Source: Team_Talk
Harry hoping for happy hat-trick
Harry Redknapp admits a Tottenham victory at Manchester United would complete the greatest run of his 27-year career in football management.[LNB] A win at Old Trafford, when Aaron Lennon is expected to make his comeback as a substitute after four months out, would mean Tottenham had beaten Arsenal, Chelsea and United in consecutive league games inside one fabulous fortnight.[LNB]More importantly, it would take Tottenham a stride closer to clinching that fourth spot which would deliver Champions League football for the first time in their history.[LNB]The odds on beating England's top three two weeks ago were 90-1.[LNB]Redknapp said: "90-1, I thought the bookies were being a bit stingy, they should have been a lot higher than that. Winning those two games should have been 90-1.[LNB]"They were two great victories. When you play the top three teams in the country within 10 days and to beat all three of them, that would take some beating. You are not going to do that too often in your life.[LNB]"I would have snapped your hand off for five points. I would probably have taken four to be honest with you. But we have another tough game on Saturday. The sun's shining, it's a great stadium, a fantastic place to play football against a great team. We're looking forward to it."[LNB]No wonder Redknapp has the feelgood factor. Along with Lennon, Wilson Palacios and Jermaine Jenas are back in the squad and Ledley King could also return after missing the match against Chelsea.[LNB]And with the Old Trafford game being the 12.45 kick-off there is a chance of Tottenham piling on the pressure and extending their two-point lead over fifth-placed Manchester City, who travel to Arsenal for a 5.30pm start.[LNB]Not that Redknapp is getting ahead of himself. He only has to remember last season when Tottenham went 2-0 up at Old Trafford before ending up on the back of a 5-2 thrashing.[LNB]But he believes in the past year Tottenham have gone a long way to disputing the notion they are a club who always fall just short.[LNB]"If you've got strong characters, you don't fall short," said Redknapp. "The Dave Mackay team didn't fall short. They had fantastic players and great characters - they were a double-winning team. Spurs didn't fall short then.[LNB]"They did afterwards because maybe they didn't have the right blend of players. We're now getting closer with players like King, Michael Dawson and Palacios, lads who are great competitors.[LNB]"That's why Manchester United have been so successful. They have people like Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney. Sir Alex Ferguson has always had those type of players."
