The Busby Babe

The Reds were on top of things from the opening seconds of the match, and nearly went up 1-0 in the first minute of action. A quick attack forced the Spurs line into a collective backpedal as Bruno Fernandes charged forward with options on either side of him. He opted for a pass to Bryan Mbeumo down the left, but the Cameroonian’s shot was both powerful and off target.

An early flurry of forward passes from United was followed by some possession from the visitors, but there was only one effort on target. Connor Gallagher saw a shot saved by Senne Lammens during a spell where Spurs had four different looks at goal.

United’s control of the game resumed soon after, and led to a major turn 1/3 of the way through the action. Casemiro and Cristian Romero both went in for a loose ball in the 29th minute just outside of Spurs’ 18-yard box, with the Brazilian just getting there first before a hard challenge from the Argentine. Michael Oliver immediately blew his whistle and reached for a red card for Romero, putting the visitors down a man with 60+ minutes of action left.

Despite the man advantage and the lead, United still found plenty of resistance from Tottenham. They were determined to get forward when possible and pack the box to prevent any further concessions.

United had plenty of possession, but lacked quality chances until later in the game. The heavy rain may have had some effect, but credit is due to Guglielmo Vicario as well for his six saves.

The Reds also got the ball in the back of the net on two occasions only to see the offside flag go up on very narrow violations from Amad and Bruno Fernandes. The second was particularly frustrating as Bruno was returning to collect the ball after an interception of a poor pass from Vicario, and he was only just beyond the defender when the ball was played to him to facilitate play.

Striker Benjamin Sesko, the hero last weekend against Fulham arrived in the 75th minute to act as a more defined focal point of the United attack, and it wasn’t long until he made an impact. A cross onto his head drew two defenders to his presence, and though he didn’t steer it on target, his glance played in Bruno to score the clinching goal.

The victory marked the first time in two years that United registered four wins in a row, a streak in the second season under Erik ten Hag which featured the famous ad board celebration with Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.

It’s a time that feels long ago already, and maybe the imagined distance bears some caution for the present optimism, but there’s no doubt that the good vibes are back. Even as United struggled to break down a 10-man side, the confidence and adventurous football was flowing throughout the team. Maybe some shots when there should have been an extra touch, maybe some wayward passes that could have been played shorter, but overall it was another win for a team that is feeling itself again.

United are back on the road in London next week at West Ham United in the final game before the next international break.

Manchester United will be looking to make it four wins out of four under interim boss Michael Carrick when they welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Old Trafford for an intriguing Premier League clash on Saturday lunchtime.

The two teams butt heads for the first time since August when Matthijs de Ligt scored a 96th-minute equaliser for the Red Devils in a 2-2 draw in North London.

It is fair to say that Man United have turned a corner since the departure of Ruben Amorim and arrival of Carrick, with the Red Devils picking up nine points from a possible nine available under their new boss and extending their unbeaten Premier League run to seven matches (W4 D3).

United are unbeaten in all nine of their Premier League matches this season when they have had less possession than their opponents (W7 D2), prevailing in all seven when having less than 45%. In contrast, they have won only four of their 15 top-flight games when in control of +50% of the ball (D6 L5).

A win for the Red Devils against Tottenham would also see them claim four consecutive victories for the first time since February 2024 under Erik ten Hag. However, success against Spurs has been hard to come by in recent years, with United failing to win any of their last six league encounters with the North Londoners (D3 L3) - their joint-longest run without a win against them (also six between 1914 and 1921).

United duo Patrick Dorgu and De Ligt remain sidelined with respective thigh and back injuries, while this weekend’s game will come too soon for Mason Mount who recently picked up a knock in training.

Carrick is expected to stick with his winning formula and not make wholesale changes to his starting lineup, but he may be tempted to recall Sesko in attack after his impact as a substitute last time out. That would result in one of Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo or Matheus Cunha making way, though.

Captain Bruno Fernandes has registered more assists than any other Premier League player so this season, with his 12 also his joint-best tally in a single campaign (level with 2020-21). The playmaker is expected to continue in an advanced central role behind the central striker.

Premier League Schedule

It’s a half past noon kickoff in the UK, which means a 7:30 a.m. kickoff on the East Coast of the U.S.

Premier League Channel

The match is on Sky Sports Premier League in the UK. Those Stateside can watch on USA or NBC Streaming streaming. In Canada, it’s on DAZN and Fubo.

Everyone else, head on over to LiveSoccerTV to find your viewing options.

Predicted Lineup

Manchester United possible starting lineup: Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Mainoo, Casemiro; Diallo, Fernandes, Mbeumo; Cunha

Manchester United are back in action this weekend against Tottenham, and we’ve got another trio of pointers for the matchup. Here’s a look ahead at the rematch with United’s bogey team of the last year.

Defensive Shape

United gambled against Fulham, and it paid off. United will have to do the same all season to win games because that’s what this squad is suited for. The lack of pace in central midfield and defence isn’t going to go away, so pushing players forward will lead to gaps in midfield.

He added an extra centre-back after Benjamin Sesko’s winner in the last game; little tweaks like this will be necessary all season. This could mean dropping an extra body in central midfield out of possession when the team has a lead or marking the opposition’s playmaker more tightly.

Dominic Solanke

Solanke has caused the United backline trouble since his reemergence at Bournemouth. He looked the real deal last week and at Manchester City, and will most certainly look to go on a run now. How United deal with him will go a long way to determining the result.

Bogey Team

Spurs have had the better of United in recent seasons, and the United players will be well aware of that. Michael Carrick has brought back some calmness to the side, which is just what they’ll need this weekend. United are always under pressure, but Spurs are a bit fragile at the moment. United have to remember that going into this game.

Manchester United Women have still never lost to Tottenham, despite a very strong effort from the North London visitors on Sunday.

The Reds came out and dominated the first half, recording 14 shots with three attempts on target, generating 1.62 xG and playing much of the half in Spurs territory. And yet, United went into the break down 2-0. Spurs scored twice on just three chances before the halftime break, and came out swinging in the second half to add a third from former United striker Martha Thomas.

Up 3-0 with less than half an hour to play, it seemed as though Martin Ho would get a deserved win against his former employer. United manager Marc Skinner looked perplexed and frustrated on the sidelines, but on the pitch, his squad was beginning to pull itself out of a bad situation.

Ella Toone bagged the first goal for United with about 15 minutes to play, and from there it was game on. She hit the crossbar on a volley just minutes later, but substitute Fridolina Rolfo scored a second to give the attempt another leg to stand on.

Melvine Malard could have scored the equalizer right after Rolfo’s, but her attempt from at least a couple of yards out was blocked on the line. United pushed deep into stoppage time, and were rewarded with a second goal from Rolfo through the chaos. The Reds reset and broke forward down the left, and a cross in towards the back post was met by the Norwegian, unmarked for the finish.

Leah Galton was the other substitute who helped transform the match, registering the crucial assist, and showing again what she can do if she’s allowed to play on the left wing.

The result was a difficult one to accept with Chelsea and Manchester City both continuing to pull away, and the last month has been a poor show of management by Marc Skinner as his team have squandered positive starts in the WSL and in Europe. Still, the second half performance was another demonstration of the quality in the team, and United certainly have the talent to build something out of nothing when management fails.

Manchester United Women welcome Tottenham Hotspur to the Progress With Unity Stadium this Sunday in our next Barclays Women’s Super League assignment.

It comes after a tough UEFA Women’s Champions League encounter at the same venue in the week, ending in a 3-0 loss to OL Lyonnes, although we have already confirmed a play-off to proceed beyond the league phase.

Attentions turn swiftly to the visit of Spurs, our first of two December meetings with the north London side, after being drawn to face them in the Subway Women’s League Cup a week on December 21, also at home.

TEAM NEWS

Skinner ruled Elisabeth Terland out of our midweek European meeting during his last pre-match press conference, revealing that she had picked up a knock last weekend against West Ham United. It remains to be seen whether she has recovered in time.

Phallon Tullis-Joyce has now made two consecutive appearances over the last seven days, following an absence due to a small fracture to her eye socket, suggesting that she is set to continue between the sticks.

Millie Turner last featured back in September, before being sidelined with a knee injury, but Skinner revealed earlier this week that Spurs’ first visit could signify the defender’s return to action.

All four of Dominique Janssen, Jess Park, Ella Toone and Julia Zigiotti Olme started the midweek defeat to Lyon on the bench, so they may be in line to start again this weekend.

Spurs arrive with an extensive injury list, with winger Jessica Naz unfortunately the latest player in the treatment room, after the club confirmed a few days ago that she suffered an ACL injury during her latest appearance against Aston Villa.

Naz joins colleagues Ella Morris and Maite Oroz, who are both in recovery for the same injury.

Alongside that trio, Charlotte Grant, Olga Ahtinen and Cathinka Tandberg are not expected back until after Christmas, with Luana Buhler also still sidelined, having not appeared since last season.

RECENT FORM

After a strong start to the season, United head into this fixture looking to put a spell of rocky form behind us, with only one win in our last four outings in all competitions.

That win, however, came in the WSL, against West Ham, so Skinner’s side will hope to put together consecutive league victories this weekend, as we head into the match third in the table, one point behind Chelsea and seven points behind crosstown rivals Manchester City.

The same applies to the visitors, who won their last outing against Aston Villa, following a draw against Arsenal and a 4-2 defeat at the hands of London City Lionesses.

The Lilywhites’s exploits have them fifth in the table at present, just a point behind the Reds, so this fixture is crucial for both sides.

HOW TO WATCH

The match will be available in the UK and Ireland on BBC Two or via stream on the BBC iPlayer. In the U.S. you’ll need the ESPN app or an equivalent subscription through one of Disney’s other streaming platforms.

Everyone else check out Livesoccertv.

A brief look at Manchester United’s most recent results and what our staff is thinking about heading into the international break.

Colin - The other side of an undroppable player

Manchester United needs Casemiro.

It’s been the case since the legendary Brazilian signed from Real Madrid, and is still the case now for him at age 34, anchoring a two-man midfield in a league full of three-man midfields. He is one of the players who has grown into Amorim’s setup and its demands, fulfilling an important role in possession retention as well as his defensive duties.

Even in a match where United generated a pathetic five shots all game, Casemiro was an important player in keeping Spurs in the same state of misery going forward. He and Harry Maguire both were key players in clearing the ball, and both players going off the pitch at the same time was not ideal.

Suwaid - Fighting Spirit Has Its Limits

United have shown a lot of spirit in their last three away games, scoring late goals in each. The opponents have been no slouches either, but performances will have to improve. In all these games, United have had long periods where they’ve looked ordinary.

This isn’t to say that better teams will punish United since these are some of the better teams in the league, but it’ll leave United with a lot to do at home. United aren’t at the stage in their development where they can claim Old Trafford is a fortress yet, despite the encouraging signs in home games.

There’s a free-flowing nature to the attack in home games, which, unsurprisingly, is completely lacking in the away games. Most of the away goals have come from set-pieces, which is fine, but United, with the profile of players at their disposal, should be more capable of building frequent counterattacks at the very least.

Vince - Match theme, Inconsistent

For United, this result underscores a glaring inconsistency. On one hand, the ability to stay alive in the game a team with resilience; on the other, allowing a match they once controlled to slip away highlights continuing defensive and tactical weakness.

Amorim admitting United “have a lot of problems” pretty much sums up his tenure at United.

Manchester United are back in Premier League action this weekend, kicking off the weekend slate in a rematch of the UEFA Europa League Final against Spurs. If Ruben Amorim and co. are to avenge the loss in May, it will take some focused play on the road in London.

United are far from the finished product. One area that needs some work is the left flank. Matheus Cunha likes to move inside, leaving a lot of space for the left wing-back to attack, but Diogo Dalot and Patrick Dorgu haven’t take advantage of their opportunities on that wing. Teams will become aware of this if they haven’t already and put more men on United’s stronger right flank. Ruben Amorim has to find a solution soon.

It’s been a decent start to the season for Spurs, but their performances haven’t been impressive. Their home form hasn’t been great either. United have to pounce on this by silencing the Spurs crowd, not unlike what happened at Anfield a few weeks ago. It also seems like some tension has been brewing between Thomas Frank and a couple of players. United have to take advantage of Spurs’ uncertainty around the methods of the new manager.

United fans are well aware of his runs, but the Dutchman seems to have leaned into his pace and power even more this season. United should be wary of his runs as a route to goal. His addition has added a steeliness to Spurs that United have struggled against in recent seasons.

As the minutes ticked away at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Ruben Amorim appeared on the television screen. He was hunched over, possibly in prayer, despair, or somewhere in between as Manchester United continued its descent toward the bottom of the Premier League table.

The Reds have picked up just 14 points from a possible 42 since Amorim’s appointment. He was thrown into the fire, there is no doubt of that, taking over from Erik ten Hag as the side was just treading above water.

In that time, the team has adopted the new attitude of the INEOS era. There has been brutal honesty about the club’s financial situation and ruthless offloading of club staff. Whether cruelly or justifiably, Marcus Rashford was alienated and sent on loan, with Antony and Tyrell Malacia following him out the door for their own loan spells.

Yesterday, the picture of how bad things are became clearer with the acknowledgment of major injuries. Amad, United’s one bright spark this campaign, is likely out for the rest of the season with a serious ankle problem. Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte will also miss some weeks of action.

January saw just one arrival, Patrick Dorgu, who started at left-back against Tottenham on Sunday. Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro held down the midfield fort while Rasmus Hojlund, Joshua Zirkzee and Alejandro Garnacho started as the only fit first-team forwards.

The bench featured a fresh slate of academy players and Victor Lindelof, signaling just how desperate the squad situation is. It would seem that this will be the team for the remainder of the season, barring more major injuries, so it would have made sense to see at least a couple of the kids take the field against Spurs.

That wasn’t the case.

Amorim, who has not hesitated to tinker with his lineup amid poor form, made just one substitute all match. Chido Obi came on in the 90th minute and barely saw the ball in three minutes of stoppage-time action.

United lost 1-0 after a poor defensive lapse allowed Spurs two chances in the first half. The first was saved, but the rebound allowed James Maddison to convert on the second chance.

The Reds offered very little despite having space to attack. Alejandro Garnacho whiffed on a great chance to equalize, and though he had two more decent chances he was unable to trouble Guglielmo Vicario.

It was a matchup of two struggling sides who have greatly underachieved this season, and still United looked much more like the team in turmoil.

It is going from bad to worse and there is no chance for reinforcements. United are unlikely to be relegated given how bad the bottom sides are, but make no mistake this team is deservedly hovering just above them.

Here are your player ratings from Manchester United’s 1-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur:

Andre Onana - 3

Should’ve done better on the first goal. United have got bigger problems but he’s one as well.

Diogo Dalot - 3

Gets into decent positions but never offers a threat once he gets there. He’s a decent full-back but he’s not a wing-back.

Noussair Mazraoui - 6

Kept Son quiet.

Harry Maguire - 6

Never really looked too fazed by Tel.

Matthijs de Ligt - 6

The three central defenders weren't at fault for the most part despite conceding many shots.

Patrick Dorgu - 5

Calm but didn’t have much of an effect in the forward areas as Garnacho often looked to cut inside or stay wide.

Casemiro - 3

His time was up a while back but was left isolated by the tactics.

Bruno Fernandes - 4

Had some decent moments but also saw the worst of him.

Alejandro Garnacho - 4

Was a threat but poor in front of goal,

Joshua Zirkzee - 5

Showed some skill but they never led to anything constructive.

Rasmus Hojlund - 3

The lack of threat and poor hold-up play is unacceptable and it has been going on for too long.

Subs:

Chido Obi - N/A

Manager:

Ruben Amorim - 3

The window was poor and the injury news before the game didn't help but the lack of belief and spark is concerning. The sub came on too late as well.

Two fallen titans of the English game butt heads in Sunday’s Premier League main event, as Tottenham Hotspur welcome Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United to their North London home.

Victory for the Lilywhites would enable them to leapfrog their equally lowly opponents in the bottom half of the Premier League table, although neither can consider themselves to be completely clear of the relegation picture just yet.

Before December’s captivating 4-3 EFL Cup quarter-final triumph, Postecoglou’s Tottenham were too hot for Erik ten Hag’s Man United to handle in a 3-0 Old Trafford trouncing, meaning that they could now do the double over the Red Devils in the Premier League for the very first time.

Lisandro Martinez are now both on the mend from similar operations; the Man United defender reportedly underwent his earlier this week and will be one of several guaranteed absentees for the visitors in North London.

Luke Shaw (calf), Mason Mount (thigh), Jonny Evans (back), Tom Heaton (unspecified) and Altay Bayindir (unspecified) remain sidelined too, and Amorim also revealed in his pre-game press conference that he had another ‘one or two issues’, which are now reported to be the trio of Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte and Toby Collyer.

While neither Ugarte nor Collyer have been ruled out just yet, Mainoo is apparently set for a couple of weeks on the sidelines, and it has also been claimed that integral attacker Amad Diallo could miss the rest of the season with an ankle injury in another crushing blow.

The cup success over Leicester saw new arrival Patrick Dorgu peculiarly make his debut on the right-hand side before being hooked at the break for Alejandro Garnacho, who will surely be rewarded for that game-changing cameo with a start on Sunday.

Premier League schedule

It’s an afternoon kickoff in the UK, which means 2:00 PM on the east coast of the U.S.

Premier League channel

The match is only available on radio in the UK. Those Stateside can watch on Peacock streaming. If you’re in Canada, you can stream the game through DAZN.

Everyone else, head on over to LiveSoccerTV to find your viewing options.

Lineups