MANCHESTER United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has brushed off the threat posed by in-form Tottenham by stating: "I don't care who we play."
Spurs have climbed the table under new manager Martin Jol and hammered Everton 5-2 on New Year's Day.
But United have been making fine progress of their own, and a win over Spurs at Old Trafford would make it four wins out of four for the holiday period.
Ferguson said: "I thought looking at the festive fixtures and seeing us playing Bolton and the type of team they are and how they play against bigger teams, and then our two trips to Villa and Middlesbrough, I thought we had the hardest programme.
"Chelsea had the hardest individual game playing Liverpool at Anfield but ours was the hardest programme.
"We have engineered our way through these three difficult games and I don't care who we play because we are playing well.
"The form of the team has been great. The thing that has been encouraging us all is that defensively we have been fantastic. First class.
Experience
"And the experienced players like Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Roy Keane, are using all their experience and showing what going for championships is all about. You hope that is reflected in other players who haven't the same experience. There is no doubt it definitely helps."
Ferguson expects to have Gary Neville back in his squad for the game and hopes Cristiano Ronaldo will be fit as well.
Neville has recovered from the flu bug which has ruled him out of United's Christmas programme so far, although with brother Phil turning in a superb performance at right-back against Middlesbrough, the England defender may have to be content with a place on the bench.
Ronaldo picked up a calf injury at the Riverside but could be fit. Wes Brown (Achilles), Louis Saha (knee), John O'Shea (ankle) and Quinton Fortune (groin) are still sidelined, although Ferguson hopes all four will be back within a fortnight.
Tottenham still have doubts over Jermain Defoe (knee) and Michael Brown (hamstring), while Sean Davis (knee), Simon Davies, Thimothee Atouba and Stephen Kelly (both ligament) are out.
Manchester United (possible): Carroll, Heinze, P Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, Keane, Ronaldo, Scholes, Fletcher, Giggs, Smith.
Tottenham (possible): Robinson, Pamarot, King, Naybet, Edman, Ziegler, Carrick, Mendes, Marney, Keane, Kanoute.
United v Spurs - the stats
Latest form
United: W W W W D
Spurs: W D W W W
Head to head
Sep 25 2004: Spurs 0 United 1
Mar 20 2004: United 3 Spurs 0
Dec 21 2003: Spurs 1 United 2
Apr 27 2003: Spurs United 2
Top scorers
United: Smith 9, Rooney, Scholes 7, Giggs 5
Spurs: Defoe 15, Keane 9, Kanoute 6
Referee
Mark Clattenburg: First time he has ever refereed United, in his first Premier League season.
Key opponent
Fredi Kanoute: The Mali striker showed some inspired touches against Everton and is thriving under new boss Martin Jol.
Prediction: United 2 Spurs 1
Will United sink Spurs? Have your say.
Comments
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Come on u Spurs!
Nothing to fear about going to Old Trafford. It's our best chance in years...although I'd rather Utd win the title than the Goons or Chelski.
Spurs are on really good form at the moment, as are Man U. I think tonight will be a really hard fought game with lots of goals.
As a die hard local Reds supporter I feel a real fear that Spurs will have just too much for us this evening. Though we are defending well Spurs are firing them in from just about every position on the park and are themselves defending like Arsenal of the early ninties. Jol has worked real magic but fingers crossed anyway eh.
Time that Phil Neville returned to the bench. No offence to PN, but his brother Gary is by far a better player and with the form spurs are in we need his experience at the back.
All the ingredients for a good game tonight ! But i hope we can edge it ( spurs that is ). Although i still have mixed feelings as i hope chelski and the Gooner scum dont win the title.
The futures bright , the futures LillyWhite !
2-0 maybe 3-1. Our defence is fantastic at the moment and they won't let much get past them. How about Ron to score, he must be tired of hitting the post.
2-0 sounds right. Smudger's due a goal.
Matthew thanks for making me laugh, as if a life long United fan would post such rubbish. Now run along play times finished.
Can see nothing but a United victory tonight but it will be a tough game especially with the amount of players we have out. Don`t expect fireworks but a game we grind out for a 2-0 or 2-1 victory.
What about this team:
CAROLL;
G.NEVILLE, RIO, SILV.,HEINZE;
KEANNE;
FLETCHER,SCHOLES,GIGS;
SMITH;
RONALDO.
4-1-3-1-1
At Sporting Boloni played Ronaldo as a striker and he played really well, the only reason why he doesn't play as a striker is the fact of being so good taking on defenders and as we know you don't find many wingers as good as him in both left and right.
The good thing about MU is SAF to be decided, to have patience and believe.
It worked with Gigs and Scholes and it will with Ro, Roo and even Fletcher. THEY HAVE ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD.....
Another tough game given the recent form of Spurs. I fear that Silvestre is due another costly mistake so I can't see us keeping a clean sheet. It's going to be a tense night. Look out for a 2-1 win with United coming from behind and scoring the winner after the 80th minute to give us another 3 points that only maintains the points difference with Chelski and Arsenal who go into early leads and finish with convincing wins. Scorers - Smith and Scholes.
Really looking forward to this game with a victory for us written all over it. Not that we should take Spurs to lightly but we have enough strength to coast to a 2-1 victory. Live the dream.
Should be a cracking game our defence is almost rock solid & Rio should be able to handle Defoe without too much bother.I'm being a little optimistic but i think 4-1 sounds about right.
Paul, I share your concern re Silvestre. Otherwise, we should be OK, even if Ronnie still hasn't got it figured out that it's a team game. We have the stability now and this run has brought confidence back to us. Now, if we score first, I only hope we don't sit back like we have done recently and soak up pressure. Dangerous game. We need to go for the kill immediatley. We can afford to sit back a bit with a 2 or 3 goal lead, not just 1. Spurs have come good of late so this could be a cracking game and not one to be taken lightly. Still, 3 points should be ours at the end of the day.
My money's on a high-scoring game. We always seem to score a hatful against Spurs and hopefully tonight will be no different. They'll be difficult to keep out for 90 minutes though and Keane/Kanoute are looking very dangerous (I think/hope Defoe is injured) Mind you, they haven't come up against a defence as strong as hours in a while. 4-2 is my prediction. Scholes to get a hat-trick.
Let's put the Spurs up them!.
Hope that our new roving midfeild will create and finish lots of chances tonite!
Come on Smithy,
Go get them reds!.
I hope that Djemba x2 is now turned the corner and gets into the team more often.
A good New Year United.
Come On You Reds