Jose Mourinho has revealed that Oliver Skipp, Troy Parrott and Japhet Tangana are all in his thinking for tomorrow’s FA Cup trip to Middlesbrough.
We travel to the Riverside Stadium for a third-round tie following a demanding festive period which has taken its toll on the squad.
Harry Kane and Tanguy Ndombele were the significant injury casualties, joining Ben Davies, Danny Rose and Hugo Lloris on the sidelines.
Eric Dier and Kyle Walker-Peters also missed games over Christmas.
Mourinho suggested to his pre-match press conference that there will be rotation but not at the expense of disrespecting the competition.
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Football London quote him as saying: “You have to say Skipp, Tanganga, Parrott, the young boys in. That’s for sure, but sometimes when you say young guys, people that are not playing a lot and you connect FA Cup not important, FA Cup the right space to give opportunities to players that’s not the case.
“FA Cup very important, by the history of the club, by the connection, by the memories, by what it means for everyone at the club, every fan, the FA Cup is very important.
“So these young players coming in for the match at Middlesbrough doesn’t mean the FA Cup is not important for us.”
However, Jack Clarke is unlikely to feature after being recalled from his loan spell at Leeds United, from whom he joined Spurs in the summer.
Mourinho indicated that Clarke will not be involved with the first-team squad as the club seeks him another loan move before January ends.
Clarke did not make a single Championship start for Leeds this season.
“I know it’s finished but the structure is looking for another loan where he can play. In this half season he was not playing much and the objective of a loan is for the players to play,” Mourinho said, according to Football London.
“A loan without minutes is frustration loan. One is enough so the next one we must be sure is a club and a manager that really wants him to play.”
Parrott, please. I could take or leave the rest.
The team dead like fried chicken from long time. Kane out till march is a major blow. ‘Found out’ time. It’s good for this window though. Every silver cloud and that. Bring in dembelle from Lyon. Sessy phone him him up.
The performance tomorrow will tell us how the season is likely to end. Another defeat will show that this particular group is finished, and no amount of arm round shoulders and encouraging words is going to make any difference.