Preview: Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur
After our exciting week – going further in two competitions – and the theft of two points by VAR against Newcastle and now the signing of Carlos Vinicius we now approach the game against United at Old Trafford, with high hopes, and as I said below, a 3-1 victory (my prediction). The future looks bright, the future could be silverware, with the ribbons of the famous cockerel fluttering in the wind as they adorn the Cups — hopefully, more than just an aspiration.
TEAM NEWS
Manchester United’s Harry Maguire is available despite injuring his ankle in the Premier League win over Brighton last Saturday. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has no new fitness concerns in his squad.
As for us, Jose Mourinho has not entirely ruled out Son’s chances of recovering in time from a hamstring issue. Giovani Lo Celso is a doubt with an unspecified injury, while Gareth Bale is not yet ready to feature. Vinicius has joined too late to feature in this game. But saying that, I am confident we’ve got a squad to deal with any that United throws at us.
My thoughts and prediction
Hopefully, we can take advantage of United’s back four. They can be suspect, which showed when they had faced Brighton. The seagulls were allowed to play in and around United’s 18-yard box.
As for us, we created plenty of chances against Newcastle last weekend but could not beat their goalkeeper Karl Darlow. Hopefully, this time around we’ve worked on that, and going by the games since, we are definitely a work in progress.
Prediction: 3-1
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Manchester United are unbeaten in the past three league meetings.
The Red Devils have only won more Premier League games against Everton than the 35 victories they have enjoyed versus Spurs.
There has not been a draw in the past 14 league matches at Old Trafford between these sides.
Our last six top-flight away wins against Manchester United have all come under different managers, in a run stretching back to Bill Nicholson in March 1974.
Manchester United
Manchester United are looking to avoid losing their opening two home games to a league season for only the fifth time, and first since 1986-87.
They last conceded multiple goals in each of their first three fixtures of a top-flight season in 1972-73.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have scored in 15 successive Premier League matches, the longest current run in the division.
Their 40 Premier League games since the start of last season have produced 20 penalties (15 for and five against), which is second only to Leicester City’s total of 22.
Tottenham Hotspur
We have won just three of their last 30 Premier League away matches against other established top-six sides.
We have two clean sheets in our past 27 Premier League away games came against relegated Watford and Bournemouth.
Jose Mourinho is winless in his last six away league fixtures against sides he previously managed.
However, Mourinho has only lost three of his 22 matches against Manchester United in all competitions. All three defeats were at Old Trafford, with one apiece for Chelsea, Inter Milan and Spurs.
Harry Kane’s tally of five assists in the Premier League this season is a joint record after three matches, emulating Ruel Fox for Newcastle in 1994-95 and Henrikh Mkhitaryan for Manchester United in 2017-18.
COYS!
My name is Glenn Renshaw.
I am currently a Premium Season Ticket holder (West Stand) in the new stadium. Before that – at White Hart Lane – a season ticket holder in various parts of the ground (mainly in the North stand).
Before becoming a season ticket holder, I stood on the shelf and various other parts of the ground since the 1950s. In 1987 I became one of the first to hold a Spurs Membership card. I was also a life long member of the Spurs supporters club (now defunct).
I go to all home, away and abroad matches.
I was born in 1955, Edgware, London (it was in the late 50s – as a baby – that my dad took me to Spurs to initiate me). I currently live in Berkshire.
I also collect all Spurs books (and have everyone printed), Spurs handbooks (from 1920s onwards, Spurs programmes (since the 40s).
Previously, I wrote for Spurs Fanzines: The Spur, Spur of the Moment, My Eyes have seen the Glory and various other Spurs fanzines’. I also wrote for the SpursWeb app & its website.
I currently write and work for spursnetwork.com and its website. I write its Reviews & Match reports and a lot more.
My other interests are; reading, history, social history, Politics, going to the gym, wine, going out for a meal, music (all sorts), writing, theatre, concerts, going on holidays, socialising etc.
I have been writing blogs/ articles since 1989
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