The crisis that is haunting Mourinho

Jose Mourinho's arrival as Tottenham coach in the final part of last year changed the face of the team.

The coach, from Setubal, revolutionised a team that seemed dead and lost in the middle part of the Premier League table and his presence had an immediate effect.

However, this seems to have vanished over the last few weeks and the award-winning Portuguese finds himself in the midst of his first big crisis.

Recent league defeats against Southampton and Liverpool have meant that the team have once again lost their Champions League position, which is their main aim this season.

With the dreadful start to the current Champions League campaign despite having a favorable crossing in the second round (there are teams who are favourites ahead of Spurs), the FA Cup is almost their only hope of stopping the doubters.

That's why this Tuesday's home match against Middlesbrough has taken on the feel of a grand final.

A win, which would be logical, would be a step towards a title that would be a salvation for the club this season.

But a loss, which would be their third in a row, would call into question the work of a Mourinho whose signing generated great doubts in some fans.