Eric Dier insists Tottenham have no need to prove their credentials without Harry Kane, despite a toothless display in Sunday’s FA Cup third-round clash at Middlesbrough .

Spurs face an unwanted replay against the Championship club in eight days’ time after a frustrating 1-1 draw in their first outing since Kane suffered a torn hamstring, which is expected to rule him out until March.

Heung-min Son and Lucas Moura deputised for the England captain up front at the Riverside and the Brazilian scored a precious equaliser after Ashley Fletcher had given Boro the lead when he was played onside by Dier.

Mourinho afterwards confirmed Kane was facing a lengthy lay-off and admitted his side lacked a cutting edge “without a striker”, adding: “You cannot transform Lucas or Son into a No9 like Harry Kane.”

Kane is expected to miss a string of Premier League matches, including against Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea, as well as the Champions League last-16 first-leg tie at home to RB Leipzig.

Tottenham squad 2019-20 | Injuries, contracts and squad numbers 27 show all Tottenham squad 2019-20 | Injuries, contracts and squad numbers 1/27 We run you through Tottenham's squad for the 2019-20 season... Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I 2/27 Hugo Lloris Squad Number: 1



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 AFP/Getty Images 3/27 Toby Alderweireld Squad Number: 4



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 REUTERS 4/27 Jan Vertonghen Squad Number: 5



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2020 Getty Images 5/27 Davinson Sanchez Squad Number: 6



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 6/27 Heung-min Son Squad Number: 7



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 EPA 7/27 Harry Winks Squad Number: 8



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 8/27 Harry Kane Squad Number: 10



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 9/27 Erik Lamela Squad Number: 11



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 REUTERS 10/27 Eric Dier Squad Number: 15



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Action Images via Reuters 11/27 Kyle Walker-Peters Squad Number: 16



Condition: Fit (On loan at Southampton)



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Action Images via Reuters 12/27 Moussa Sissoko Squad Number: 17



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images 13/27 Giovani Lo Celso Squad Number: 18



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 14/27 Ryan Sessegnon Squad Number: 19



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2025 Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I 15/27 Dele Alli Squad Number: 20



Condition: Hamstring (In contention)



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 AFP/Getty Images 16/27 Juan Foyth Squad Number: 21



Condition: Knee injury (ruled out)



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Getty Images 17/27 Paulo Gazzaniga Squad Number: 22



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Getty Images 18/27 Steven Bergwijn Squad Number: 23



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2025 REUTERS 19/27 Serge Aurier Squad Number: 24



Condition: Fit (on compassionate leave)



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I 20/27 Lucas Moura Squad Number: 27



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Action Images via Reuters 21/27 Tanguy Ndombele Squad Number: 28



Condition: Knee injury (ruled out)



Contract expires: 30/06/2025 Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 22/27 Gedson Fernandes Squad Number: 30



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: On loan until summer 2021 Getty Images 23/27 Ben Davies Squad Number: 33



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 24/27 Oliver Skipp Squad Number: 52



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Action Images via Reuters 25/27 Troy Parrott Squad Number: 52



Condition: Fit (lacking match fitness)



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images 26/27 Danny Rose Squad Number: 3



Condition: Fit (On loan at Newcastle)



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 REUTERS 27/27 Japhet Tanganga Squad Number: 39



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Getty Images/Tottenham Hotspur FC 1/27 We run you through Tottenham's squad for the 2019-20 season... Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I 2/27 Hugo Lloris Squad Number: 1



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 AFP/Getty Images 3/27 Toby Alderweireld Squad Number: 4



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 REUTERS 4/27 Jan Vertonghen Squad Number: 5



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2020 Getty Images 5/27 Davinson Sanchez Squad Number: 6



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 6/27 Heung-min Son Squad Number: 7



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 EPA 7/27 Harry Winks Squad Number: 8



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 8/27 Harry Kane Squad Number: 10



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 9/27 Erik Lamela Squad Number: 11



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 REUTERS 10/27 Eric Dier Squad Number: 15



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Action Images via Reuters 11/27 Kyle Walker-Peters Squad Number: 16



Condition: Fit (On loan at Southampton)



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Action Images via Reuters 12/27 Moussa Sissoko Squad Number: 17



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images 13/27 Giovani Lo Celso Squad Number: 18



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 14/27 Ryan Sessegnon Squad Number: 19



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2025 Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I 15/27 Dele Alli Squad Number: 20



Condition: Hamstring (In contention)



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 AFP/Getty Images 16/27 Juan Foyth Squad Number: 21



Condition: Knee injury (ruled out)



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Getty Images 17/27 Paulo Gazzaniga Squad Number: 22



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Getty Images 18/27 Steven Bergwijn Squad Number: 23



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2025 REUTERS 19/27 Serge Aurier Squad Number: 24



Condition: Fit (on compassionate leave)



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I 20/27 Lucas Moura Squad Number: 27



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Action Images via Reuters 21/27 Tanguy Ndombele Squad Number: 28



Condition: Knee injury (ruled out)



Contract expires: 30/06/2025 Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 22/27 Gedson Fernandes Squad Number: 30



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: On loan until summer 2021 Getty Images 23/27 Ben Davies Squad Number: 33



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 24/27 Oliver Skipp Squad Number: 52



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Action Images via Reuters 25/27 Troy Parrott Squad Number: 52



Condition: Fit (lacking match fitness)



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images 26/27 Danny Rose Squad Number: 3



Condition: Fit (On loan at Newcastle)



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 REUTERS 27/27 Japhet Tanganga Squad Number: 39



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Getty Images/Tottenham Hotspur FC

But as Dier pointed out, Spurs have generally coped well without their talisman in the past. They posted an almost identical win percentage with (56 per cent) and without (57 per cent) Kane last season, when the England captain missed 21 matches after suffering two ankle injuries, while their goal-to-game ratio was actually higher when he was not in the team (1.9 and 1.72).

“Every season we’ve been posed this question we’ve answered it,” said a defiant Dier. “It’s just up to the other players to step up. Harry’s one of the best strikers in the world, so it would be a loss to any team. He’s a really, really important player for us, but everybody has the opportunity to be an important player.”

Reflecting on Sunday’s result, Dier said: “We need to be better in every aspect. We know that and we’re trying to be. Yesterday was disappointing. After conceding the goal, [Boro] made it difficult, they played very deep. We controlled the game from the beginning, I think our attitude was good and in the end we probably should have scored a second.”

Kane was replaced by Son in just three changes from the defeat at Southampton, after the South Korean completed a three-match ban for kicking out at Chelsea’s Antonio Rudiger on December 22.

It was Son’s third red card since May, following petulant dismissals against Bournemouth and Everton (later rescinded) and he admitted he must learn from the incidents.

“I don’t want to speak or think about [the latest red card], I just want to focus on what is coming,” Son said. “Three red cards is something I don’t want. It is not something I expected, it was painful. I will try and learn from these situations.

“I came back with happiness yesterday but it was not the result we wanted. I am glad to be back, it was very painful to watch the team playing.”