Tottenham Hotspur have reminded their players to respect social distancing guidelines after manager Jose Mourinho was pictured holding a makeshift training session in a public park in north London.

Mourinho was spotted working with Tanguy Ndombele on Hadley Common on Tuesday, while footage of Davinson Sanchez and Ryan Sessegnon running side by side was also shared on social media.

With the Premier League suspended since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic, top-flight clubs have instructed their players to train at home and follow individual fitness programmes.

The government has meanwhile advised citizens to stay at home in order to stop the spread of the virus, though people are allowed to walk and exercise outside once a day with those from the same household.

The video footage of Sanchez and Sessegnon showed the pair flouting the two-metre distancing guidelines by jogging next to each other.

A Tottenham spokesperson said: “All of our players have been reminded to respect social distancing when exercising outdoors. We shall continue to reinforce this message.”

Tottenham are already facing widespread criticism for their decision to make use fo the government’s job retention scheme and furlough 550 members of non-playing staff, despite announcing world record profits for a football club last year.

Whereas Liverpool reversed their decision to furlough staff on Monday after a public backlash, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is yet to indicate any change of plan.

Tottenham are one of four Premier League clubs planning to furlough staff, with Newcastle United, Norwich City and Bournemouth also prepared to depend on government money to pay wages.

Julian Knight, the chair of the digital, culture, media and sport committee, has criticised top-flight clubs for furloughing staff.