Eric Dier is closing in on a timely return to fitness ahead of another fixture pile-up for Tottenham – with five games in two weeks scheduled at the end of this month.
Dier has not featured since December 8 following surgery to remove his appendix but he has a slim chance of being involved against Manchester United on Sunday after returning to training.
The England international is more likely to make his comeback against Fulham on January 20 – the first of four consecutive London derbies and another gruelling run for Mauricio Pochettino's already-stretched squad.
Spurs will discover on Thursday when their FA Cup fourth-round match at Crystal Palace, which has been picked for television, will be played, but, regardless, they will face Fulham, Chelsea, the Eagles, Watford and Newcastle within 14 days.
After the trip to Craven Cottage, Spurs return to west London four days later for the League Cup semi-final second leg at Stamford Bridge and visit Selhurst Park on the weekend of the 26-27. They finish the run with home games against Watford and Newcastle on January 30 and February 2, respectively, at Wembley.
Pochettino has demonstrated the strength in his squad with consecutive wins against Tranmere and Chelsea in the domestic cups but they have looked particularly short in central midfield, where Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko have had only 18-year-old Oliver Skipp for cover during Dier's absence.
Mousa Dembele is back in training following an ankle injury but the Belgium international remains in talks over a move to China and is unlikely to play for the club again, while Victor Wanyama remains sidelined as he fights to recover from another long-term knee injury. The club hope the Kenyan will be able to return before the end of the month.
Tottenham face a further test of their title credentials with Manchester United's visit on Sunday, with their 48 points after 21 games currently the best of any-third place team in Premier League history – with the previous best return 46 points, set by Spurs in 2011-12 and Chelsea in 2013-14.
Spurs' absence of draws has contributed to their impressive points total and they are the first team in the English top-flight since 1953/1954 without a draw in their first 21 matches. Burnley won 13 and lost eight of their opening 21 matches that season and, amongst post-war seasons, only Burnley and Tottenham this term have played so many games without drawing.
Spurs thrashed United 3-0 in August but Toby Alderweireld expects a much sterner test this weekend now that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has replaced Jose Mourinho as manager.
"Of course we know they will be in a better moment than they were before," he said. "We know they have very good players and a very good team. Quality, with some special players. So we have to be tough to beat them. But we can be confident and prepare ourselves the best we can to be ready for them."
Lucas Moura, who scored twice at Old Trafford, will be assessed ahead of the game after a knee injury sustained at Tranmere, while Jan Vertonghen will return to the squad after a thigh problem.
Scroll through the gallery at the top of the article for Tottenham's full injury list...
