Manchester United will be travelling to Wembley on Sunday to take on Tottenham Hotspur in a game that could have big implications for both teams. Tottenham will be looking to send out a statement that they are indeed in the title race with Liverpool and Manchester City. With a different goal in mind, Manchester United will be trying to remain on course to force a top 4 finish in what has been a lacklustre season so far.
Current Form
Tottenham
Tottenham have been somewhat overlooked so far this season as genuine title contenders because, although they are a very good team, they seem to lack the edge that Liverpool and Manchester City have. However, they remain a very strong team and are currently sat in 3rd place in the Premier League table on 48 points, 6 points behind leaders Liverpool. Over the previous 5 fixtures, Tottenham have won 4 and lost just 1.
Statistically, Tottenham have been impressive so far this season. They've scored 46 times in the Premier League so far, an average of 2.19 goals per game. They've also been defensively solid, conceding 21 times, an average of 1 goal per game.
Manchester United
Manchester United have been making a push for the top 4 since changing manager and currently find themselves in 6th place in the Premier League on 38 points, 6 points behind 4th placed Chelsea. Over the previous 5 fixtures, Manchester United have won 4 and lost 1.
Manchester United's poor start was clear for everyone to see and it wasn't too long ago that they were conceding more goals than they were scoring. However, they have managed to turn things around recently and have now scored 43 goals, an average of 1.95 goals per game. The defensive statistics are a little underwhelming still at 32 goals conceded, an average of 1.45 goals per game, but this is mainly due to their earlier results.
Head to Head
In the previous 10 meetings between the clubs, Tottenham won 4, Manchester United won 5, and there was 1 draw. This fixture has become a much more even contest since 2012 onwards, with Manchester United remaining undefeated by Tottenham between 2001 and 2012.
Analysis
Tottenham
Had this fixture been played when Mourinho was still in charge of Manchester United then Tottenham would have likely been much stronger favourites to win. Recent form suggests that both teams are capable of getting a result here but Tottenham have had a much stronger season so far and retain home advantage. Supporters of Tottenham will be relieved that Son will be available to play, this being his final game before leaving for the Asian Cup, as he has been instrumental in their recent positive form.
Tottenham will be aware of the quality that Manchester United possess in their squad but this shouldn't stop them from going out and playing their natural game. They are, without a doubt, the better overall team in this fixture and that should help them to get over the line to take 3 points under normal circumstances. The issue for Tottenham, however, is that Manchester United are currently riding on a huge wave of confidence since the change of manager and are making a genuine surge top finish in the Champions League qualification places.
The midfield battle will be significant here and if Tottenham can manage to keep Pogba quiet then they should have enough to get a decent result. If they aren't ready for a hectic game, however, then they could be caught off-guard and may find themselves struggling to dominate as they would against lesser competition.
Manchester United
This is a huge opportunity for Manchester United to show that they are serious about finishing in the top 4 this season. It would be a good achievement for this team if they manage to pull it off as they've been terrible for large stretches of the season so far. However, Tottenham are a serious test and the party could come to an abrupt halt should they be embarrassed in this fixture.
Perhaps the best course of action here for Manchester United is to play with a lot of energy. Getting the ball to Pogba and having runners willing to work hard up top will give Tottenham something to think about and could disrupt their usual passing game. Chances are likely to fall to both teams here, and an end to end game could provide spectators with the kind of football we all love to watch. If that is the case then the result could come down to which forwards are clinical in their opportunities on the day. If Lukaku gets the nod to start then he will have to show a lot more than he has in recent times against higher class opposition.
The worry for Manchester United supporters, however, will be the fact that the defence still doesn't look like it is good enough for the kind of results the club are looking to achieve. Players like Kane and Son will punish mistakes and this could potentially be the downfall of Manchester United in this game if they're not at their best.
Predictions
Had this game been played a few weeks ago then I would have been confident that Tottenham would get the win. However, a resurgent Manchester United team could definitely cause an upset here. If the players can continue to run on the confidence they've grown over the last few fixtures and the defence can stand firm then we could be in for a shock result here.
Prediction: Draw
Score Prediction: Tottenham 2 - 2 Manchester United
Betting Picks
X2 at 1.82 or above
I fancy Manchester United to get a result here, whether it be a win or a draw. At these odds, I'll be having a small punt.
Over 2.5 goals at 1.71 or above
With Manchester United's desire to climb their way back to the top 4, I believe this could be an end-to-end goal fest. Over 2.5 goals seems fairly likely to me.
Comments