Dimitar Berbatov has insisted that Tottenham Hotspur can not judge Jose Mourinho until next season.
The former Manchester United and Chelsea boss took over from Mauricio Pochettino in November with the club in mid-table.
Ahead of the Premier League restart and the final nine matches of the season, Spurs still have an outside hope of finishing inside the top four.
They currently sit seventh in the table, seven points behind Chelsea, who occupy the final Champions League position.
Tottenham can move within one point of Manchester United on Friday, though, with victory over Mourinho's former club.
However, Berbatov has insisted that, regardless of Friday's result and the season conclusion, Tottenham fans shouldn't pass judgement on Mourinho until next season.
"United do have the chance to put the pressure on Chelsea and that's a psychological thing, a massive thing sometimes when you win your game and the next day the other team play, players think about it," Berbatov told Betfair.
"So it will be good for United if they win the game, but it's the first game back, players are getting back into it and I will be surprised if they start flying around like normal in the Premier League, I think it will be more tactical in a way, but purely because United are closer to the top four it would be good for them to win it and put that pressure on Chelsea.
"I hope Spurs finish as high up as possible, seven points from the top four is a big difference, but sometimes you can surprise people.
"Next season if everything is OK and the team comes back and things are normal, then that season will be the decisive one for people who are judging or criticising Mourinho, but now is still a bit too early.
"Sometimes you have to take a step back to take two steps forward, I can understand people being critical and people's unhappiness with what happened to Pochettino and what is happening under Mourinho but in the end, this is the situation Spurs are in at the moment.
"Mourinho is there and he is doing his own thing, the season is going to finish and when next season starts they will be fully prepared, then you can judge even more.
"In the end, Pochettino is probably going to be back there someday, I heard his interview when he said he would like to go back there one day and everybody loves him there for what he did.
"Maybe one day he will be back there for sure, but at the moment Mourinho is there, a coach who has won so many trophies in his career, he deserves that respect and extra time, give him that and then you can start criticising."
