Jose Mourinho welcomed the Premier League's decision to have Tottenham play Fulham on Wednesday as Aston Villa attempt to recover from a coronavirus outbreak.

Spurs will host Fulham when they were scheduled to instead take on Villa, who had to field an academy side against Liverpool in the FA Cup after COVID-19 wiped out their first team.

The Fulham fixture had been postponed from December due to their own problems with the virus, a short-notice call that frustrated Mourinho.

The Tottenham coach was rather more enthused by the league's resolution this week, hailing it as a crucial step in order to keep the season going.

"The biggest impact is to have matches postponed. That is the biggest impact," Mourinho said.

"The changing of the order of the matches, the impact is minimal because, in the end, you have to play 19 matches at home and 19 matches away, you have to play two matches against every team.

"If it is to help the Premier League to go and to end properly, I think it is a solution we all have to accept as a positive solution."

But Fulham see the change rather differently, with the move only confirmed on Monday when Scott Parker's side otherwise expected a week off.

Given the last-minute nature of the initial postponement, the relegation battlers received little sympathy from Mourinho, however.

Asked if the switch was fair on Fulham, Mourinho replied: "Are you serious?

"They had 48 hours to prepare for this game? You think so? I had the news I was not going to play them two hours before the game started."

Parker, a former player of Mourinho's at Chelsea, was not impressed by the shake-up.

"It was a possibility on Saturday afternoon," said Parker. "I didn't think it was realistic.

"We were then told on Monday at 0930 we had to fill in for Villa. I realise we live in unpredictable times. We have to move things and it is not ideal.

"I am normally the last one to moan or whine. To confirm a Premier League game at 0930 on Monday morning is scandalous.

"It's not about the fixture. I accept we have to play but it's the notice. The people making these decisions don't understand."

Fulham have not played since Boxing Day, with a second fixture - against Burnley - also postponed, although Parker's men are unbeaten in five in all competitions.

Jose Mourinho is preparing for Tottenham's Premier League clash against Aston Villa to go ahead as scheduled on Wednesday.

After a significant coronavirus outbreak, Villa used youth players in a 4-1 FA Cup loss to Liverpool on Friday.

The outbreak has put their hosting of Spurs at risk, but a postponement would create more fixture chaos for Tottenham.

After a 5-0 FA Cup win over Marine on Sunday, Mourinho was asked when Tottenham's next game would be and the Spurs head coach responded: "Wednesday."

"No-one has told me any different that I am not going to play so tomorrow morning we'll start preparing that game," he added.

"The same Tuesday, unless we're told different."

Spurs are fourth in the Premier League table, four points behind Liverpool and Manchester United.

Jose Mourinho was delighted to see Carlos Vinicius' patience for minutes rewarded with a hat-trick and praised Tottenham's professional approach in the 5-0 FA Cup beating of non-league Marine.

Brazilian forward Vinicius made just his fifth start of the season, four of those coming in the Europa League, and netted three times in the first half of the third-round tie at Rossett Park on Sunday.

Vinicius plays second fiddle to Harry Kane and Mourinho felt his performance was emblematic of a Spurs team that showed plenty of respect to their eighth-tier opponents, who are 116 places below them in the English football pyramid.

"It is nice for him. Of course, for a striker that doesn't play a lot because in front of him is the big one," Mourinho told BBC Sport.

"Every time he has a little chance to play, like in the Europa League, he is there for us and we are very happy.

"I think the boys were professionals and didn't stop until the game was over in terms of the result. 

"The attitude was positive and that means a lot for me and also for the competition and to Marine's guys, because they felt we played seriously."

Lucas Moura was on target with a superb free-kick as Spurs led 4-0 at the break, with 16-year-old Alfie Devine making history as Tottenham's youngest ever player and scorer after drilling home the fifth on the hour.

Brazil forward Lucas was thrilled for his compatriot Vinicius, saying: "I'm very happy today, very happy for my friend Vinny, let's go for the next game."

Jose Mourinho revealed Tottenham have managed to carefully "hide" their COVID-19 problems as he insisted Premier League chiefs must not let the season descend into chaos.

The Spurs manager is relishing the distraction of an FA Cup tie at Marine on Sunday, describing the competition as "absolutely beautiful" and promising to take a star-studded squad to face the minnows.

But Tottenham would be left in an "impossible situation", according to Mourinho, if next Wednesday's Premier League clash with Aston Villa is called off.

Villa have experienced a major outbreak of coronavirus cases and their first-team training facilities were closed ahead of Friday's cup clash with Liverpool.

Tottenham have already had a London derby with Fulham called off under similar circumstances, and fixtures are piling up.

Mourinho wants a solution to be found and appealed for "leadership" from league top brass, suggesting there should be ways found to allow games to go ahead.

"The only thing I can say is that since pre-season, we knew that eventually it would happen to us, to have difficult situations to manage and to play again with 14 players," Mourinho said.

"I think every club was mentally ready for it."

Mourinho pointed to his former club Chelsea fielding Petr Cech at under-23 level recently, with the veteran goalkeeper coming out of retirement in case he is needed in a crisis.

"Every club was mentally ready for an extreme situation of having a lot of players not available to play," said Mourinho.

"In our case, we didn't have that extreme situation yet but we had problems. We had problems that of course with the legal right that we had, we managed to hide it, to hide it in a way by not telling who was positive and who was not able to play.

"But we are also having our problems. But we always thought we would always play. I cannot say much more than that."

Tottenham, like all clubs, have not been obliged to identify players who have tested positive for COVID-19, which has allowed Mourinho to avoid cases being publicised.

Those affected must go into self-isolation, but it appears Tottenham are in a good way ahead of their trip to Marine.

Mourinho remembered facing lower-league sides during his coaching career, pointing out the day his Chelsea side lost 4-2 to Bradford City in the FA Cup fourth round, back in the 2014-15 season.

"The FA Cup is absolutely beautiful," he said. "That's why, even knowing that I would love to rest all my guys. I cannot do it. It's not about being afraid, it's about giving the guys what they deserve.

"I'm not taking everybody. But out of 20, I take 19 first-team players. so you can imagine how strong we go."

Mourinho promised he would even enter the Marine club raffle, which offers a top prize of managing the eighth-tier team in a pre-season friendly. With no gate receipts, Marine are understandably looking for other ways of monetising the glamour tie.

"I will buy a ticket. Even if I win, I cannot do it," Mourinho said. "I don’t think I will have conditions to do that, but the meaning of it yes, I will be buying it."

The Northern Premier League North West part-timers and Spurs will go down in the record books as having the biggest gap between each other in the pyramid in the history of the FA Cup when they meet at Marine Travel Arena.

Marine sit sixth in their section of the eighth tier of English football, while Tottenham are fourth in the Premier League, reached the final of the EFL Cup this week and remain in the hunt for Europa League glory.

Mourinho will demand victory, of course, and will be quietly testing his players' appetite for the romance of the game.

"This is just a match that can show me how much they love football," he added. "Nothing else."

Jose Mourinho expects his Tottenham side to take minnows Marine from dreamland "back to reality" in a historic FA Cup third round tie on Sunday.

The Northern Premier League North/West part-timers and Spurs will go down in the record books as having the biggest gap between each other in the pyramid in the history of the competition when they meet at Marine Travel Arena.

Marine sit sixth in the eighth tier of English football, while Tottenham are fourth in the Premier League, reached the final of the EFL Cup this week and remain in the hunt for Europa League glory.

Mourinho has vowed to show the Merseyside club respect and will take a squad that could include Gareth Bale and Erik Lamela north this weekend along with the likes of Jack Clarke and Harvey White.

The Spurs boss said in a press conference on Friday: "I don't think they want to play against Tottenham under-23s, they want to play against a Tottenham team with the players they admire, they follow.

"We are trying to know their striker, their centre-back, their tactical organisation, the exactly same way we do with other opponents. I think the same way, they feel happy to play against us.

"I feel very happy to play against them. I understand the dream. It's up to us to bring them back to reality, but I clearly understand the dream. Nobody puts a foot on a football pitch feeling they are going to lose. We are top professionals. It's up to us to make them understand that as soon as possible."

Liverpool have provided video analysis of their Premier League rivals for Marine and Mourinho, whose side will get changed in the clubhouse bar, says that is to be expected.

The Portuguese said: "Liverpool helping Marine I think is normal, they are neighbours, I am pretty sure there are emotional connections between them. if they gave analysis, access to certain kinds of footage that they would not have, I feel it absolutely normal.

"What we can expect? First of all, we need to see the pitch. It's important for the safety of the players. I believe they are trying to have the best possible pitch. Then it's a group of boys playing the game of their careers.

"What can we do except respect them and win the match? I always believe to respect these teams is to beat them, is to play with a good team with responsibility, with motivation.

"A team that goes there and wins the game. That is respect. That is the cup mentality of the big teams. If we go there and we lose, of course it would be amazing for them, but would be a lack of respect from us."

Jose Mourinho warned Tottenham would be left in an "impossible situation" if their game at Aston Villa is postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak and called on the Premier League to show "leadership".

Villa are expected to field a young side in the FA Cup third-round tie against Liverpool on Friday, as a large number of first-team players and staff tested positive for coronavirus this week.

Spurs already had a derby at Fulham called off on December 30 after the Cottagers were hit by the virus and a scheduled trip to Villa Park next Wednesday is now in doubt.

Tottenham will also face Manchester City at a later date of April 25 due to the pandemic and given they are fighting for honours on four fronts, Mourinho suggested they would refuse to accept any more postponements.

Speaking ahead of Sunday's FA Cup tie at Marine, he said: "I believe that is a completely impossible situation for a club to have three matches postponed, especially if that club plays in Europe. If that club doesn't play in Europe, of course there are the UEFA fixtures.

"For a Europa League team to have three matches postponed is impossible. Completely impossible. That's the only thing that I can say."

Asked about the prospect of facing Fulham instead of Villa, he added: "I don't know. It's not for me to find solutions. I'm not going to lie to you, I've been doing that hypothetical exercise with my staff.

"Of course, we have no influence and we don't want to have influence. The only thing that we can say is that what we did in the beginning of the season is impossible to repeat and we refuse to repeat.

"We have to defend our players, the integrity of our competitions and we would never accept to play seven matches in three weeks like we did before. One thing is [the] beginning [of the season], another thing is mid-season.

"And also because of the difficulties and demands of the matches. One thing is to play with all the risks, the Europa League play-offs, another thing is to play Europa League knockout where all the best teams are there.

"We cannot be put in an impossible situation. To have three matches postponed... it is the moment for the Premier League to show leadership, make decisions, that of course a club like us, is trying every day to be ready to play, to follow the rules that we had in our hands.

"We cannot be punished. If we don't play against Aston Villa, we will have three matches postponed and that is impossible. Because after the season we have the Euros, and of course the matches cannot be moved."

Mourinho revealed Gareth Bale trained on Friday and could travel to eighth-tier minnows Marine, while Jack Clarke and Harvey White will be in the squad.

Jose Mourinho labelled Son Heung-min a "special player" after Tottenham reached the EFL Cup final on Tuesday.

Moussa Sissoko and Son scored as Spurs recorded a 2-0 win over Brentford, who were reduced to 10 men after Josh Dasilva's late red card.

Only Harry Kane (17) has scored more goals in all competitions this season than Son (16) among Premier League players.

Mourinho lauded the forward, who had more key passes (three) and shots on target (two) than any other player against Brentford.

"That's the humility of a player. That's Sonny. That's the human nature. He's like that. Some other guys they are not like that. For him it's the team," the Spurs head coach told a news conference.

"For him, for [Harry] Kane, for Lucas [Moura], for many the team is first and of course we depend a lot on the characteristics of some players. Sonny is one of them.

"He had two chances. He had a good volley. I saw the ball in the net but unfortunately, I was wrong and the ball went out. Then he faced the keeper in a difficult moment of the game, where the game is open.

"The opponent is trying and pushing and he goes and he kills the game. So special player but also a special human being."

Spurs' next outing is a trip to non-league side Marine in the FA Cup on Sunday.

Jose Mourinho hailed a win of huge importance after Tottenham overcame Brentford 2-0 to reach the EFL Cup final.

Moussa Sissoko and Son Heung-min were on target to see Spurs past their Championship opponents, who finished with 10 men after Josh Dasilva was dismissed for a challenge that left Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg with a gashed shin.

Tottenham have not won a piece of major silverware since lifting this trophy back in 2008 and it is a competition Mourinho has won four times.

The last of those came with Manchester United in 2017, with his former club taking on holders Manchester City in Wednesday's semi-final.

"It's a game that takes us to a final. Probably, I hope not, but probably an empty Wembley final but a Wembley final," Mourinho told Sky Sports, casting doubt on the EFL's ambitions to have a crowd at its rearranged April showpiece.

"I'm very, very happy with that. Of course we had matches this year against the biggest clubs in the country, we had London derbies, but this one is one that got us in a final

"I would consider that a very important match for us. Now we have this final in the pocket for a few months.

"We have to forget it and focus on what we have to play in the FA Cup, the Premier League and Europa League."

Brentford fell foul of a marginal VAR offside call when Ivan Toney thought he had equalised after the hour and Mourinho conceded it was not a vintage Tottenham display.

"Solid enough to win," he said. "The game was way under control. They had an offside goal and one penetration on the right-hand side.

"We did not play brilliantly with the ball. Sometimes the wrong decision, sometimes one more touch and not that soft control that allows you to play fast.

"But the game was always under control against a team who are probably coming here next year to play in the Premier League."

Jose Mourinho considers Tottenham's EFL Cup semi-final against Brentford on Tuesday their biggest game since he joined the club. 

Spurs take on the Bees at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after overcoming Stoke City in the last eight almost a fortnight ago. 

The club are now just two wins away from a first major trophy since they won the same competition in 2008, beating Chelsea 2-1 through Jonathan Woodgate's extra-time goal. 

Mourinho has won the EFL Cup four times – three with Chelsea and one with Manchester United – and is looking to become just the third manager to reach the final with three different clubs after Ron Atkinson (United, Sheffield Wednesday and Aston Villa) and Ron Saunders (Norwich City, Manchester City and Villa).

But he will have his work cut out against a Brentford side who have already eliminated four Premier League teams in this season's competition in Southampton, West Brom, Fulham and Newcastle United.

Indeed, the Bees are only the second non-Premier League side to achieve that feat in a season after Bristol City in 2017-18.

Mourinho, who has won 15 of his 17 home EFL Cup and FA Cup matches as against teams from outside the top flight, knows only too well the confidence boost a trophy triumph would bring and is determined to end Spurs' drought. 

Asked at a media conference if it was the biggest game since he took over at Spurs in November 2019, Mourinho responded: "I think so, in the perspective that the club has been chasing silverware for many years. 

"We had a match at Crystal Palace [last season] which gave us participation in the Europa League and that match was important. The only thing more important is finals.

"For me, every competition is important. I won the EFL Cup in my first season [in England in 2004-05], so for me, every competition is important; it doesn't matter where you are or what your ambitions are. 

"Especially for a club without silverware for more than a decade. If we win two matches, we win the trophy, which would be a very good thing for the club and players.

"It is not about me winning it five times with two or three clubs. It's about the players that want trophies and fans that want trophies. We just need two victories. 

"We have to look to this semi-final with this ambition and respect a very good team."

Mourinho confirmed Erik Lamela would not feature against Brentford but did not reveal if his absence was due to his breach of coronavirus regulations. 

Pictures circulated on social media of Lamela alongside Spurs team-mates Sergio Reguilon and Giovani Lo Celso at a festive gathering, with West Ham's Manuel Lanzini also in attendance.

The party went against COVID-19 rules put in place by the UK government as those present ignored social-distancing guidelines.

Reguilon was an unused substitute for Spurs' 3-0 Premier League win over Leeds United on Saturday, but there was no place in the squad for Lamela. Lo Celso remains out injured.

Asked if Lamela would be available, Mourinho said: "Not for me to tell you. Just to tell you that against Brentford he cannot play."

The verdict from the Premier League trial at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is in: a unanimous win for the defence. 

Tottenham against Leeds United – Mourinho-ball versus Bielsa-ball – was set up to be an eye-catching case involving two coaches determined to succeed by their own methods, backed up by a mountain of evidence from previous roles.

Leeds, who have understandably become a favourite for the neutrals since returning to the top flight, controlled possession and had plenty of attempts in the early kick-off on Saturday – 18 in total (albeit only five on target). They made 583 passes as a team, while four of their line-up were successful with more pass attempts than Tottenham's top distributor, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. 

However, Marcelo Bielsa's unwavering desire to play out at all costs – to pass, pass, then pass again, no matter how precarious the situation – saw Leeds become the chief architects of their own downfall. 

Jose Mourinho, of course, had Spurs set up perfectly to pounce.

If these teams visited an all-you-can-eat buffet, you sense Leeds would waste little time in attacking the complimentary bread plonked at the table before getting started. Spurs, in contrast, would resist getting involved in early carbohydrates, instead choosing to wait for the tastier options yet to come.

Both sides appeared hungry in the early going, but the game changed when Illan Meslier's wayward pass was picked off in the 27th minute, leading to the crucial opening goal. The goalkeeper's next task was to retrieve the ball from his net, Harry Kane having converted from the spot.

It was the sixth time Leeds have conceded a penalty this season – they only gave up three during the entirety of their promotion campaign from the Championship – perhaps an accepted consequence of Bielsa's risk-and-reward policy.

Tottenham had made a habit of squandering one-goal leads as of late – doing so away at Crystal Palace and Wolves – but there were no such concerns here, not once Son Heung-min had swept in a Kane cross to double the advantage before the break. 

After Son's 100th goal for the north London club, Toby Alderweireld just about headed in another early in the second half and, while Leeds' front-foot approach makes you feel there is no such thing as a lost cause, a comeback never materialised in the capital. 

Spurs scored three for the first time in 11 league games. They now have 29 goals in the competition this season – just one less than their opponents, branded the top-flight's great entertainers.

Mourinho had unsurprisingly bristled in a pre-match news conference when asked if it was important for his team to win with style.

"Nobody was saying that when Tottenham scored six goals against Manchester United, nobody would say that if we beat Liverpool at Anfield 2-1," he said, knowing full well that no league table has ever included a column devoted entirely to points awarded for artistic merit. 

"I'm pragmatic, and in some matches Tottenham is winning 1-0 and doesn't produce enough in the second half to score more and concedes, that I understand. One thing is what you do and one thing is what you want to do."

Spurs certainly did exactly what Mourinho wanted against Leeds, who like Arsenal and Manchester City before them, fell prey to a method that is all about ambushing opponents when they are at their most vulnerable.

Mourinho has now won all five career meetings with Bielsa, though the Argentine coach will not be too concerned. Both will continue to do things their own way, no matter what anyone else may say.

Son Heung-min reached a century of goals for Tottenham as Jose Mourinho's side boosted their Premier League title hopes with a comfortable 3-0 win over Leeds United.

The postponement of Wednesday's scheduled clash with Fulham because of coronavirus concerns left Spurs seven points adrift of Liverpool and Manchester United.

Mourinho's men had been without a win in four league games going into Saturday's home clash with the division's fourth-highest scorers, but it was the hosts who were clinical in going third and cutting the gap to four points.

A penalty from Kane and Son's landmark goal had Spurs 2-0 up at half-time and Toby Alderweireld's first league goal since netting against Arsenal in July gave Leeds too much of a mountain to climb, the only blemish on Tottenham's victory a sending off for Matt Doherty in injury time after he committed a second bookable offence.

Tottenham had looked vulnerable to their free-scoring opponents for much of an unexpectedly low-key first half, which was brought to life in the 37th minute when Ezgjan Alioski tripped Steven Bergwijn just inside the area.

Kane made no mistake in smashing the subsequent penalty down the middle to put Spurs into a lead that should have been doubled when Bergwijn collected a Ben Davies pull-back, only to fire high, wide and not very handsome.

But, having previously provided some cause for concern when both went down with apparent knocks, Kane and Son shrugged off any lingering issues to combine for the latter's 100th goal for Spurs and make it 2-0.

Son coolly stroked home at the near post after a low cross from Kane, who took his tally for goal involvements for the season to 20, as many as he had in the whole of the 2019-20 campaign.

And it was South Korea international's corner that saw Spurs take complete command as Alderweireld met his near-post corner with a header that was too hot for Illan Meslier to handle.

Meslier stopped Bergwijn and Kane from making the scoreline even more emphatic, while Leeds' energy at the other end was for nought as Spurs claimed a deserved clean sheet despite Doherty seeing red for a needless foul on Pablo Hernandez.

What does it mean? Spurs blunt Leeds to stay in the mix

Leeds had previously not failed to score since a November 22 stalemate with Arsenal, however, they were second best in all areas of the pitch in north London. 

Another slip-up for Tottenham would have been a huge dent to their title aspirations, but they scored three for the first time in 11 Premier League games to stay firmly in contention.

Kane and Son partnership again pays dividends

Son's 100th goal for the club marked the 13th time in 2020-21 that he and Kane have combined, a joint-record in a single season in the Premier League.

After his assist for Alderweireld, Son has 17 goal involvements in his last 14 top-flight appearances (12 goals, 5 assists).

Abject Alioski

Leeds have conceded six penalties this season having given away three in the entirety of the previous campaign in the Championship. It was the low point of a bad day for left-back Alioski, who conceded three fouls and won 37.5 per cent of his duels before being substituted in the 64th minute.

What's next?

Tottenham have an EFL Cup semi-final with Brentford on Tuesday before facing non-league Marine in the FA Cup third round next Sunday, when Leeds start their quest for silverware at Crawley Town.

Jose Mourinho does not believe managers should have "disciples", insisting that every coach makes their own way in football.

Mourinho's Tottenham host in-form Leeds United on Saturday, with the Whites' boss Marcelo Bielsa having gained plenty of plaudits for his side's play this season.

After managing promotion from the Championship at the second attempt, Bielsa has guided Leeds to 11th place after 16 games.

Leeds have scored 30 goals this season, ranking behind only Liverpool, United and Chelsea, but they have also conceded the same amount – only West Brom have let in more.

After a 6-2 thrashing at Manchester United led to some pundits suggesting Bielsa's all-out attack tactics needed to be altered, Leeds have won their last two fixtures, grinding out a 1-0 home win against Burnley before dispatching a dismal West Brom 5-0 on the road.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino are known admirers of Bielsa, who counts the Argentina, Chile, Athletic Bilbao, Marseille and Lille jobs on his CV.

Asked if he was a fan of Bielsa, Mourinho claimed he does not know the Leeds manager well enough to judge, but dismissed the suggestion a coach should have "disciples".

"I'm only a disciple of my father. I don't like that situation in football," he told a news conference.

"Even younger coaches or people who have worked with me in football. I don't like that they are "disciples" of Jose.

"Every coach is an individual with his own ideas. They can be influenced by one or another but they are an individual.

"I don't know [Bielsa] well. I think he was Athletic Bilbao coach in one of the seasons when I was at Real Madrid. Now is the first time we are in the Premier League at the same time.

"For sure he has to be a very good coach, but I'm not the person to analyse him because I don't know him. I've shook hands a couple of times, that's it."

Should Leeds claim a third successive win, they would move level on points with Spurs, while a victory for Mourinho's team would take them, temporarily at least, into the top four.

A run of four games without a win has seen Tottenham drop off the pace, but Mourinho believes the quality of the Premier League makes this season a much more even playing field.

"You might start bad, or end bad or have a difficult moment in the Christmas period or difficult moment with injuries, it is very difficult to be stable in terms of results," Mourinho said.

"I believe that we are going to have good periods again. When you go through all the other clubs [playing well], apart from maybe Aston Villa who have kept that stability, one was knocked out of the Champions League, another one drew two matches in a row, another one lost three matches in a row away from home.

"It is difficult for everybody. I keep saying, maybe not everyone agrees with me, that in every club there are good players. In every club there are players that could play for the top clubs.

"I am not speaking about Liverpool and Chelsea, I am speaking about the teams considered with less potential. That is getting fake and fake and fake. I don't look anymore at the dimension of the club, I don't look anymore at the table."

Jose Mourinho does not expect Tottenham to do much business in the January transfer window, while he was left frustrated by the postponement of Wednesday's scheduled match with Fulham.

Spurs brought in Matt Doherty, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Joe Hart, Sergio Reguilon, Gareth Bale, Carlos Vinicius and Joe Rodon in the last transfer window, as Mourinho aimed to bolster his squad.

An 11-match unbeaten run following an opening day defeat to Everton seemingly put Spurs in the title race, though two successive losses and a draw in their previous three outings has seen Mourinho's team drop off the pace.

Dele Alli and Harry Winks have both been linked with moves away from Tottenham in the upcoming window, but Mourinho insists he is not expecting the club to be busy.

"Not expecting, no. Times are not easy," he told a news conference ahead of Saturday's clash with in-form Leeds United.

"The club made a big effort in the summer to try and build a good squad. Honestly, if something good happens to us it will be a big surprise for me.

"I don't feel the right to ask for something. One thing is to analyse, which of course I do. One thing is to commit to the analysis and write a report and be committed to that, which of course I do, because I have to be professional.

"Another thing is to demand, which I never do, and another thing is to ask [for a player], which I never do, because I respect the effort that the club has made."

Spurs do now have a game in hand following the postponement of their clash with Fulham, which was cancelled just hours before kick-off due to a coronavirus outbreak in the Cottagers' squad.

It is a decision that left Mourinho frustrated.

"I don't want to speak too much about it, just to say that it felt unprofessional, but that's the way it is, that's the way it was," he said.

"We were preparing ourselves for that match. Of course, we didn't play, and that is disruptive of what is a week of work.

"The training sessions before that, they would be different if we weren't going to play that game. People can say it is good that we didn't play.

"It would be good for me if we didn't play and I knew that we don't play, because then I could have a different cycle in the training sessions. But not to play, not to train how we would like in the days before, of course it doesn't help."

Asked if an element of fairness has been lost amid the disruption, Mourinho said: "It's a special season with special circumstances. I think we have to say that it is going to be fair. If we don't say that, it is better not to be involved, but I believe that even from before the season started, it was immediately in the wrong way.

"To start the season with clubs having a match in hand is immediately a wrong start, and the season started in September and only in the last week of December were we informed about when these matches would be played.

"Now it is not about just these matches, but a few more. There are lots of things that are not right, but it is what it is, what is possible to have. We have to say it's fair."

SKRINIAR THE SOLUTION FOR SPURS?

If Spurs were to move into the transfer window in January, then what areas of their squad would be the priority?

Spurs had just three attempts on target against Wolves, with their last coming in the 21st minute, but they have plenty of attacking talent. Vinicius was signed as a back-up to Harry Kane in 2020, though has played just 12 minutes of Premier League football. The Brazilian has netted three times in five Europa League appearances, however.

Further support in the forward areas comes from Bale, though the Welshman has struggled for fitness so far.

Hojbjerg and a revitalised Tanguy Ndombele have impressed in midfield, and though Sami Khedira has been linked, perhaps the biggest need for Spurs is in defence.

Tottenham have now dropped nine points this season due to conceding goals in the last 10 minutes of matches, the most of any side in the Premier League.

Milan Skriniar was reportedly a target in the close season, and the Inter defender is a commanding, composed presence.

He has tallied up 24 clearances and 15 tackles – more than any other central defender in Inter's squad – in 10 Serie A games this season, while he ranks joint-fourth in the team for interceptions (11).

Those clearance numbers would rank him behind just four Spurs players, though Tottenham's tendency to sit deep and allow crosses into their box perhaps skews those figures.

Last season, with 39 tackles, Skriniar ranked behind only Marcelo Brozovic (67) in Inter's squad, and Stefan de Vrij for clearances (83 compared to 115).