Saturday 13 May 2017 14:00, UK
Tottenham will overpower Manchester United in midfield and bid farewell to White Hart Lane unbeaten on Super Sunday, says Jamie Redknapp.
White Hart Lane has had mixed emotions for Tottenham fans, the teams haven't always lived up to expectations, but the last few years, under Mauricio Pochettino and my dad [Harry Redknapp], it's probably the best spell they've had there in a very long time.
At the moment you couldn't ask for a better team to be leaving White Hart Lane. They're very close to winning the Premier League and if they don't lose on Sunday, they've gone unbeaten at home all season, so it shows you what a fortress they've made White Hart Lane.
They have always had iconic players. Watching Gazza as a kid at 14, 15, that was one of my favourite footballing memories. Glenn Hoddle as well, then David Ginola. Those are the three players that stick out in my mind.
You can move to a 60,000-seater stadium, but if you haven't got the players it's irrelevant. Tottenham's squad now, the way they are playing and the manager, they are ready.
It's a huge fan base so they will fill that, but as long as they keep Pochettino and all their best players, that's how Tottenham will be taken seriously. I didn't realise how big Tottenham were until I signed for them. They have got it all there, the right players, it's a very exciting time.
The only thing that will put them alongside the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal in stature is keeping their best players though.
For the next five years or so, keeping Dele Alli, Harry Kane and Toby Alderweireld, not selling the Michael Carricks, the Dimitar Berbatovs, that's when you start taking Tottenham seriously, when you bring in great players and don't lose your best ones.
Tottenham feel like a ready-made team. United and Mourinho, I'm none the wiser on who plays where or what the system is.
I wouldn't swap too many Tottenham players for United's, maybe David de Gea, I wouldn't have Paul Pogba ahead of Alli. There's not too many you would swap and that's because Spurs are an exciting team.
You look at Manchester United though and I still struggle to see their best side and what they are trying to do there. You can pick Tottenham's XI, maybe one or two will change, but when you look at United, who is the back four, who is the midfield?
That's the problem for Jose Mourinho. Tottenham feel like a ready-made team. United and Mourinho, I'm none the wiser on who plays where or what the system is. In a way, if he wins two trophies and he is none the wiser that is still a good season, although the football has been poor.
As for this weekend, I think Tottenham will be too strong. I spoke to Dele Alli and he is desperate to get to 20 league goals, it's not going to be easy for him, but I think the key for him, and Spurs, is in midfield. When Mousa Dembele plays he's such a strong character, in big games he gets hold of the ball and gives license for other players to play.
Marouane Fellaini has become a bit of a go-to man and because Tottenham are such a physical side, Mourinho might look to go in and match them with the big man, but he'll have one eye on the Europa League.
I expect Juan Mata and Wayne Rooney to start, Mourinho will probably try and give as many players as he can a go. Marcus Rashford will probably be rested. It's obviously not the most important thing for Mourinho, you look at the performance last week against Arsenal and it was poor. The most important thing for him is to get the result against Ajax. Whoever is fit, he'll probably get them out on the White Hart Lane pitch.
That being said, with it being Spurs' last game at the Lane brings an added pressure. If Tottenham start well and score early, I think they could win comfortably. But you know what United are going to do, they sit back, play on the counter-attack and try and exploit the pace of Rashford and on Sunday, probably Anthony Martial.
I expect Alli to make the difference though and Spurs to end their season unbeaten at White Hart Lane, the perfect send off.
