Tim Sherwood believes Tottenham Hotspur’s hopes of a top-four finish hinge on their first game back in the Premier League.
The top tier returns to action on June 17, with Aston Villa taking on Sheffield United and Manchester City facing Arsenal before a full round of fixtures the following weekend.
Spurs are set to resume their season at home to fellow Champions League hopefuls Manchester United on Friday, June 19.
Jose Mourinho’s side sit eighth heading into the season’s resumption, seven points off Chelsea, who currently occupy the all-important final spot in the top four.
United, meanwhile, sit fifth, four points ahead of Spurs, and in a position to deal a major blow to their hopes of securing Champions League football for another season.
Fifth place could be enough though to secure a spot at Europe’s top table, depending on whether Manchester City’s ban is upheld following their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
But should it come down needing a top-four slot, former Spurs player and manager Sherwood told talkSPORT he believes defeat for his old club against United could prove fatal for their hopes.
“The form going into the break counts for nothing. It’s a fresh season,” Sherwood said.
“They’ve had a mini pre-season there. They’ve got nine games to finish in their objective, which is in the Champions League.
“[Paul] Pogba is back as well and that will be a massive plus; Pogba, [Bruno] Fernandes and [Scott] McTominay in that midfield is quite formidable in my opinion.
“If I’m Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and I’m looking at the teams below me, Tottenham are the major threat.
“I would say, ‘let’s go all out to win this football game’. If you do you put Tottenham to bed, I don’t think they catch Manchester United if they do not beat Manchester United in the first game.”
