Dimitar Berbatov has warned Manchester United that Tottenham Hotspur could pip them to a top-four spot unless the Red Devils pick up wins over the Christmas period.
Antonio Conte’s men found themselves right in the thick of the battle for fourth place when they overturned Norwich 3-0 on December 5 – their third straight win in the Premier League.
However, due to the Covid-19 outbreak and heavy snowfall at Burnley, Tottenham have seen their last three Premier League games postponed.
This has allowed London rivals, Arsenal and West Ham, as well as Manchester United, to move above them in the table but Conte’s men still find themselves just four points behind the Gunners in fourth place with three games in hand.
The Lilywhites will be hoping they can restart their march to Champions League qualification when they are back in action against Liverpool on Sunday.
Berbatov has now urged United to take advantage of their relatively easy fixture list through the Christmas period, warning that Conte’s men are a major threat in the race for the fourth spot.
The former United and Spurs striker told Betfair (as relayed by Manchester Evening News): “It’s getting to be a tight race for a top-four spot in the Premier League – all the way down to eighth place where Wolves are on 24 points.
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“There is a chance for everybody to climb and surprise people.
“There’s going to be a lot of pressure over the Christmas period to get points. It doesn’t matter how you play, just get three points. United have a good run of fixtures and I don’t care how they perform, they just need to get three points, 1-0 wins, take them.
“When you have a lot of games coming up, it’s about getting the job done.
This goes not just for United, but everyone that is fighting for top-four.
“This is the Premier League – everyone can pull off a surprise, that’s why it’s so important to be able to play ugly and get the three points.
“Spurs are also in the running and have three games in hand. Under Antonio Conte, top-four is a real possibility for them this season. It’s always the same thing with Tottenham, though, they need consistency.
“They have to stay fresh and be prepared to win ugly, because everyone has high hopes for them, but they always end in disappointment. So, let’s leave them out of the spotlight and hope they will climb the table steadily.”
Spurs Web Opinion
The two-week break has blunted the momentum that Tottenham had on the back of notching up three straight wins.
In addition, Conte’s men could be faced with a fixture pile-up in the coming months, which could also have a negative impact on their pursuit of Champions League qualification.
I still view United as being our biggest competitor for the fourth spot and expect us to finish above both West Ham and Arsenal.
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