MatchTottenham Hotspur v Liverpool: Team news

The duo have been absent since last month's victory over Real Madrid at Anfield in the Champions League and will again be missing from Arne Slot's squad in the capital on Sunday as they continue their respective recoveries.

During his pre-match press conference, the head coach said: "These are the two that are still 'in the red', so they don't train with us at the moment. They are on their way back but they don't train with the team yet."

Slot added: "The main thing is that if they come back, they are ready to come back and we must not focus on one, two or three days. It's more important for the long term that they stay fit afterwards.

"Until now they [the medical staff] have done really well and hopefully with Conor and Ibou the same thing happens."

Andy Robertson is available for selection once more after serving a one-match suspension for the Carabao Cup tie at Southampton in midweek.

Harvey Elliott made his first start of the campaign at St Mary's, while Federico Chiesa and Kostas Tsimikas returned as substitutes after recent injury absences.

Ahead of the trip to Spurs, Ryan Gravenberch and Darwin Nunez are both one yellow card away from incurring a domestic ban.

Tottenham, meanwhile, are waiting on the availability of Timo Werner following an illness that meant the forward missed Thursday's Carabao Cup win over Manchester United.

Destiny Udogie is expected to return to the matchday squad having also been absent for that contest, in which Spurs prevailed 4-3.

Ange Postecoglou said on Friday: "Timo was unwell yesterday, so we've got 48 hours before the game, hopefully he'll recover, and the plan is that Destiny should be OK."

Spurs are set to be without eight players for certain, with Guglielmo Vicario, Ben Davies, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Mikey Moore, Wilson Odobert and Richarlison remaining sidelined for the hosts.

Rodrigo Bentancur also continues to serve a suspension and will miss the fixture in north London.

On facing Liverpool, Postecoglou added: "We'll play our football because that's what is winning us games. That's what we'll do against Liverpool. [They're a] fantastic side, going really well.

"Arne has come in and it's not easy when you're taking over from somebody with the status of Jürgen Klopp. They're very settled and as a team they've got quality within the starting XI and squad.

"They've dealt with things; you saw last week they were a man down and they still had that overall belief. They're the standout team in the competition so far, but again on our day when we play our football, we're pretty good opposition."

Last match

Tottenham 4-3 Man Utd (December 19): Forster, Porro, Dragusin, Gray, Spence, Sarr, Bissouma, Maddison, Kulusevski, Solanke, Son.

Southampton 1-2 Liverpool (December 18): Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Endo, Gomez, Nyoni, Mac Allister, Morton, Elliott, Nunez, Gakpo.