Alli FURIOUS at being taken off by Mourinho in Carabao Cup win at Stoke

Dele Alli failed to keep his emotions in check as he threw a strop after being hauled off by Jose Mourinho in Wednesday's Carabao Cup quarter-final win over Stoke.

Alli was given a rare start and a big chance to impress in the last-eight tie at the Bet365 Stadium but struggled and was replaced after the hour by Erik Lamela with Mourinho 'angry' at the midfielder's role in Stoke's equaliser.

The decision to take him off was not well received by Alli as he gestured animatedly at the bench before slouching in his seat after settling in the stand.

Mourinho looked particularly irate when a lax flick from Alli didn't work out and Stoke broke to score the equaliser. The Portuguese confirmed after the win that he was livid with the playmaker.

'Yes, for me a player that plays in that position is a player that has to link and create and not to create problems for his own team,' he said. 'I was angry.'

Tottenham's play became stunted after it went to 1-1 and it was only after Alli went to the stands that they found their mojo again to go and seal a spot in the last four.

Former Tottenham striker Darren Bent defended Alli's performance but did accept that he cannot continue to waste his career on the sidelines.

'He's not played for a while but I though his movement was sharp in first half, it was a good performance,' Bent suggested on Sky.

'It's a big year for him (Alli). He doesn't want to waste another half a season but I think there's no reason he can't get into that team on a regular basis.'

Tottenham were energised after Alli's departure and goals from Ben Davies and Harry Kane sealed their spot in the next round to join Brentford and Manchester City.

With the January transfer window fast approaching attention will turn to Alli and whether Tottenham will sell him, loan him or persist with him despite Mourinho's tendency to use others in his position.

Alli has made just one Premier League start since the opening day of the season and has fallen way down the pecking order under  Mourinho.

Everton have been mooted to be interested but they would face intense competition from French giants Paris Saint-Germain who, as Sportsmail reported last week, are set to make another offer for Alli in January.

PSG had a number of attempts knocked back in the summer but now Mourinho is willing to sanction a move away.

Alli is said to be open to leaving the Premier League side as he seeks first-team football.

He has not given up hope of making Gareth Southgate's England squad for next summer's delayed European Championship. But he knows getting regular playing time is his only hope of a recall.