Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to register a fourth successive victory in all competitions when they welcome Fulham to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this evening, kick-off 8:15pm.
Spurs, who progressed to the FA Cup fourth round at the weekend, defeating non-league outfit Marine 5-0, were supposed to lock horns with Aston Villa this evening at Villa Park, but the game was postponed earlier this week due to an outbreak of Covid-19 within the Villa camp.
Instead, Spurs, who have won their last three games without conceding a goal, will take on Fulham, who they were meant to face on December 30. On that occasion, the game was postponed just hours before kick-off following a Covid-19 outbreak within the Fulham squad.
With Jose Mourinho's preparations for the trip to Villa Park having had to have been scrapped on Monday, you could have forgiven the Portuguese chief for being less than impressed with the situation. However, Mourinho, who watched his side defeat Leeds United 3-0 in their last Premier League outing, is seemingly happy that the clash with Fulham will be ticked off Spurs' fixture list this evening.
"The biggest impact is to have matches postponed," said Mourinho during his pre-match press conference on Tuesday lunchtime. "That is the biggest impact. The changing of the order of the matches, the impact is minimal I would say.
"In the end, you have to play 19 matches at home and 19 away, and two matches against every team. So if it's to help the Premier League to go and to end properly, it's a solution we all have to accept as a positive solution."
After a bumpy few weeks at the end of 2020, Spurs have had a flying start to 2021, winning three matches in a row, scoring ten goals in the process. However, the visit of Fulham will be a completely different test for Mourinho's players, with the Cottagers having improved defensively in recent weeks, conceding just one goal in their last four outings in all competitions.
Assessing the challenge facing his players, Mourinho continued: "In this moment, it’s difficult to play against them. To defend the way they do with five in the back, and sometimes a second line of four, other times with three, is not easy to score goals against them.
"That’s obvious and then they have different ways of being dangerous. One thing is to be dangerous with [Aleksandar] Mitrovic, another thing is to be dangerous without Mitrovic, and they are good in these different situations.
"They can counter-attack well, they can arrive in crossing positions and create difficulties. They are a good team.
"They transform a little bit their philosophy, they understood well how to change, they did it. They are having results. And it’s going to be difficult."
After making numerous changes for the clash with Marine on Sunday, Mourinho is likely to revert back to a more familiar starting line-up, meaning the likes of Hugo Lloris, Eric Dier, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Son Heung-min and Harry Kane are amongst those poised to return.
Son was named on the bench for the trip to Merseyside but was not called upon by Mourinho.
Elsewhere, Erik Lamela could return to the squad for the first time since breaking coronavirus lockdown rules. The Argentine was discovered to have attended a party alongside Sergio Reguilon, Giovani Lo Celso and West Ham United's Manuel Lanzini during the Christmas and New Year period.
Issuing an update on if the winger is available to face Fulham, Mourinho said: "He is, but I don't know, but I think you understand what I want to mean.
"He can be selected for tomorrow, he can. Legally he can but I still have a decision to make."
Elsewhere, Lo Celso remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Full Tottenham squad available to face Fulham:
Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris, Joe Hart, Paulo Gazzaniga, Alfie Whiteman & Brandon Austin.
Defenders: Serge Aurier, Matt Doherty, Toby Alderweireld, Eric Dier, Davinson Sanchez, Joe Rodon, Japhet Tanganga, Dennis Cirkin & Sergio Reguilon.
Midfielders: Lucas Moura, Jack Clarke, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Harry Winks, Moussa Sissoko, Tanguy Ndombele, Dele Alli, Gedson Fernandes, Harvey White & Steven Bergwijn.
Forwards: Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, Carlos Vinicius & Dane Scarlett.
