Erik ten Hag could be about to find out how good his Manchester United team really is

If Manchester United's players thought last week's Europa League exit at the hands of Sevilla would be a gateway to relaxing on Thursday evenings then they should think again.

This evening's trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium marks their first of three Premier League fixtures to be played on Thursday evenings between now and the end of the season. After facing Spurs this evening, United face Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium next Thursday before hosting Chelsea at Old Trafford on May 25.

United's progress in cup competitions this season, both domestically and in Europe, has meant that their original league schedule has been tinkered with throughout the campaign, meaning time has proven tight to get fixtures rearranged. Although tonight's trip to Spurs is taking place just 48 hours after originally scheduled because of TV, the trip to Brighton next week is a rearranged assignment, with it originally scheduled for March 18.

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Sandwiched between the trips to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the Amex Stadium is a home clash with Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon. Each fixture will see United go up against a side not too far behind them in the table, all of whom are striving for one objective between now and the end of the season: European qualification.

Spurs, despite the mess they currently find themselves in, are still in mathematical contention for a Champions League place, even though defeat to United this evening would all but end those aspirations. A win for Erik ten Hag's side would take them nine points clear of the Londoners, only boosting their own top-four hopes.

Spurs, who will be under the stewardship of Ryan Mason this evening