Manchester United head to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, having lost to the north London side four times last season.
The most notable of those meetings was the most recent one, when a Brennan Johnson goal secured Spurs a largely uninspiring Europa League final victory in Bilbao.
Now, United have a shot at revenge. But have either of these two sides, who underperformed so spectacularly in the Premier League last season, really turned a corner? Should we expect a better spectacle this time around?
The Athletic’s Spurs correspondent Jay Harris and Manchester United reporter Carl Anka look ahead to Saturday’s clash…
Why have Tottenham struggled so much at home this season?
Jay Harris: Spurs have lost three of their five home games in the top flight this season and only scraped a draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers due to Joao Palhinha’s stoppage-time strike.
This issue is not unique to Thomas Frank. Spurs have only won three of their last 19 home games, stretching back a year and taking in the last six months of Ange Postecoglou’s reign.
Postecoglou admitted he prioritised the Europa League towards the end of last season, which partially explains some of their bad results. However, they still lost to Leicester City and Ipswich Town, who both went on to be relegated, despite fielding a strong starting XI.
The leading theory is that Spurs struggle to break down opponents who set up to frustrate them. They prefer to be reactive rather than proactive, which might speak to their excellent record on the road. Tuesday night’s 4-0 victory over Copenhagen in the Champions League has restored faith in Frank’s project, but he could do with a big win on Saturday to truly connect with the fanbase.
How have Manchester United performed away from home?
Carl Anka: At the time of writing, United sit 10th in the away table. A position that owes a debt to the fixture list, some longstanding tactical issues, and a good old-fashioned case of the yips.
Curiously, United have played better this season in games where they register less than 50 per cent possession, but their direct style of play doesn’t yield more victories in away games, where teams are more inclined to push up and leave space in behind for United to exploit.
Last week, Ruben Amorim said United were a different team when they could not draw strength from their incredible support at Old Trafford.
“Because when we play at home, we are more intense, we are more focused. Our fans help us a lot. When we have an opportunity, you can feel the stadium helping us to control the game. When we play away, it’s different. The fans are not there for us.”
The head coach believes the issue is not a tactical issue or tactical weakness requiring training ground adaptations ahead of away fixtures. Instead, he wants his players to “to believe in the same way that we show at home”.
United recovered well from a second-half blip to draw 2-2 at the City Ground against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, and they appear to be working through the confidence issues that halted positive runs last season.
What does that mean for Saturday’s game?
Harris: Spurs need to win to avoid an uncomfortable international break where they are the focus of everyone’s attention. If they lose to Manchester United, it will be their third defeat in five league games.
Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence apologised to Frank for ignoring him after last weekend’s defeat to Chelsea as tempers frayed on and off the pitch at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. That Champions League win has drastically lightened the mood, but another poor performance here might prompt some awkward questions about the direction of this team.
Victory would give Spurs a confidence boost ahead of two difficult games against Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the month. It is important to remember that James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and club-record signing Dominic Solanke are unavailable for Frank’s side. Beating Manchester United without them would be a testament to Frank’s tactics and the quality within the rest of the squad.
Spurs beat United four times last season, but it is difficult to know how much that matters because Postecoglou is no longer in charge, and both of these squads look significantly different.
Anka: It means this fixture has the makings of a frustrating score draw. Both sides have come a long way since their meeting mired in mediocrity in Bilbao, but both sides have a long way to go before the scars of 2024-25 can fully heal.
United fans have had to retire the “Lads, it’s Tottenham,” line in recent months. They suffered four defeats to Spurs last season, and have not beaten them since Erik ten Hag’s side outclassed Antonio Conte’s 2-0 in 2022-23. They have not enjoyed victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since October 2021, when Edinson Cavani partnered Cristiano Ronaldo up front in a 3-0 victory.
Amorim’s men need a win to banish some bad memories, but also to maintain some league momentum and avoid another two-week storm in a teacup.
The defeated team in this fixture, along with the losing team in Manchester City vs Liverpool on Sunday, will have to endure an annoying international break holding the “crisis baton”.
What’s the best thing about Spurs right now?
Harris: Spurs were carved open by Chelsea last weekend – their opponents recorded an xG of 3.0 – but otherwise their defence has been pretty impressive. Frank has made them more compact and difficult to break down. They have the joint-second-best defensive record in the league and have conceded eight goals, which is half of the amount of Manchester United (16).
Van de Ven’s outrageous goal on Tuesday evening grabbed everyone’s attention, but his partnership with Cristian Romero has reached a new level. It is a rare event to see Van de Ven scampering after a striker at full speed this season because his positioning and reading of the game have improved, while Frank’s tactics are more conservative compared to Postecoglou’s.
They are exceptional at attacking and defending set pieces. Andreas Georgson left United after one season to become Spurs’ set-piece coach in the summer. Could one of the Swede’s clever schemes punch a hole in his former employers’ defence?
What’s the best thing about Manchester United right now?
Anka: United are still prone to the occasional defensive lapse, but they appear better at steering into the skid rather than going off the rails entirely. They are unbeaten in four, holding the second-longest unbeaten run in the league at the moment, behind Arsenal. Amorim has made a series of under-the-hood tweaks to his tactical system, giving the side added resilience.
They play in a faster, more direct manner than in 2024-25, and their summer purchases have all settled well. The headlines will be dominated by Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo in a revamped attack, but equally important has been the deadline-day arrival of Senne Lammens in goal. Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir both endured shaky performances against Spurs last season. Lammens is a solid shot stopper who — hopefully — won’t get overwhelmed on corner kicks.
Which opposition player do you most fear?
Harris: I spent three years covering Brentford, so I know all about Bryan Mbeumo. However, I trust Djed Spence or Destiny Udogie to limit his influence. Spence produced one of his best performances last season in Spurs’ 1-0 victory over Brentford in February when he shut down the Cameroon international and won the player of the match award. It will be vital, though, that whoever starts at left wing — presumably one of Xavi Simons, Brennan Johnson or Wilson Odobert — tracks back to support the full-back and keeps an eye on Amad.
I’m more worried about Matheus Cunha. He can be devastating when he cuts inside from the left wing and shoots. It is crucial that Pedro Porro receives help from Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha in slowing the Brazilian down.
Anka: Forgive the oddity of my answer, but it’s Tottenham’s defenders that give the greatest reason for concern on Saturday.
From the outside looking in, Spurs have issues progressing the ball through central areas. Their midfield pivot of Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha is better suited to stopping attacks rather than creating them, while Xavi Simons is having difficulty adjusting to the increased physicality found in the Premier League. Injuries have robbed Thomas Frank of some of his best attackers, leaving Mohammed Kudus and Randal Kolo Muani as a formidable counter-attacking threat, but players that can be halted by stubborn defensive displays.
Someone that’s harder to stop once he gets going, however? Micky van de Ven.
The Dutchman’s slaloming goal against Copenhagen on Tuesday night bore one too many similarities to his dribble and assist for Brennan Johnson in Spurs’ 3-0 win over United in September 2024. The centre-back has six goals in 15 competitions this season, and is developing into a real threat on set pieces. His sprint speed makes him phenomenal at stopping opposition counter-attacks, meaning Mbeumo, Cunha and others will have to ensure their use of the ball is excellent.
Given the upcoming international break, this will be a fixture Matthijs de Ligt will want to impress and outdo his opposite man. Ronald Koeman will be watching.