Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has accused Manchester City (evens top four finish) of trying to financially bully other sides in their bid to secure a Champions League spot.

Redknapp takes his Spurs side to Eastlands on Wednesday night looking for the win that would guarantee the north London outfit a top four finish.

Tottenham (11/4 to beat City in the match betting) have a one point lead over their top four rivals heading into Wednesday’s mammoth fixture and will be hoping they can maintain their advantage by continuing their excellent record at City, losing just one of their last nine league matches in the blue half of Manchester.

Redknapp has opted to crank up the tension ahead of the game by accusing City of flexing their financial muscle and bullying Tottenham out of buying Craig Bellamy (7/1 first goalscorer) last January.

Spurs had been after the Welsh international until, according to Redknapp, they were told to end their interest in the winger or risk losing Wilson Palacios.

“I was trying to sign Bellamy at the same time as Palacios,” said Redknapp.

“Then they came and told me ‘You know, if you don’t drop out of Bellamy, we’ll sign Palacios too and you won’t get either of them’.”

City have denied Redknapp’s allegations and are considering legal action against the former Portsmouth boss, whose comments are likely to stoke the fires for what was already a highly charge affair.