Tottenham fans today questioned manager Harry Redknapp's vow to play his “weakest” side in the FA Cup this weekend.

Around 4,000 Spurs supporters, paying up to £49 each, are expected to make the 400-mile round trip to Old Trafford on Saturday night when they take on Manchester United in the fourth round.

The match is ITV's night prime-time offering with the two sides having won the competition on 19 occasions between them.

But after seeing his team reach the Carling Cup Final — also against Sir Alex Ferguson's side — with a last-gasp 6-4 aggregate win over Burnley last night, Redknapp insisted his priorities lie with Premier League survival and next Tuesday's match against Stoke.

Redknapp said: “I will field the weakest team I feasibly can at Old Trafford. That's how it has to be. We've got to rest people.

“The lads who didn't play [last night] will play and I'm going to rest the key players who played because I can't afford any more injuries.

“If Alex is listening, I'm really going to send a real mish-mash team up there. I hope it doesn't upset the fans but we played extra-time and we're out on our feet a little bit.”

But Redknapp's hope has fallen on deaf ears as Bernie Kingsley, chairman of the Tottenham Supporters' Trust, expressed his concerns over the damage such an advanced warning could do to the players who are chosen to face United.

He said: “The battle against relegation is the priority but I am not sure what it does for the confidence of the players. Those who start on Saturday will know their manager considers them the weakest players in the squad.”

Jamie O'Hara, Michael Dawson and Jonathan Woodgate all picked up knocks at Turf Moor and are doubtful with goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes and Ledley King already certain to miss the trip.

Spurs were three minutes from going out of the Carling Cup on away goals as they trailed 3-0 to Burnley before sneaking through. Redknapp blasted his team's effort and said: “We have a group of players here who are not mentally or physically strong enough.”

ITV and tournament sponsors E.ON declined to comment and the Football Association refused to be drawn on the politics of Redknapp's decision, which could be construed as a contravention of competition rule 15a, which states that clubs must play to their full strength.

An FA spokesman said: “Undoubtedly Tottenham will be selecting a team from their first-team squad.”
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola intends to put his strongest team out against Hartlepool on Saturday and said: “The FA Cup is a wonderful competition and I will always honour it.”