Big Results are needed if Tottenham are to wrap up a top four spot

That’s it, after a rocky ride which has seen us experience the highs of leading the league after ten games, to that horror run which saw us lose four games in a span of five matches. Spurs are heading to the business end of the season firmly in the fight for a top four finish. 

Since the fixtures for the season were released in July, we’ve all known that our run in looked tough but now it’s almost here, it’s hard to look past the enormity that these fixtures hold.

Not only are Spurs fighting for the right to end up in next season’s Champions League, but we are also likely to have a major say as to who will lift the Premier League trophy in May. 

Although Spurs currently enjoy a cushion over the teams below them, securing a top 4 or even top 5 spot will have to be hard earned and you get a sense they will need to do much of the heavy lifting over the next few weeks.

Games where we can’t afford to slip up

Despite the much publicised encounters against Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal – sandwiched between these games are matches against Luton, Nottingham Forest, Burnley and Sheffield United – all these games have to be won.

Although playing matches against teams at the bottom of the table is never easy, there is a strong chance that by time the fixtures against Burnley and Sheffield United roll around, both teams could have been already relegated and could just have pride to play for.

Luton and Forest are both in desperate form and although both sides would snap your hand off for a point, they need more, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if these games were to be far more open than the pundits would make you believe.

Twelve points in these fixtures would move Spurs into the mid-sixties from a points perspective and could be enough for a fifth-place finish at worse. 67 was enough to get the job done last season. If fifth place is offered to the Premier League it could be enough to secure our spot in Europe’s premier competition.

Tricky games that might not be tricky

Trips to St James Park and Stamford Bridge is never easy but if you look beyond the history and the reputation that both grounds hold, both Newcastle and Chelsea are struggling.

Since finishing in last season’s top four, Newcastle have fallen off a cliff and look ready for the season to finish. In a campaign that has been dogged by injuries, they simply haven’t been able to get going.

Travelling up to Newcastle for a Saturday lunchtime kickoff won’t be easy but Spurs should be confident of going up there and doing a job.

You could argue that Chelsea away is our biggest match of the season. We all know our record there and you can be guaranteed that if they have one big match left in them this season it will be saved for us.

Even with that being true, Chelsea just have the FA Cup to focus on – if they progress to the semifinals, our match against them could come at exactly the right time and a memorable trip could be in store.

The big ones

The pundits are already saying that it’s Tottenham who could decide the title race. We face the intimidating process of playing all three contenders in a week, but two of those matches are at home.

It would be typical Tottenham to beat Manchester City and Liverpool before losing to Arsenal and if you are a betting man or have free bets to use it wouldn’t shock anyone if that were to happen. But there’s more to it than that.

For some reason Spurs seem to have the magic formula against City, yes, I know we lost in the FA Cup but in all reality that was a game that could have ended up in a draw. Our record at Anfield is miserable, but for some reason every game we play up there is a thriller and there’s every chance a hugely entertaining game lies in prospect.

It’s the Arsenal game I expect to be the closest.

A few seasons ago when a place in the top 4 was on the line, we simply blew them away. The atmosphere will be white hot and there’s nothing more than we would like to end their title hopes at our ground.

It serves to be one of the most eagerly anticipated North London Derbies in history but it’s a match we can win.

The end of this season has all the ingredients to be special, Spurs just need to ensure they hold their nerve and don’t succumb to either history or the pressure.