For the first time since the middle of November, Tottenham have a clear week. Spurs have played weekend and midweek matches since November 23 and it has not gone well.

The run started with a 4-0 thrashing of Manchester City - Spurs had had an international break off before that game started a period of 22 games in 79 days - a match every three-and-a-half days.

Tottenham have won just seven times in those proceeding 21 matches - twice in the Europa League, twice in the Carabao Cup, once in the FA Cup and only twice in the Premier League.

READ MORE: Tottenham injury boost hands Ange Postecoglou unique opportunity amid Djed Spence's growing role

READ MORE: Radu Dragusin provides Tottenham injury update after surgery as defender makes clear promise

They have endured horrendous luck with injuries in that time, being without Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Wilson Odobert for the entirety of that period (bar a few minutes in one and two games from the two centre-backs).

They have also had to do without the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur, Timo Werner, Richarlison, Ben Davies and Destiny Udogie for much of that spell, with James Maddison, Mike Moore, Dominic Solanke and Brennan Johnson also sidelined for long periods.

Head coach Ange Postecoglou has reiterated that his players are tired in the face of intense questioning about Spurs' predicament in the league and having gone out of both domestic cup competitions in the space of four days.

With no midweek game for the first time in more than two months, Postecoglou has given his players time off, with the players not in at Hotspur Way on Monday or Tuesday this week.

And when they return to the training pitch, they will be boosted by the return to training of five first-team players too, with news coming out of Spurs that Vicario, Udogie, Werner, Johnson and Maddison are ready to return.

Spurs take on Manchester United in the Premier League at the weekend, so what could their strongest XI look like? And perhaps just as importantly, what could the substitutes' bench look like?

Four of the five returnees would be deemed by many supporters as first-choice starters, with perhaps only Werner the one to sit on the bench.

Vicario's leadership at the back has been missed, while Udogie as a more natural left-back would slot straight back in, allowing Djed Spence to move over to right-back and offer Pedro Porro a rest. There is a real argument to suggest Spence is the better player right now anyway and deserves to be the starting right-back over Porro.

Unfortunately, the centre-backs do not look ready to return just yet, so no changes can be made in the heart of the defence.

In midfield, Maddison's creativity has been missed and he could slot straight back into the No.10 role. That would allow Dejan Kulusevski to get a much-needed rest too, as he may not be required to play in the forward line given Johnson's timely return too.

Tottenham XI vs Man Utd: Vicario; Spence, Gray, Danso, Udogie; Bentancur, Bergvall, Maddison; Johnson, Tel, Son.

Subs: Kinsky, Porro, Davies, Sarr, Bissouma, Kulusevski, Werner, Moore, Scarlett.