Tottenham have warned supporters to sit down or face a stadium ban in tonight's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Manchester City at their new home.

Large swathes of the 17,500-seat single-tier South Stand stood for the majority of the first game at the club's £1billion new stadium, a 2-0 league win over Crystal Palace last Wednesday.

Areas at the front of the South Stand and in the away end – both sections where the club had persistent problems with standing at the old White Hart Lane – have been future-proofed for 'safe standing' with railing, should the government change the law.

In the meantime, Spurs face a battle to keep supporters off their feet and say they risk partial-stadium closure if the issue is not dealt with.

In an email to supporters last night, the club said: "Fans are reminded that, as has always been the position in Premier League and UEFA Champions League stadia, standing during matches is against ground regulations.

"The offence is punishable by stadium bans and clubs are at risk of having capacities reduced in certain areas of the stadium if persistent standing is not dealt with.

"We therefore ask for your maximum cooperation with our stewards on this extremely important matter. If you are asked to be seated by a steward, please heed this instruction.

"This ensures that everyone can enjoy the match-day without obscured views and in a safe environment."

Safe-standing is unlikely to be introduced in the Premier League before 2020-21, with the government still to formally complete a review into the issue.

In the same email, Spurs also revealed that all supporters in the South Stand will be given a coloured recyclable plastic bag to hold up as the teams leave the tunnel, displaying a motif of the club's motto: 'To Dare Is To Do'.

"We kindly ask for your co-operation for a total of 60 seconds to create an iconic image that will be seen around the world – once again showcasing our new home in all its glory," the club said.