(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-01-31 14:43

LONDON - The Cristiano Ronaldo show rolls into the capital on Saturday when Premier League leaders Manchester United take on Tottenham Hotspur for the second time in a week.

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo (L) celebrates his second goal against Portsmouth with teammate Wayne Rooney during their English Premier League soccer match at Old Trafford in Manchester, northern England January 30, 2008. [Agencies]

Ronaldo was on target in the 3-1 FA Cup victory over Spurs at Old Trafford on Sunday and struck two more, one a spectacular free kick, in the 2-0 victory over Portsmouth on Wednesday which took United back above Arsenal on goal difference.

Arsenal travel to Manchester City, who are unbeaten at home under manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, while third-placed Chelsea also face a tricky test of their resolve when they travel to the south coast to face Portsmouth.

With just 14 matches left, any mishaps now could prove especially costly for the leading trio, although as long as Ronaldo is firing on all cylinders United will be hard to overhaul.

The Portuguese trickster has taken his tally for the season to 27 and with impish midfielder Paul Scholes back from injury and providing the ammunition for him, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez, United boast awesome firepower.

Tottenham are not shot-shy at home either. Despite languishing in mid-table, the League Cup finalists are the highest home scorers in the league with 32, although they have also let in as many on their own ground as bottom club Derby County.

"We are entering a very tricky stage of the season now," United manager Alex Ferguson said after the Portsmouth game. "We have some great matches coming, starting with Saturday at Tottenham."

United won 4-0 at White Hart Lane year and have not lost at White Hart Lane since the final day of the 2000-01 season when they already had the title in the bag.

Like United, Arsenal have relied heavily on the goals of one player this season with Emmanuel Adebayor not far behind Ronaldo in the scoring charts.

MIDFIELD DUO

The Togo striker scored in the 3-0 win over Newcastle United on Tuesday, although it was the performance of midfield duo Mathieu Flamini and Cesc Fabregas that bodes well for the Gunners pushing United all the way.

"We are very close on and off the pitch," Flamini told the Arsenal Web site. "I'm bit more defensive than him. But I think we are a very good complement for each other."

Sixth-placed City will be no pushovers, however. They have won nine of 12 home league matches and are serious challengers for a European spot. They also beat Arsenal at home last season.

Chelsea, despite losing the likes of Michael Essien and Didier Drogba to African Nations Cup duty and John Terry and Frank Lampard to injury, are proving difficult to shake off.

They will be going for a club record 10th consecutive victory in all competitions when they visit Portsmouth and are the only English team still fighting for silverware on four fronts.

Boss Avram Grant may not have the charisma of his predecessor Jose Mourinho but in terms of getting the job done he appears to be the equal of the Portuguese.

After 29 games in charge his record is identical and he is not shy of talking up his record.

"When I took over we were in sixth or seventh, nine points behind, now we are just four points behind," he said. "It's not too far, everything is open."