Tottenham’s campaign for the EPL’s lucrative fourth spot remains on track after taking six points from consecutive encounters with the league’s three title contenders.

Victory over Arsenal was followed by a stunning home win over Chelsea. And despite losing at Manchester United, Spurs remain fourth with three games remaining, including the pivotal Manchester City fixture on May 5^th.

Victory would all-but-seal fourth for manager Harry Redknapp’s team. Defeat would leave City in pole position, while a draw would greatly benefit Aston Villa.

Spurs lead Villa on goal difference, with a game in hand. City are a point behind, also with a game in hand. But, as that game is the afore-mentioned Eastlands encounter, Spurs’ fate could be sealed there.

 

Spurs overwhelmed Chelsea. They scored through a Jermaine Defoe penalty and Gareth Bale’s second goal in as many matches, his first two goals of the season.

And they could have won by many more, both before and after gaining a man advantage thanks to the dismissal of Blues captain John Terry for two bookings.

Frank Lampard’s late goal was mere consolation, although as Spurs’ goal difference is worse than City’s by that goal, it could prove decisive.

Spurs were unable to repeat their heroics at Old Trafford, falling victim to United veteran Ryan Giggs’ newly-discovered prowess from the penalty spot.

Injury forced a re-jig of Spurs defensive unit, and they were twice exposed, both aberrations resulting in spot kicks.

They went behind to Giggs’ first penalty, after Benoit Assou-Ekotto fouled Patrice Evra on 58 minutes.

Ledley King equalised from a 71^st-minute corner. But goals from Nani and Giggs sealed their fate, the second penalty given for a foul by Wilson Palacios on Nani.

Spurs took some good news from Old Trafford with the second-half introduction of long-term injury absentee Aaron Lennon for the final 25 minutes.

Redknapp said beforehand that Lennon, who hadn’t played this year, could be used for 20 minutes if needed.

There was less good news about Croatian international midfielder Niko Krancjar, whose ankle ligament injury during Spurs FA Cup semi-final defeat will keep him out for the rest of the season.

Krancjar’s Croatian colleague Luka Modric, meanwhile, is the subject of a putative £25m bid from Manchester United, according to reports in the Sun newspaper.

It is thought, however, that Redknapp wants ex-Spurs midfielder Michael Carrick in part-exchange.

Spurs have justified demands for a £1m fee from desperately-indebted Portsmouth for goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, despite Begovic never registering for Spurs.

The club claim they paid a combined fee up-front for Begovic and defender Younes Kaboul from Pompey to “assist a fellow club in financial difficulties” and were due repayment as Begovic was sold to Stoke City.

Meanwhile, Redknapp has urged England boss Fabio Capello to take defender Ledley King to the World Cup. He said: “They’d need to take advice from our medical staff because if you didn’t you would break him.

“(But) he can play every six days and there are six days between World Cup games.”