Take a look at the next five Premier League fixtures for Tottenham, Manchester United and Aston Villa in the race for the top four.
Tottenham returned to Premier League action as they hosted Crystal Palace at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Spurs fell to defeat last time out against Wolves, before facing a two-week break due to their fixture with Chelsea being rearranged for the League Cup final.
With Champions League qualification the aim, Ange Postecoglou was looking towards the clash with the Eagles to get back on track. It didn’t quite go to plan early on though as Eberechi Eze’s stunning free-kick opened the scoring for the visitors.
The second half brought more joy though as Timo Werner opened his Tottenham account with a cool finish at the back post. Cristian Romero quickly made it two, jumping highest to tuck away a quick throw-in routine.
Spurs then ensured all three points as captain Heung-Min Son tucked away a one-on-one. It leaves the Lilywhites in fifth, five points behind Aston Villa in fourth but with a game in-hand over their rivals around them.
With the final few months ahead, the race for the top four is on, with every fixture ramping up to the conclusion. With that said, here’s a look at the next five Premier League fixtures compared for Tottenham, Aston Villa and Manchester United.
Tottenham fixtures
Aston Villa (A) – March 10
Next up for Tottenham is a trip to the Midlands as they prepare to take on Aston Villa. It’s a huge clash in the context of the season, with a victory taking Spurs within a few points of their rivals, with an extra game to overtake them.
Unai Emery’s side have started to rediscover their form as of late though, which will cause some concern for such a huge match.
Current league position: 4th.
Current form: Four wins, zero draws, one defeat.
Last head-to-head: Tottenham 1-2 Aston Villa – 26 November, 2023.
Fulham (A) – March 16
A short trip across London follows as Spurs take on Fulham at Craven Cottage. Under Marco Silva, the side have managed to steer clear of relegation fears, despite losing some of their key players in recent months.
While a push for European qualification appears just out of their reach, don’t rule them out from making a late charge.
Current league position: 12th.
Current form: Three wins, one draw, one defeat.
Last head-to-head: Tottenham 2-0 Fulham – 23 October, 2023.
Luton Town (H) – March 30
The final international break follows the clash with Fulham, leaving a return to action for the final stretch. For Tottenham, that will be against relegation battlers Luton Town, who will be far from an easy match at home.
The Hatters recently fought back against Aston Villa, but were defeated in the final few minutes. It shows the fighting spirit Rob Edwards and his players have, something Spurs will have to overcome to land all three points.
Current league position: 18th.
Current form: Zero wins, one draw, four defeats.
Last head-to-head: Luton Town 0-1 Tottenham – 7 October 2023.
West Ham (A) – April 2
Another trip across the capital will have Tottenham face West Ham in early April, with both teams in the hunt for Europe. The Hammers have struggled for form at the start of the new calendar year, but back-to-back wins has them on the right track once more.
Current league position: 7th.
Current form: Two wins, zero draws, two defeats.
Last head-to-head: Tottenham 1-2 West Ham – 7 December, 2023.
Nottingham Forest (H) – April 8
Round off the next five fixtures is a home clash with Nottingham Forest. Former Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo will be hopeful of landing three points towards keeping his side in the league, with more than enough threat in the forward areas to cause problems.
Current league position: 17th.
Current form: One win, one draw, three defeats.
Last head-to-head: Nottingham Forest 0-2 Tottenham – 15 December, 2023.
Average opposition league position: 12th.
Tottenham’s run of upcoming fixtures are tougher than they may first appear on paper. A clash with Aston Villa stands out, especially with the two teams attempting to secure fourth spot for themselves in the hunt for Champions League qualification.
A number of stern defences await Spurs, meaning they will have to be at their creative, and patient, best over the coming games. With more away trips than home ties coming up, it may be more about keeping themselves in the race until the final few fixtures.
Aston Villa fixtures
Tottenham (H) – March 10
West Ham (A) – March 17
Wolves (H) – March 30
Manchester City (A) – April 3
Brentford (H) – April 6
Average opposition league position: 8th.
Aston Villa appear to have a tricky run of fixtures ahead of them, should they look to confirm a top four spot. A clash with Tottenham will be one they won’t want to lose at the very least, while a Midlands derby against Wolves followed by champions Manchester City makes for a difficult run.
Man United fixtures
Manchester City (A) – March 3
Everton (H) – March 9
Brentford (A) – March 30
Chelsea (A) – April 4
Liverpool (H) – April 7
Average opposition league position: 9th.
With Manchester United still a few points away from fourth, it will require a good run of form to be involved in the next few weeks. Unfortunately, the fixtures look far from kind for Erik ten Hag and his side.
Trips away to Manchester City, Brentford and Chelsea will be tough, while Everton and Liverpool will cause plenty of problems at home. The large gap in March may give some time for key injury returns though, with FA Cup and international action breaking up their schedule in the league.
Our verdict
The next month will be crucial in teeing up the final weeks of the Premier League ahead, with plenty of huge clashes. For Tottenham, it has to be seen as an opportunity to close the gap on Aston Villa and put themselves in the driving seat.
Meanwhile Villa themselves will be looking to race clear into fourth ahead of some difficult clashes. As for Manchester United, it could be make or break as they prepare for some tough matches in a month where they can’t afford many slips.
Receive a digest of our best Spurs content each week direct to your mailbox
