João Palhinha has responded to criticism from Jamie Carragher, insisting his career trajectory has been upward because of hard work. The Tottenham midfielder, on loan from Bayern Munich, was accused by the Sky pundit of being unable to progress the ball effectively after Spurs' defeat to Chelsea earlier this month.
Speaking ahead of Sunday's north London derby, the Portugal international said: 'I saw it because some people sent it to me. My trajectory has been upwards – because I work a lot.' Palhinha has long used setbacks as motivation, having been rejected by Benfica and Belenenses as a boy before eventually establishing himself at Sporting at the age of 25 after a series of loans.
The 30-year-old has been a standout performer in the Premier League for tackles, leading the league in that category in each of his two seasons at Fulham. After a £42.3m move to Bayern Munich in July 2024, a serious injury disrupted his time there, but he has rediscovered his form on loan at Spurs, again ranking top for tackles made and won.
Palhinha has also contributed four goals this season, including a stoppage-time equaliser against Wolves and a strike at Manchester City. However, Spurs have struggled for consistency, with poor home form leading to frustration among fans. A win at Arsenal, where they have not won in the league since 2010-11, could provide a much-needed boost.
'It's like the environment is always different when you have these kind of games, especially this rivalry,' Palhinha said. 'We need to respond really well after the last games. It's going to be the perfect test for us.'
