He said: “Tottenham were clever with it in terms of how different players were fouling him but it’s hard from our point of view to keep seeing that. They were spreading things (fouls) out.

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“That’s what’s disappointing. It was obviously something they said and then did. It’s hard to take because [it’s] every time he beats his man.

“We speak to referees every game. They say they can’t do much about it because they are booking the players and they are not red-card offences.

“But at the same time it’s so frustrating for us, when he gets past players and he’s then brought down like that.”

As bad as them

This is bias from Coady.

Lucas Moura was fouled four times throughout the game, while Dele Alli was brought down three times. In total, Spurs players were brought down on 12 occasions; Wolves men were fouled 10 times.

This was a physical game between two clubs going hell-for-leather to win and, while Traore was on the end of some tough treatment, so too was Lucas.

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Admittedly, it perhaps rankles more given that Traore was so central to Wolves’ gameplan throughout the encounter; he regularly fronted Vertonghen up and beat him.

But to claim that he needs greater protection when Santo’s men were just as guilty of fouling Lucas is hypocrisy and nothing more.

Coady, at the end of the day, wouldn’t be saying anything had Wolves won.

Meanwhile, Ledley King has tipped Spurs to do one thing in the Champions League.