Tim Sherwood
Sherwood wants Tottenham to crash the top four party.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Tim Sherwood is hopeful his side can upset the Premier League and Champions League aspirations of Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea.

The north Londoners remain in touching distance of the top four but face away trips to both Chelsea and Liverpool in addition to a north London derby at White Hart Lane in March which will be pivotal to their own top four hopes.

Tottenham currently lie four points behind fourth placed City who have two games in hand, but if his side cannot grab hold of a spot in the top four themselves, then Sherwood wants Tottenham to disrupt the plans of their rivals instead.

"I don't know about Chelsea being more ambitious than us, we're going to the Bridge and that's definitely tough, but sometimes expectancy works against you," Sherwood said, the Independent report.

"Some of our fans might have been rubbing their hands expecting a few goals against Cardiff, but it doesn't work like that.

"You've got to earn the right for everything. Sometimes when the expectation is not with you, it makes it a little easier.

"Games against Chelsea at the Bridge, Arsenal at the Emirates and Liverpool at Anfield, perhaps the pressure is off us a little bit and we can cause a surprise.

"We're looking to mess up as many other people's seasons as we can, and enhance ours at the same time."

A meeting with Arsenal on March 16 will give Sherwood's side the opportunity to get back amongst the battle for qualification for next season's Champions League. The two clubs have spent the last few seasons duelling for the coveted fourth spot and Sherwood is looking forward to another battle, but believes other teams below his side will also harbour desires of crashing the party.

"I would relish a challenge with Arsenal, but they would argue they were up chasing on Liverpool," Sherwood added.

"I think Everton would still be in the frame, and Newcastle possibly will be in the frame. There are teams capable of putting a run together, so you just don't know.

"You can't ever guarantee you'll win this one, draw that one, and anyone can beat anyone.

"You don't win the league and qualify for Europe by playing free-flowing, magnificent football every week. Sometimes you have to dig deep and dig out a result.

"I think we did that on Sunday (Tottenham beat Cardiff City 1-0) but I thought we were relatively comfortable in the second period."