Tottenham will be wondering what they will need to beat Manchester United today when their last victory against United came in 2001. The 2010/11 Manchester United side have continued to impress their critics and admirers with the way they have gone through the league season unbeaten. Though there have been close shaves over the last 20 matches, the Red Devils have always shown that they have the resolve to dig themselves out of a hole. That mentality will serve Alex Ferguson’s men well this afternoon as they take the trip to North London to confront Spurs, who now have an ex-United player, David Beckham in their ranks.

The first leg of the tie at Old Trafford was settled by one of the most bizarre goals ever scored in the Premiership. Nani scored the second goal that was hotly contested by Tottenham players.

“It was bizarre,” Ferguson had told ESPN on October 30, 2010. “No-one knew at the time what was wrong. One minute the goalkeeper had the ball in his hands and next it’s in his net. Nani looked back and looked at the referee and the referee said play on, so what can he do but put the ball in the net?

“You can look at the referee and look at the linesmen and blame them, but the goalkeeper should know better. He’s an experienced goalkeeper. I thought he made a mess of it. I thought it was a penalty first of all and I think Nani felt he handled the ball. But the referee didn’t blow for it.

“The referee played on because the goalkeeper took possession of the ball. He then went to take a free-kick thinking it was a foul. He made an error.” There must be no errors on the part of Harry Redknapp and his men today as they face the league leaders. One of his leaders on the pitch, Luca Modric has asked the team to continue to play with confidence. Modric clocked his 100th appearance for Spurs against Charlton on Wednesday. The little Croatian said on Spurs website, “I’m happy with how I’m playing; I think I’m playing well, but the most important thing is that the team is playing well. If the team isn’t playing well, it’s hard for you to play well. This is a team game and the team is most important for every player.

“We have to be happy at the moment and we can still progress more, we can be better and that’s good about this squad.

“We are capable of producing results because we have a great team with great players and we’ve shown tremendous character in a lot of matches this season. We just need to keep going and to continue doing what we’re doing.” Their coach has also said that United are neither Barcelona nor Real Madrid and that the unbeaten leaders will eventually get beaten.

“As good as they are I do not think they are good enough to go through the whole season unbeaten,” said Harry Redknapp in his column in thesun.co.uk “Even if they win the Premier League title this season, Arsenal are the original Invincibles and their record is going to stay intact. Of course, I’d love it will be my Tottenham team that ends United’s unbeaten run on Sunday and we have a chance of doing it.

“It’s not as if United are Barcelona or Real Madrid who are on another planet to everyone else. We can bring them down to earth and for the sake of the title race. I bet everyone who doesn’t support Man Utd will be hoping we do. It will keep all the teams at the top a bit closer together.” But they will need to be very positive against a United side that can boast of seven victories and three draws against the London side in the last 10 meetings.

It doesn't matter if they have beaten The Red since ten or whatever! . . . .The point is that they furtunately shared points with them this week ''Today''