After starting their Europa League campaigns on different notes, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are set to face off in a highly anticipated Premier League clash at Old Trafford on Sunday.
The pressure is mounting on Erik ten Hag following United's disappointing 1-1 draw with FC Twente, while Spurs comfortably secured a 3-0 victory over Qarabag despite being reduced to 10 men.
Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen made headlines both on and off the field during the match against Twente. He opened the scoring with a stunning 20-yard strike but later admitted that the visitors "wanted" the win more than his team—a concerning statement for the Red Devils.
Eriksen’s goal was followed by an equalizer from Sam Lammers, and now United finds themselves with back-to-back frustrating draws, having also drawn 0-0 with Crystal Palace last weekend. In that match, only Dean Henderson and Andre Onana really stood out.
It remains to be seen whether the INEOS management will decide to part ways with Ten Hag soon. His team currently sits in the bottom half of the standings after five games, not quite justifying Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s decision to keep him over the summer.
On a brighter note, the draw with Twente extended United’s unbeaten run to four matches, but they’ve struggled to convert their chances. With five goals from an expected total of 9.6, only Southampton has underperformed their xG more this season. United could certainly benefit from taking a cue from Tottenham’s recent attacking prowess.
Tottenham, under Ange Postecoglou, has found their scoring touch again, netting eight goals in their last three games. After a shaky start, they turned things around with three goals each against Brentford and Qarabag.
Despite an early setback against Qarabag due to Radu Dragusin’s red card, Spurs capitalized on their opponents' missed chances, with Brennan Johnson, Pape Sarr, and Dominic Solanke finding the net. This marked their third consecutive victory, boosting the team's confidence.
However, Spurs fans may be concerned about their away form, as the team has won only two of their last 12 Premier League matches on the road, with four losses in their last six outings—beating only relegated Sheffield United during that stretch.
Despite these struggles, Tottenham managed to draw 2-2 with Manchester United at Old Trafford last season, extending their unbeaten run against the Red Devils to three league matches. Old Trafford is no longer the fortress it once was, and the upcoming match promises to be exciting.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Right after the draw with Twente, Ten Hag announced that he expects to have the same squad available for the visit of Tottenham, with Leny Yoro (foot), Tyrell Malacia (knee), Victor Lindelof (toe), and Luke Shaw (calf) all set to miss out again.
However, Ten Hag might consider making a few changes for the Spurs match. It seems likely that Kobbie Mainoo will return to the midfield, which could mean Manuel Ugarte sits out as he waits for his Premier League start.
Alejandro Garnacho is also pushing for a starting spot, although it’s unclear whether he’ll replace Marcus Rashford or Amad Diallo.
On Tottenham's side, there was concern for captain Son Heung-min during their victory over Qarabag on Thursday. However, Postecoglou reassured everyone that he doesn’t believe Son has a serious issue.
With 13 chances created from open play this season, he leads the Premier League in that category and is expected to be fit to face United, where he has scored four goals and provided one assist in his last seven appearances.
As for Spurs, Radu Dragusin’s red card only affects European matches, so Wilson Odobert (thigh) and Richarlison (calf) are the only confirmed absentees for the trip to Manchester.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez, Dalot; Eriksen, Mainoo; Diallo, Fernandes, Garnacho; Zirkzee
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:
Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Kulusevski, Bentancur, Maddison; Johnson, Solanke, Son
EXPERT PREDICTION
Manchester United 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham may have managed just three away wins in the Premier League over the past 10 months, but they've impressively earned 28 points from losing positions since the start of last season, trailing only Manchester City's 31.
So, even if Ten Hag's unpredictable side manages to take the lead, it's likely they’ll be pulled back, much like in their recent match. As a result, Spurs could leave Old Trafford with another draw for the third consecutive season.
