Spurs put good record against Red Devils to the test
Manchester United vs Tottenham LIVE
Manchester United via Getty Images
Manchester United vs Tottenham LIVE
Spurs head to Old Trafford afternoon looking to become the first team to take points off Michael Carrick since his return as interim manager. Ruben Amorim’s dismissal has resulted in a signficant upturn in form for the hosts, who have now won three in a row and are unbeaten in seven games. Another victory today will see United surpass last season’s Premier League points tally.
But victories against Spurs have been hard to come by for United in recent years, having lost three and drawn three of their last six encounters - including last season’s Europa League final. Spurs are struggling, though, and head up north without a win in six top-flight games despite a morale-boosting comeback to draw 2-2 with Manchester City last time out.
Further dropped points see leave Spurs looking over their shoulders at the relegation battle below. They currently sit nine points clear of the bottom clear, but 11 off the Champions League qualification race. Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis from Sam Tabuteau at Old Trafford.
Man Utd vs Tottenham latest news
Michael Carrick sticks with an unchanged starting line-up as Manchester United aim to extend their winning run to four matches.
It is three changes for Tottenham, with, most importantly, Micky van de Ven returning from injury.
Wilson Odobert and Pape Sarr also come in, as Radu Dragusin, Yves Bissouma and Randal Kolo Muani dro to the bench.
Manchester United via Getty Images
Sam Tabuteau at Old Trafford
After all the noise in the week after his latest social media outburst, Cristian Romero is fit and starts for Tottenham this afternoon.
The Spurs captain lines up back alongside Micky van de Ven as Frank sticks with a 3-4-3 formation with Palhinha at the back.
Sarr partners Gallagher in midfield, while Gray reprises his role as a makeshift right wing-back.
Odobert, whose pace in transition will be key, comes back into the starting lineup.
Confirmed team news in full
Man Utd XI: Lammens, Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw, Casemiro, Mainoo, Amad, Fernandes, Cunha, Mbeumo
Subs: Bayindir, Heaven, Malacia, Mazraoui, Yoro, T. Fletcher, Ugarte, Sesko, Zirkzee
Tottenham XI: Vicario; Palhinha, Romero, Van de Ven; Gray, Gallagher, Sarr, Udogie; Odobert, Xavi Simons; Solanke
Subs: Kinsky, Dragusin, Souza, Byfield, Bissouma, Olusesi, Williams-Barnet, Tel, Kolo Muani
Tottenham XI
...and Spurs!
Man Utd XI
Here’s how the hosts look.
Teams to be confirmed in five minutes.
Frank explains why Gallagher is key to his long-term plans
Thomas Frank believes that Conor Gallagher can be a big part of building the culture he is looking to instil at Tottenham.
Gallagher’s charging run and cross for Dominic Solanke’s miraculous scorpion kick equaliser against Manchester City last weekend epitomised the very best parts of Spurs’ spirited second-half fightback.
Frank was left delighted with Gallagher’s impact against City and admits the England midfielder has been exemplary since arriving from Atletico Madrid midway through the January transfer window.
“I think Conor has a lot of the bits we need to get to where we want,” Frank said ahead of Spurs’ trip to Manchester United.
“His character is unbelievable. He is a player who can build a top culture going forward.
“His work-rate and how he can carry the team on his back, more or less, though it’s not only about one player.
“That situation (the build-up to Solanke’s second goal v City) is a fantastic situation you’re referring to, where he’s running very hard, winning the second ball in front of two players and then put a cross in and we scored from that.”
Read more here!
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Thomas Frank has reasons for optimism as Tottenham face Man Utd test
What Thomas Frank would give to talk about football again.
Even when things are going comparatively better than they have recently, with Tottenham unbeaten in four games in all competitions, the atmosphere around the club remains volatile.
The aftermath of Tottenham’s miraculous 2-2 draw with Manchester City has been dominated by Cristian Romero’s most recent comments about the club’s hierarchy - the second time in a month the subject of his captain’s social media activity has been brought to light.
There was spirit and character as Spurs came from two goals down to rescue a point against City. That momentum has quickly been lost amidst the noise of a disappointing Deadline Day and Romero’s explosive Instagram post.
Still, in salvaging a draw, Spurs clawed back some respectability, having been savaged by Pep Guardiola’s side in the first-half.
Spurs’ season has been a tale of two halves too often. Piecing together a performance over 90 minutes remains an issue in the Premier League, where the tempo shifts are dramatic and Spurs struggle to keep control.
There have been signs of progress, and the return of Dominic Solanke has been transformational.
Read more here!
AFP via Getty Images
Latest odds
The bookies agree with our prediction, with Manchester United expected to run out winners today.
Man Utd win: 4/7
Draw: 13/5
Tottenham win: 7/2
(Odds via Betfair, subject to change.)
Predicted linueps
Confirmed line-ups to be announced at 11.15am.
Man Utd predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Amad, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo
Tottenham predicted XI (3-4-3): Vicario; Palhinha, Romero, Van de Ven; Spence, Gray, Gallagher, Udogie; Odobert, Solanke, Simons
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