Manchester United enter the final stretch of the Premier League this weekend, with only 10 games remaining in the 2014/15 season. The slate contains several major clubs who United have yet to face a second time, starting with Sunday’s match against Tottenham Hotspur, who won both of their last two visits to Old Trafford.

United will need some positive momentum after Monday’s FA Cup defeat to Arsenal. It was a game where many analysts thought Louis van Gaal’s club played rather well, but a fatal mistake by the defense led to the match-winner scored by former United striker Danny Welbeck, who joined the Gunners at the fall transfer deadline. It was Arsenal’s first victory over their rivals in any competition in almost four years, as they keep hope alive for a second straight FA Cup title.

The Red Devils, meanwhile, have an intriguing list of upcoming games, including home dates with Spurs, Manchester City, and an EPL match with Arsenal; they will also travel to Anfield and Stamford Bridge. Through 28 games, Manchester United are fourth in the Premier League, which would put them in the play-off round of Champions League qualifying. Van Gaal says his main concern is getting United back into Europe’s most prestigious club competition, and with the Red Devils out of the FA Cup, the Premier League is the only competition left in the club’s 2014/15 schedule. Some may say finishing fourth – thus making the UCL play-off round – is beneath a club the size of Manchester United. However, optimists have two responses to that argument: it’s better than not making the Champions League at all, which was the case for United this season; the other counter would be that United is currently only one point behind Arsenal for third place, which means automatic entry into the group stage. Again, Arsenal still has to make one more journey to Old Trafford on May 16.

Expect Sunday’s match with Tottenham to be indicative of how United approach the final slate of Premier League fixtures. It will show the character of a team making the best of a less-than-favorable situation, or will leave supporters wondering for at least another year what could have been.