Tottenham vs Manchester United LIVE: Premier League team news and line-ups after Amad Diallo injury blow

Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-1 loss to Aston Villa at the weekend means that the club have exited two cup competitions in the space of four days.

And while pressure continues to build on Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou, the Australian claimed that his side will be an “outstanding team” once the club’s injury crisis eases.

Spurs were without 11 senior players for the loss to Villa, and after the match Postecoglou defended his players, saying that “for two and a half months, this small group of players have given everything in multiple competitions”.

So, should Postecoglou be given some leeway as he deals with a slew of injury problems, or have other teams managed to grind out results with problems that are equally as bad?

A Tottenham fan group has insisted Sunday’s protest is just the start of a long-term approach to bring about tangible change.

Spurs host Manchester United in the Premier League looking to bounce back from a horror week, having crashed out of the Carabao Cup and FA Cup in the space of 72 hours.

It increased the pressure on Ange Postecoglou, who has battled with a huge injury crisis for the best part of three months which has left the club 14th in the table.

Manchester United could be without Amad Diallo for the rest of the season after the winger suffered an ankle injury.

It is touch and go whether the Ivorian returns before the end of the campaign as manager Ruben Amorim, who is already without Lisandro Martinez until next season, has been hit with another injury blow.

Amad was injured in training this week, hurting his ligaments, and while United are still assessing him, the best-case scenario is that he will be sidelined for a number of weeks.

It leaves Amorim short of attacking options after loaning out both Marcus Rashford, to Aston Villa, and Antony, to Real Betis, during the winter transfer window.

When Jim Ratcliffe arrives at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, he will get another tantalising view of the expanded concourse known as the Market Place. It helps Spurs take in around £1m per home game on food and drink alone. To some in the game, this is more impressive than the single-tiered South Stand.

It is also why, for all the talk of a “Wembley of the North”, what Manchester United owner Ratcliffe really wants is a “Tottenham Hotspur Stadium of the North”. That doesn’t sound as catchy, admittedly, but it has worked its way into the minds of many executives. Newcastle United have talked behind the scenes about how their reimagined St James’ Park would be comparable to Spurs’ project. And Chelsea have cast envious glances from across the capital.

Such is the admiration the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Premier League could well end up with equivalents all over the country; an update on the Emirates type that proliferated from the mid-2000s.

Towards the end of the transfer window, as poor results led to a growing sense of panic around Tottenham Hotspur, the club pushed for some unexpected deals. Some were so unexpected that the targets abruptly expressed no interest in going there. More than one player preferred a move to Aston Villa.

Manchester United aren’t at that point but they have found their sway isn’t what it was. Many under-23s, which is the age profile the club are now prioritising, have grown up with the club looking like a basketcase rather than frequent champions. One target’s disinterest was described as “a low”.

That’s been the thing with this season for both clubs. As bad as it has got, it has always felt like a new nadir is just around the corner.

Ruben Amorim said Manchester United will have to sell players if they are to buy in the summer transfer window.

United have little leeway with Profitability and Sustainability Rules, which have been extended for next season, while their finances are tight, with co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe considering a fresh spell of redundancies and cost-cutting after sacking 250 staff last year.

Amorim made his first buys in the January transfer window, with Ayden Heaven arriving for £1.5m and Patrick Dorgu for £25m, but only when he brought in money by loaning out Marcus Rashford, with Aston Villa paying at least 75 percent of his wages, Antony, with Real Betis paying 84 percent of his salary, and Tyrell Malacia, with PSV Eindhoven covering his earnings.

Italy international Vicario has not featured since he fractured his ankle in the 4-0 win at Manchester City on November 23 and Postecoglou has used three different goalkeepers during the ensuing three-month period.

This could well be the Premier League’s most difficult match to predict, with neither manager knowing exactly what kind of performance they’ll get from their side. The two sides’ meeting in the Carabao Cup in December was a comedy of errors and lack of quality, and this could well be the same.

Tottenham 2-2 Manchester United.

Spurs XI: Kinsky; Porro, Danso, Gray, Spence; Sarr, Bentancur, Bissouma; Kulusevski, Son, Tel.

Man Utd XI: Onana; Mazraoui, Maguire, Yoro; Dalot, Ugarte, Fernandes, Dorgu; Amad, Mainoo; Hojlund.

For United, Ruben Amorim revealed that there are “one or two issues” within the squad after the win over Leicester last weekend, though he didn’t give any names. Lisandro Martinez is the only long-term absentee, but Amorim indicated Mason Mount, Jonny Evans, Luke Shaw and Altay Bayindir will remain out on Sunday, with their new setbacks seeing some academy players called up for training.