Harry Redknapp can lead Spurs into the top half of the league this weekend

Manchester United are at Fulham in one of three FA Cup quarterfinals, leaving Spurs' visit to the Stadium of Light as the weekend's only Premier League match.

Tottenham and Sunderland are tied on 31 points, just four above the relegation zone, but Spurs' superior goal difference means that one more win would lift them three places and into the top half of the table for the first time this season.

Rocky season

Much more was expected from Spurs after they won last year's League Cup, but manager Juande Ramos was fired after the club took just two points from their first eight matches.

His successor, Harry Redknapp, looks to be on track to keep the club up - and possibly even more.

"The start we had to the season killed us," winger Aaron Lennon said.

"But we're now only four points off eighth. If we could get up to seventh it would be unbelievable, though the priority remains to stay in this league.''

With Premier League leaders Manchester United having beaten Tottenham to win the League Cup and five of the teams above Spurs still in the FA Cup, seventh place could even be enough to secure a place in next season's Uefa Cup.

Firstly, though, Tottenham must negotiate a tough match at Sunderland, who won the teams' first league clash 2-1 in August.

Spurs could be up against four of their former players, although a fifth, midfielder Teemu Tainio, will miss the game because of a knee injury that kept him out of Tuesday's defeat at Liverpool.

The Black Cats have stuttered slightly after an initial burst of good form under manager Ricky Sbragia, who replaced Roy Keane in December, and have one win in the last five matches.

Keane found his return to form against Boro at the weekend

Keane confident

Tottenham beat struggling Middlesbrough 4-0 on Wednesday and are likely to field a similar side again, with Robbie Keane set to continue up front after scoring his first goal since returning to the club.

"It's fairly tight and I think it's important to see you get a few back-to-back wins and if we can continue doing that we can push up that table," Keane said.

"We're in a position at the moment where we don't want to be and with the players we have we shouldn't be there.''

United, the team that knocked Tottenham out of the FA Cup in January, are at Fulham on Saturday as they continue their attempt to win an unprecedented five trophies in a single season.

Already the holders of the League Cup and Club World Cup, the Premier League leaders are aiming to reach the FA Cup semi-finals for the fourth time in six years.

But with a Champions League meeting with Inter Milan on Wednesday and a game against Liverpool three days later, manager Alex Ferguson will have to shuffle his team.

Goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is set to be rested in favour of Ben Foster or Tomasz Kuszczak, while Park Ji-sung, Darron Gibson and Jonny Evans could also play.

FA Cup clashes

Chelsea's preparations for their quarterfinal at Coventry were disrupted when Ashley Cole was arrested and fined after he drunkenly insulted police in the early hours on Thursday, but the Blues should be too strong for the League Championship side whether the defender plays or not.

Everton host Middlesbrough in Sunday's quarterfinal, while Arsenal host Burnley in a rescheduled fifth round match that needs completing before the fourth quarterfinal can be held.

Burnley knocked Arsenal out of the League Cup this season, but will face a stronger team than the young side fielded by manager Arsene Wenger that day.

Arsenal ended a run of four straight 0-0 Premier League draws with Wednesday's 3-1 win at West Bromwich Albion and could recall winger Theo Walcott and striker Eduardo da Silva.

Walcott has not played since dislocating his shoulder in November while Eduardo hurt his hamstring after scoring twice last month in his comeback from a year out injured.

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