After coming out on top in an end-to-end tussle at Old Trafford in September, Tottenham can reinforce their own Champions League ambitions with a second successive win over the Premier League leaders who beat West Ham United 1-0 on Wednesday to reach the FA Cup Fourth Round.
That would be a remarkable achievement in itself given they have not won a home fixture against United, who are seven points clear at the top of the table, since 2001, 11 years after they last won both the home and away league matches.
After a short-lived and underwhelming spell at Chelsea, Villas-Boas was hired to bring modern European thinking to the Tottenham helm where Redknapp's more traditional methods had led them to a fourth-place finish the previous season.
Last weekend's draw with Redknapp's current club Queens Park Rangers, however, gave fans reason for concern.
"It is in everyone's minds because it has happened before," said Tottenham's midfielder Scott Parker, who could return to the starting lineup after coming off the bench in their last six league games following a prolonged injury layoff.
"As a team and as a squad we need to maintain our performances. Maybe what happened in the past will stand us in good stead. I just think we can learn from two years ago and last year and stay strong."
Chelsea fans are struggling to warm to interim manager Rafa Benitez whose side were held to a shock 2-2 league draw by Southampton on Wednesday to continue the Spaniard's uphill battle to convince the club's supporters that he can be trusted.
