Manchester United's Clash with Tottenham Hotspur Pivotal in Race for Top Four

It's no cup final at Old Trafford on Sunday. Or one of those big European nights against Barcelona or Real Madrid. It's a league game against Tottenham Hotspur. But this season, you can argue it's just as important.

In the past, Manchester United have headed into the run-in with ambitions of winning something or other. This will be the first time they've gone two consecutive seasons without winning a trophy since 1989.

But with 10 games to go, there's still a prize on offer. United need to qualify for next season's Champions League. Not because they're in desperate need of the money. At least not yet.

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It's more a status thing. United brand themselves as one of the biggest clubs in the world. But it becomes a hollow claim when you're not playing in the biggest competitions.

Given their wealth and support, they really should be winning the Champions League, not just plotting a route into it. But after David Moyes, they've got to start somewhere.

Tottenham's visit to Old Trafford on Sunday potentially represents the beginning of the end of United's recovery. And the reality is that United can't afford any slip-ups. With 10 games to go, they still need at least six wins. They've done it before, holding their nerve in run-ins to win title after title.

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But they've rarely faced a tougher fixture list in the final months of the season. They've still got five of the top seven left to play with games against Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal.

The problem for United and Louis van Gaal is that Tottenham will arrive at Old Trafford knowing they have a chance to lay down a marker. They're the team in better form, winning six and drawing two of their last 10 games.

United, on the other hand, are under a bit of pressure after an unconvincing win at Newcastle and an FA Cup defeat to Arsenal on Monday night. Still, Tottenham will turn up as underdogs. United are expected to win, a position that hasn't always helped them this season.

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It's pointless to suggest Sunday's game against Tottenham is United's biggest of the season. They've left themselves in such a precarious position that they are all big games from now until the end of the season.

Still, it feels like a pivotal weekend. Win, and United will head to Liverpool next weekend with some momentum. Lose, and it's difficult to see them making a fight of finishing in the top four. 

Sunday against Tottenham might not be a Wembley final or a big European tie. It is, though, just as important.