Tottenham head coach Jose Mourinho praised midfielder Tanguy Ndombele for his performance against Norwich City in the Premier League.

Spurs star Ndombele impressed on his return to the squad as Mourinho’s Tottenham drew 2-2 at Norwich on Saturday.

Ndombele – a club-record signing from Lyon in the off-season – was left out of the squad for Tottenham’s Boxing Day clash against Brighton.

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The 23-year-old Frenchman, however, returned in the absence of suspended duo Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko, and his display pleased Mourinho.

“He played very well,” Mourinho told reporters. “We played without a positional player, no Winks, no [Eric] Dier and [Christian] Eriksen and Ndombele played so, so well.

“Totally in control, the football was so fluid, passing, movement, turning, never playing back passes, always getting the ball going forward and between the lines and looking for the wingers. Fantastic football.”

Speaking to Sky Sports post-game, Mourinho added that Erisken deserved to be named man of the match but that Ndombele was worthy of a special mention.

“I am happy with his man-of-the-match [award], but it could have been others,” he said. “I think Ndombele was absolutely phenomenal.”

Tottenham twice fought back from a goal down to salvage a point away to the Premier League’s bottom side at Carrow Road.

Mario Vrancic’s 18th-minute opener was cancelled out by Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen and his free-kick 10 minutes into the second half.

A Serge Aurier own goal restored Norwich’s lead six minutes later, before Harry Kane rescued a point with an 83rd-minute penalty.

“We created from minute one to minute 90,” Mourinho said. “We started the game creating chances and we finished the game creating chances. We started well then we had our 28th of December gift. Not Boxing Day but it was a gift on the 28th.

“Second half we played even better than the first half, really offensive, taking a lot of risks and dominating the game. We scored the equaliser and had 30 minutes to win the game and then gift number two.”

The draw means Spurs are currently sixth in the Premier League but they could drop to eighth before 2019 comes to a close with Wolves and Sheffield still to play. 

Tottenham will begin 2020 away to Southampton before taking on Middlesbrough in the FA Cup third round.