Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood stands by his backing for Nabil Bentaleb.

Sherwood has received criticism from some quarters for choosing Bentaleb, the 19-year-old midfielder, ahead of Sandro and Paulinho, the more experienced Brazilian pair, in certain matches.

Sherwood is confident his judgment will be proved correct. "When Ledley King first came into the Tottenham team, he wasn't the best player and he wasn't expected to be.

"It comes in time when you develop. What you are seeing at the moment is nothing to what he can actually give after playing a few games. Kids need time. When you are throwing them into sides, they need time to develop. Everyone should take a step back and not expect too much, too early. Bentaleb is a good player and has a good future."