Hoddle's eager for United showdown

Tottenham boss Glenn Hoddle is relishing the task of taking on Manchester United at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

Hoddle still believes his team has an outside chance of qualifying for Europe, but to do that they will need to win all four remaining games and hope Everton slip up.

The suggestion that Hoddle cannot lose with Sunday’s match – as Spurs fans would certainly applaud a helping hand to Manchester United’s Premiership challenge – drew a wry laugh from the former England boss.

He said: “Three points is our aim, we have got to do the business for ourselves.

“Arsenal’s results are immaterial to us. We will be going out full guns blazing to try and get the victory and there will be no other thing on our mind.

“I was with Arsene on Wednesday because we played Arsenal reserves and he said with a big smile on his face ‘good luck on Sunday – do us a favour’.

“I said ‘we’re going to do ourselves a favour first’ and I think that is the way to sum it up.”

Hoddle is looking for a top performance from his players as the clock runs down on the season and added: “Over the years this has been a classic encounter and Manchester United have got some marvellous players so I am expect a very entertaining and good game.”

Spurs defender Ledley King shares Hoddle’s enthusiasm at locking horns with a United side eager to put their Champions League disappointment behind them.

“Everyone is going to be looking at the game and it’s a chance for us to go for a big result after an indifferent couple of months,” King told the club’s website www.spurs.co.uk.

“We spoilt it for Liverpool last season (Spurs ended their title hopes with a win) and might yet have another say in it. It will make it interesting.

“There’s a lot on the game. For them (United) they’re obviously going for the league, while we’re fighting for every point that we can at the moment to strengthen our place in the table.”

Hoddle has a few injury problems to contend with as he prepares for the United clash.

Darren Anderton misses out having picked up a knee injury in last week’s defeat against Manchester City and is expected to be out for 10 days.

Dean Richards is also doubtful after the recurrence of a back problem forced him off with 10 minutes left at West Brom on Monday.