Jose Mourinho warned Tottenham would be left in an "impossible situation" if their game at Aston Villa is postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak and called on the Premier League to show "leadership".

Villa are expected to field a young side in the FA Cup third-round tie against Liverpool on Friday, as a large number of first-team players and staff tested positive for coronavirus this week.

Spurs already had a derby at Fulham called off on December 30 after the Cottagers were hit by the virus and a scheduled trip to Villa Park next Wednesday is now in doubt.

Tottenham will also face Manchester City at a later date of April 25 due to the pandemic and given they are fighting for honours on four fronts, Mourinho suggested they would refuse to accept any more postponements.

Speaking ahead of Sunday's FA Cup tie at Marine, he said: "I believe that is a completely impossible situation for a club to have three matches postponed, especially if that club plays in Europe. If that club doesn't play in Europe, of course there are the UEFA fixtures.

"For a Europa League team to have three matches postponed is impossible. Completely impossible. That's the only thing that I can say."

Asked about the prospect of facing Fulham instead of Villa, he added: "I don't know. It's not for me to find solutions. I'm not going to lie to you, I've been doing that hypothetical exercise with my staff.

"Of course, we have no influence and we don't want to have influence. The only thing that we can say is that what we did in the beginning of the season is impossible to repeat and we refuse to repeat.

"We have to defend our players, the integrity of our competitions and we would never accept to play seven matches in three weeks like we did before. One thing is [the] beginning [of the season], another thing is mid-season.

"And also because of the difficulties and demands of the matches. One thing is to play with all the risks, the Europa League play-offs, another thing is to play Europa League knockout where all the best teams are there.

"We cannot be put in an impossible situation. To have three matches postponed... it is the moment for the Premier League to show leadership, make decisions, that of course a club like us, is trying every day to be ready to play, to follow the rules that we had in our hands.

"We cannot be punished. If we don't play against Aston Villa, we will have three matches postponed and that is impossible. Because after the season we have the Euros, and of course the matches cannot be moved."

Mourinho revealed Gareth Bale trained on Friday and could travel to eighth-tier minnows Marine, while Jack Clarke and Harvey White will be in the squad.

Jose Mourinho labelled Son Heung-min a "special player" after Tottenham reached the EFL Cup final on Tuesday.

Moussa Sissoko and Son scored as Spurs recorded a 2-0 win over Brentford, who were reduced to 10 men after Josh Dasilva's late red card.

Only Harry Kane (17) has scored more goals in all competitions this season than Son (16) among Premier League players.

Mourinho lauded the forward, who had more key passes (three) and shots on target (two) than any other player against Brentford.

"That's the humility of a player. That's Sonny. That's the human nature. He's like that. Some other guys they are not like that. For him it's the team," the Spurs head coach told a news conference.

"For him, for [Harry] Kane, for Lucas [Moura], for many the team is first and of course we depend a lot on the characteristics of some players. Sonny is one of them.

"He had two chances. He had a good volley. I saw the ball in the net but unfortunately, I was wrong and the ball went out. Then he faced the keeper in a difficult moment of the game, where the game is open.

"The opponent is trying and pushing and he goes and he kills the game. So special player but also a special human being."

Spurs' next outing is a trip to non-league side Marine in the FA Cup on Sunday.

Jose Mourinho hailed a win of huge importance after Tottenham overcame Brentford 2-0 to reach the EFL Cup final.

Moussa Sissoko and Son Heung-min were on target to see Spurs past their Championship opponents, who finished with 10 men after Josh Dasilva was dismissed for a challenge that left Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg with a gashed shin.

Tottenham have not won a piece of major silverware since lifting this trophy back in 2008 and it is a competition Mourinho has won four times.

The last of those came with Manchester United in 2017, with his former club taking on holders Manchester City in Wednesday's semi-final.

"It's a game that takes us to a final. Probably, I hope not, but probably an empty Wembley final but a Wembley final," Mourinho told Sky Sports, casting doubt on the EFL's ambitions to have a crowd at its rearranged April showpiece.

"I'm very, very happy with that. Of course we had matches this year against the biggest clubs in the country, we had London derbies, but this one is one that got us in a final

"I would consider that a very important match for us. Now we have this final in the pocket for a few months.

"We have to forget it and focus on what we have to play in the FA Cup, the Premier League and Europa League."

Brentford fell foul of a marginal VAR offside call when Ivan Toney thought he had equalised after the hour and Mourinho conceded it was not a vintage Tottenham display.

"Solid enough to win," he said. "The game was way under control. They had an offside goal and one penetration on the right-hand side.

"We did not play brilliantly with the ball. Sometimes the wrong decision, sometimes one more touch and not that soft control that allows you to play fast.

"But the game was always under control against a team who are probably coming here next year to play in the Premier League."

Jose Mourinho considers Tottenham's EFL Cup semi-final against Brentford on Tuesday their biggest game since he joined the club. 

Spurs take on the Bees at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after overcoming Stoke City in the last eight almost a fortnight ago. 

The club are now just two wins away from a first major trophy since they won the same competition in 2008, beating Chelsea 2-1 through Jonathan Woodgate's extra-time goal. 

Mourinho has won the EFL Cup four times – three with Chelsea and one with Manchester United – and is looking to become just the third manager to reach the final with three different clubs after Ron Atkinson (United, Sheffield Wednesday and Aston Villa) and Ron Saunders (Norwich City, Manchester City and Villa).

But he will have his work cut out against a Brentford side who have already eliminated four Premier League teams in this season's competition in Southampton, West Brom, Fulham and Newcastle United.

Indeed, the Bees are only the second non-Premier League side to achieve that feat in a season after Bristol City in 2017-18.

Mourinho, who has won 15 of his 17 home EFL Cup and FA Cup matches as against teams from outside the top flight, knows only too well the confidence boost a trophy triumph would bring and is determined to end Spurs' drought. 

Asked at a media conference if it was the biggest game since he took over at Spurs in November 2019, Mourinho responded: "I think so, in the perspective that the club has been chasing silverware for many years. 

"We had a match at Crystal Palace [last season] which gave us participation in the Europa League and that match was important. The only thing more important is finals.

"For me, every competition is important. I won the EFL Cup in my first season [in England in 2004-05], so for me, every competition is important; it doesn't matter where you are or what your ambitions are. 

"Especially for a club without silverware for more than a decade. If we win two matches, we win the trophy, which would be a very good thing for the club and players.

"It is not about me winning it five times with two or three clubs. It's about the players that want trophies and fans that want trophies. We just need two victories. 

"We have to look to this semi-final with this ambition and respect a very good team."

Mourinho confirmed Erik Lamela would not feature against Brentford but did not reveal if his absence was due to his breach of coronavirus regulations. 

Pictures circulated on social media of Lamela alongside Spurs team-mates Sergio Reguilon and Giovani Lo Celso at a festive gathering, with West Ham's Manuel Lanzini also in attendance.

The party went against COVID-19 rules put in place by the UK government as those present ignored social-distancing guidelines.

Reguilon was an unused substitute for Spurs' 3-0 Premier League win over Leeds United on Saturday, but there was no place in the squad for Lamela. Lo Celso remains out injured.

Asked if Lamela would be available, Mourinho said: "Not for me to tell you. Just to tell you that against Brentford he cannot play."