Crouch: Eriksen is a disappointment today, he needs to get head down or not play

Peter Crouch singled out Christian Eriksen for criticism after Tottenham slipped to a disappointing 3-1 defeat at Bayern Munich in their final Champions League group stage clash.

With Spurs already qualified for the knockout stages, Mourinho used the clash as an opportunity to watch his fringe players but Kingsley Coman, Thomas Muller and Philippe Coutinho struck to condemn them to defeat.

Crouch was insistent that Mourinho was protecting many of the players and felt they had let themselves down - particularly Danish playmaker Eriksen, who looks set to leave the club when his contract expires at the end of this season.

The retired striker added: ‘I think he was protecting some of his players there, he didn’t look happy at all.

‘Eriksen was a disappointment today, he needs to get his head down or not play.’

The former Spurs hitman admitted that the game, a dead rubber with both sides already qualified, represented a difficult challenge for the players to be prepared for.

‘It is so hard mentally when you know you are through, it is bizarre to get yourself up for it.

‘I don’t think it will affect their momentum, there were so many changes to the team, and there were plus points. Sessegnon scored a lovely goal but Bayern were too strong in the end.’