Jose Mourinho Bemoans Tottenham's Injury Struggles After Southampton Win

Jose Mourinho has said managing his current Tottenham Hotspur squad is like playing a "chess game without pieces" due to their ongoing injury crisis. 

Spurs squeaked through to the fifth round of the FA Cup by beating Southampton 3-2 at home in their fourth-round replay on Wednesday.

They were trailing 2-1 with 12 minutes to go, but goals from Lucas Moura and Heung-Min Son turned the game on its head in the closing minutes.

Mourinho had only a threadbare squad to work with for the Saints game due to Harry Kane, Moussa Sissoko, Ben Davies, Giovani Lo Celso and Erik Lamela being sidelined through injury, while new signing Steven Bergwijn was ineligible.

After the match, Mourinho said he is being restricted in making any progress with Spurs because he cannot play the team he wants, per Tom Dutton in the Evening Standard:

"I had to manage this chess game without pieces. You know. No bishops, no kings, no queens. Very, very hard with so many injuries and problems. No Bergwijn.

"I cannot speak about the progress I want to make because I don't have the players I want. And the team needs players to progress, collectively, tactically and dynamically. We need to have the players, but we don't have the players.

"We lose so many. Sissoko, Harry, and today Lamela, Lo Celso and Bergwijn. It is so difficult. One game we have players A, B and C out and then the next game we are without D, E and F. It's been a very difficult season.

"So everything was like when you pull a blanket up and your feet are left out and then you cover your feet but half of your body is out. That's us. But amazing spirit, and that is something I like. The best team lost. The best team on the pitch lost."

Despite their injury issues, Spurs are on a fine run of form having not lost any of their last six games in all competitions.

They will be favourites to get past Norwich City in the next round of the FA Cup, and they are by no means underdogs for their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie against a stuttering RB Leipzig, the first leg of which is on February 19.

Meanwhile, Spurs are up to fifth in the Premier League table and have the top four in their sights:

They are riding their luck at the moment, though:

Kane's continued absence is the most concerning for Tottenham. The Englishman is irreplaceable in Mourinho's squad because no other Spurs player scores as many goals.

He is one of the best No. 9s in the world, but his absence is compounded by the fact Spurs have not had decent cover at striker for some time.

There is hope while he is sidelined, though.

Mourinho started Son and Moura in a front two against Saints, and while it was far from an easy win, they both played a part in forcing Spurs through to the next round.

Tottenham now have a weekend off before they return to Premier League action on February 16, when they visit Aston Villa.