Tottenham Hotspur are set to return to action on Sunday as high-flying Liverpool come to town in the Premier League.
Spurs have not played a game of football since their 3-0 win against Norwich City on December 5, as a Covid outbreak swept through their camp and resulted in nine first team players, seven members of the coaching staff and a large number of U23 players testing positive.
With three matches called off and the first team area of their Hotspur Way training complex shut down for three days, the north London club have not had the best preparation for the match against Jurgen Klopp's side, who have a trio of Covid cases of their own to contend with.
Antonio Conte's team selection on Sunday will be mostly dictated by how ready the players who returned from their Covid isolations are to play, if any.
The Italian's philosophy demands high energy as will trying to keep up with in-form Liverpool so only those who are showing no after-effects will be able to start.
Those who had symptoms are understood to have returned to Hotspur Way low on energy following their isolation period, which is why Conte is taking it cautiously with them all.
The Spurs boss told football.london on Friday that Sergio Reguilon was expected to return to full training on Saturday, which could see him start at left wing-back if the Italian deems that enough time to be ready for the game.
Giovani Lo Celso has also been back in training this week and Conte will have to make a decision based on his match sharpness after a period out with his knee injury.
Elsewhere the team will be a mix between those Conte has worked with on the Hotspur Way pitches throughout the past fortnight and those one or two the sports science staff believe are able to return to the starting XI.
Here's the Spurs team we reckon Conte could go with to face Liverpool:
3-4-1-2: Lloris; Sanchez, Dier, Davies; Emerson, Winks, Ndombele, Sessegnon; Dele; Son, Kane.
