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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Dan Kilpatrick

Cristian Stellini hints at Tottenham changes for Sheffield United FA Cup clash - but wants Harry Kane to play

Antonio Conte's assistant Cristian Stellini has suggested they will rotate the side for Tottenham's FA Cup fifth-round against Sheffield United on Wednesday - but says he wants Harry Kane to play every game.

Kane was rested for the first and only time this season for the fourth-round win at Preston and the club have been managing his training in recent weeks following a virus.

Conte - who will again be absent from the game as he continues to recover from gallbladder surgery in Italy - and Stellini have options up front, with Richarlison, Heung-min Son, Dejan Kulusevski, Arnaut Danjuma and Lucas Moura all fit.

But asked if they had a difficult decision to make over the England captain, Stellini said: "No, I don't feel this. It's normal that Harry wants to play every game and we want him to play every game."

Stellini, who has a 100 percent record from three matches in the dugout since Conte fell ill, added: "We will pick the right team to play a great match, we can win also by making some changes.

"We completely trust all the players we have so we can make changes and nothing has to change. Last season we were disappointed after the match against Middlesbrough. But now we're in a moment where players have to take responsibility to follow this momentum. Me, Ryan Mason, and all the staff are all working hard, it will be tough for sure tomorrow but we have the possibility to play a good game and win with all the players."

Conte is expected to return to work in time to be back on the touchline for Saturday's visit to Wolves.

Antonio Conte is expected to return this week. (PA)

"I think this week he will be back," Stellini confirmed. "He's not in charge for this game but our doctor decides the right moment that Antonio comes back.

“It's a question for our medical department because they check with the doctor who did the surgery. They check together every day and they decided the right moment for Antonio to come back, and I think it will be this week."

Stellini said there were no fresh injury concerns ahead of the visit to Bramall Lane but Hugo Lloris, Rodrigo Bentancur (both knee), Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring) and Yves Bissouma (ankle) remain sidelined.

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