Harry Redknapp may just have had an eye on matters on Wembley on Wednesday evening. If he did, he may have realised that his candidacy for the England job had just strengthened. And any pride in Scott Parker wearing the captain's armband may have been tempered by a fuller and more depressing appreciation of the task in hand, should he choose to accept it.

Whatever is going on in the background in the halls of power at both White Hart Lane and Wembley, Redknapp's public pronouncements have been of focus on the job he currently has in hand. That is returning Tottenham Hotspur to the Champions League. And that looks more difficult now, following the embarrassment suffered in last week's North London derby. The manner of losing 5-2 having led 2-0 brought back memories of previous Spurs regimes, where defeat from the jaws of victory was a particular speciality.

The Arsenal defeat looks to have ended - psychologically if not mathematically - any hopes of a first title since 1961. Suddenly, with Chelsea joining Arsenal in getting three points last week, the comfort of third place does not seem so luxurious. A ten-point gap is now seven, with the visit of the league's best away team to come on Sunday, and Chelsea, at least, looking to have an eminently winnable fixture at West Brom.

Arsenal's trip to Liverpool looks less like a 'gimmie' so a draw here might not quite be such a bad outcome for Spurs. Manchester United will certainly need to play better than they did last week at Norwich, and will appreciate they cannot continue to cling to their veterans. Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs were match-winners in the same manner at Carrow Road that they have been for two decades, and it continues to amaze that they are among the league's best performers.

United's pitiful display against Ajax highlighted the continuing importance of Scholes in particular as the formerly-retired one restored some semblance of order as a disaster looked in store. Manchester City are highly likely to have beaten lowly Bolton Wanderers the day before, so Sir Alex Ferguson might have to go for broke to bridge a gap on his local rivals.

His aim is in contrast to Redknapp, who just needs to keep ahead of his.

Tottenham Hotspur player to watch: Sandro. Scott Parker played 90 minutes for England safely but no doubt annoyed in the knowledge that he would be missing this game, having been dismissed last week at Arsenal. That places greater emphasis on Sandro, who played for Brazil in midweek against Bosnia & Herzegovina in Switzerland. Since arriving from Internacional in the summer of 2010, development has been in the right direction, though he has often looked more comfortable in continental football than domestic. His half-time introduction was not too successful at the Emirates, to say the least.

Manchester United player to watch: Michael Carrick. Even with the likes of Parker and Luka Modric in their midfield, there are those Tottenham fans who long for the languid skills of Carrick to one day return to the Lane. It seems unlikely, as he signed a new deal at United just last season. That happened just as many thought his Old Trafford days were numbered, but he has since had his best spell for United since he was made a scapegoat by some for struggling - understandably perhaps - with Barcelona's midfield in the 2009 Champions League Final.

Key battle: Louis Saha v Rio Ferdinand. Saha was a surprise Spurs signing in January, even to Redknapp, who was sorting out other matters at the Southwark Crown Court when the deal was struck. When eventually regaling his latest deadline-day buy, Redknapp spoke of Rio Ferdinand's admiration for his former team-mate as one of the toughest opponents in the business. Saha, released by Ferguson in 2008 amid concerns over his injury record, has much to prove and looks to have a new lease of life. A recent BBC interview saw Ferguson say Ferdinand was as good as ever having readjusted his game because of his own injuries so perhaps this is a meeting of reformed crocks.

Trivia: Ryan Giggs scored for Manchester United in the two clubs' first ever Premier League meeting, a 1-1 draw on September 16, 1992.

Stats: Tottenham have drawn 99 games at White Hart Lane in Premier League history. A repeat of last season's corresponding result would mark an unusual century.


Match

[size=20pt]COME ON YOU SPURS!!![/size]

The Reds have better do justice to this match
We can't afford to slip anymore

i don't care about other team like,Arsenal and Chelsea if win or lose,as far as man u win,what am after is how to  defeat city.

Copy and paste weldon poster!!!

Just hope the Reds would win this one to keep the title race on

Kai spurs go chop am drink moet on top :grin:

As an arsenal fan, man.u is my most hated team. i derive pleasure watching man.u lose to any team in this planet but for the first time in my life, i will have to support man.u 'cause i need the 3rd spot. Go man.u! Nak tottenham akpako. I want a four-unreplied-goal win

Chelsea have sacked manager Andre Villas-Boas Roberto Di Matteo has been appointed first team coach on an interim

Kick off

game on

Spurs teach them ball

dat guy want to kill assou ekoto ?

Spurs all the way. Man u must drop point today. Man city all the was

Good one Ade

Why Adebayorrrrrrr dey laugh like mumu

Lenon why

Lennon had an overdose of Lucozade boost.

guys, any link please?

See SAHA with low shot

Damn almost Ade try harder

Manure is confuse  

PurestBoy:

Can I watch it on youtube?

No but you can watch it on Nairalandtube.

Yellow card to Jones

Ade mumu

Spurs not doing bad