United In Focus

Manchester United have been linked with Harry Kane in the past, and the striker still has unfinished business in the Premier League.

Harry Kane’s decision to leave Tottenham in 2023 was a ‘fork in the road’ for three clubs.

Tottenham have been on a downward spiral ever since, while Bayern Munich have benefitted from his prolific goalscoring record. He has netted a staggering 134 goals in 137 matches.

Manchester United were the third club impacted. Kane was viewed by many as the ideal transfer target, but the Red Devils chose not to fight for him and signed Rasmus Hojlund instead. The Dane has since been loaned out to Napoli, ahead of an exit.

Kane had to make a sacrifice too. His exit came with Kane’s Premier League goal tally reaching 213, just 43 short of Alan Shearer’s record of 260.

Kane, 32, has made no secret that he wants to return to the Premier League and break the record while he still can.

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Tottenham advantage could be lost

Tottenham have always held an advantage when it comes to Harry Kane’s future return to the Premier League.

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Spurs have a first refusal agreement allowing them to negotiate first to re-sign Kane, if he decided to leave Bayern, Sky Sports reported.

Now with Tottenham facing the possible prospect of relegation, the big incentive for Kane to return has been lost.

While there would still be an attraction to helping his former club, Kane is unlikely to want to swap the Champions League for the Championship.

Tottenham would be unable to offer him the chance to break the Premier League record he covets.

Will Harry Kane come back this summer?

Harry Kane is happy at Bayern Munich, where his signing has helped to refresh their attack. He is playing a key role in their success alongside Luis Diaz and Michael Olise.

The problem for Bayern is that Kane’s contract expires in June 2027. This summer they will either need to secure a renewal, or cash in.

A contract extension is viewed as most likely. But then Kane would be limiting his time to break the Premier League scoring record if he still returned at a later date.

Kane likely requires two seasons to score the 44 goals he needs to break Shearer’s record. If he returns when he is 35 or 36, rather than this summer, it could take him even longer.

An interesting point to consider is related to whether Bayern can win the Champions League in 2026/27. They are currently on course for a semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain.

If Kane and Bayern could win the Champions League, could that prompt Kane to leave and seek a new challenge?

Manchester United might be interested enough to ask the question.

If Harry Kane wanted to return to the Premier League this summer, would you sign him for Manchester United?

How Manchester United could deal with the situation

Manchester United are long term admirers of Harry Kane, and were heavily criticised for failing to take the opportunity to sign him in 2023.

Can the club afford to pass on signing Harry Kane for a final time?

If and when Kane does seek to return to English football, United will face the dilemma of having to either sign the striker – or see him join a competitor.

Kane is still a prolific goalscorer in his early 30s, and while United are delighted with Benjamin Sesko’s progress, the Slovenian’s presence might not stop the club making a move.

It could echo how Anthony Martial’s debut season was stunted by Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s arrival as a free agent in 2016.

While Zlatan’s signing brought two trophies, the Martial aspect could have been handled more deftly.

This would be a dilemma for United to solve, but a positive one. Kane could actually help Sesko, and unlike Martial, he won’t be shunted out to play on the wing.

Competition for places is positive, and when you can sign one of the world’s elite strikers, generally you do it. Especially when they have a point to prove.

Whether it is in 2026, 2027, or 2028, the Harry Kane question is one Manchester United may need to make a decision on.

Micky van de Ven has emerged as a Manchester United target following Tottenham Hotspur’s struggles, which leave them in a battle for Premier League survival.

Manchester United will have plans to strengthen the squad in the summer, with many of the players being linked to Old Trafford having Premier League experience under their belt.

That helped Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha hit the ground running when they signed for United last summer, whereas Benjamin Sesko endured a slower start following his transfer from RB Leipzig.

It remains to be seen who United will prioritise as targets in the summer, but Ineos will be keeping an eye on the Premier League relegation battle and how that could impact the market with clubs like Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest in a relegation dogfight.

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Would you take a risk on Micky Van den Ven?

Man Utd alerted to Micky van de Ven availability

As things stand, Tottenham are one point clear of the bottom three.

It may be unthinkable for Tottenham fans, a year on from beating United in the Europa League final, that they could be relegated to the Championship.

The only way Igor Tudor, the newly appointed head coach, can turn things around is by winning football matches. The problem is Tottenham are showing no signs of doing that at the moment.

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Nottingham Forest are another club United will be watching closely due to players like Elliot Anderson and Morgan Gibbs-White being on the club’s radar ahead of the transfer window.

Relegation for both clubs would likely result in a mass exodus, with several key figures moving on instead of spending next season playing in the Championship.

According to the Daily Mail, United and Liverpool have been alerted regarding the availability of Micky van de Ven.

While there were talks over a new contract, it is believed they are now on hold amid fears of relegation.

The problem for Van de Ven is that Tottenham would demand a huge fee for the Netherlands centre back.

Van de Ven may be quick, but there are better centre-backs in the Premier League, plus United have yet to decide whether Harry Maguire will be getting a new contract at the end of the season.

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Micky van de Ven record against Man Utd

Van de Ven has played against United six times since joining United, including the 2025 Europa League final.

The only game Van de Ven lost against United came in February, when Cristian Romero was sent off before Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes got on the scoresheet.

Van de Ven, 24, has also won three matches and drawn two against United.

Despite the high-intensity nature of these games, he has only picked up two yellow cards in his six appearances against the Red Devils.

Michael Carrick’s chances of landing the Manchester United job could be boosted by his former club Tottenham.

When Ineos made the decision to appoint Michael Carrick as interim head coach, the plan was to appoint a more well-known name in the summer permanently.

But after Carrick’s unbeaten start in his first five matches, United fans want Carrick to stay permanently.

Prove me wrong: Michael Carrick has already shown enough to become permanent Man United manager.

According to Gary Neville’s conversations with club chiefs, Ineos have begun the process of appointing a permanent head coach, including speaking to candidates. Carrick is among the favourites, and without United even playing his chances are going up.

Tottenham recently sacked United candidate Thomas Frank, and now they are also on the lookout for a new manager.

Tottenham could appoint Man United target Roberto De Zerbi

When Erik ten Hag was sacked, Ineos interviewed Roberto De Zerbi as one of the top candidates for the United job.

United ended up opting for Ruben Amorim and Roberto De Zerbi headed to Marseille. But De Zerbi’s exit from Marseille this month means he is available.

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According to BBC Sport, though, De Zerbi is open to taking the Tottenham job after Frank’s sacking.

Would you want Roberto de Zerbi to be Manchester United’s next permanent manager?

What reasons for and against stand out to you?

Spurs currently find themselves involved in a relegation fight in the Premier League, so they can hardly afford to wait until the summer for a manager appointment.

Carrick was linked with the Tottenham job after Frank’s sacking too, but De Zerbi heading to North London could be the next domino to fall for him to land the United job.

Roberto De Zerbi joins list of Man United targets dropping out

If De Zerbi does head to Tottenham, he would join a growing list of managerial candidates who have dropped out of the race for the United hot seat.

Luis Enrique, Carlo Ancelotti and Thomas Tuchel are unavailable for various reasons, meaning the only top candidates left available are Julian Nagelsmann, Andoni Iraola and Oliver Glasner.

But out of those remaining options, the temptation to give Carrick the permanent job must be growing internally at Old Trafford.

For once, Manchester United are not the big six club in turmoil, with Tottenham potentially in the relegation battle as they search for a new head coach.

Thomas Frank has been relieved of his duties at Tottenham after two wins in 17 games, one of which was Manchester United’s 2-0 win at Old Trafford.

This has sparked a race for them to appoint a new manager to steer the club clear of relegation, with Michael Carrick on Tottenham’s manager list in the event he is available come the end of this season.

Following Frank’s exit, former Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou has appeared on the Stick to Football podcast and admitted he wanted to sign one player currently at United.

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Ange Postecoglou wanted Bryan Mbeumo at Tottenham

Postecoglou beat Ruben Amorim in the Europa League final last season to get Tottenham into the Champions League this season, but he was sacked anyway, with Frank his replacement, to little success.

Now, in perfect timing, Postecoglou has discussed all things Tottenham, including admitting his desire to sign Bryan Mbeumo.

Speaking on the latest episode of Stick to Football, Postecoglou voiced his annoyance over Tottenham’s lack of ambition in the transfer market, stating that he wanted to sign Mbeumo in 2024.

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“I was looking at Pedro Neto and Mbeumo and Semenyo at the time, Marc Guehi, because I said we need it if we’re going to go from fifth to there, that’s what the other big clubs would do in that moment.”

This would have been a seriously impressive transfer window and similar to United’s last summer with Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.

Manchester United are lucky Mbeumo didn’t join Tottenham

United weren’t in for Mbeumo in 2024 with Erik ten Hag persisting with Antony and Alejandro Garnacho. This could have ended badly if Mbeumo went to Spurs and impressed.

Sam Allardyce has labelled Mbeumo ‘dynamite’ for United this season as the Cameroon international shot to 10 goals in his debut season.

“Mbeumo, particularly, I think he’s dynamite, me.”

Mbeumo has been top class for United, scoring more than any other player this season despite some concerning performances.

The biggest positive of the forward has been how inevitable he has become for the club, scoring and assisting even when he’s not at his best.

Mbeumo has been an excellent signing, and to think he might’ve been at Spurs if Postecoglou had his way.

Manchester United had a helping hand to beat Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend thanks to an early red card for the visitors.

There was no disputing that Cristian Romero deserved his red card for his tackle on Casemiro.

Romero slid in late and aggressively and Casemiro was fortunate to escape an injury. There was no hesitation from the referee.

The Argentine has come in for heavy criticism in the media as he now faces a four-game ban, at a time when Tottenham are low on players. It was his second red card of the season.

He made the tackle when the game was scoreless, with Manchester United going on to win 2-0.

Despite Romero’s low moment, he has a high-profile admirer…

Paul Scholes would ‘love’ Cristian Romero at Manchester United…

What do you make of this?!

Paul Scholes on Cristian Romero

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes spoke about Cristian Romero on his latest podcast.

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Scholes did not argue that Romero deserved the red card, but spoke as a player who has seen his fair share of dismissals for bad tackles.

“We’ve all been there. It always looks worse in slow-motion”, he told The Good, The Bad & The Football.

Scholes then added: “I love watching him. I think his head’s checked out at Spurs. I’d love him at United.”

Elaborating further, Scholes added: “I just love the character of him.”

Romero is currently contracted to Tottenham until 2029 after signing a contract extension last summer. He joined the club in 2022.

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The Lisandro Martinez factor

Manchester United’s priority in the transfer window is to sign two midfielders, and everything else will follow after that.

Whether United need a new centre-back depends on whether an extension is given to Harry Maguire, who is set to become a free agent this summer without a new deal.

Whether Romero enters United’s thinking could be a long-shot, but he is Premier League proven and might be keen to leave Spurs. It is unlikely they will have Champions League football next season, or any European football at all.

Romero is close friends with Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez and is his centre-back partner for Argentina.

United could get a look at how they fare together at the upcoming World Cup.

Thomas Frank has spotlighted a major difference between Manchester United and Tottenham ahead of Spurs’ visit to Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.

The 52-year-old Tottenham head coach, who was once linked with Manchester United, is under enormous pressure going into the Premier League match this weekend.

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Thomas Frank left Brentford at the end of the 2024-25 campaign and succeeded former Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou at the Premier League club last summer.

However, Spurs have been woeful in the Premier League under Frank this season and Tottenham languish in 14th place ahead of the Man Utd match on Saturday.

Tottenham were able to rescue an important Premier League point at home last Sunday, with Spurs securing a 2-2 comeback draw against Manchester City.

What Thomas Frank thinks stands out about Man Utd’s season compared with Tottenham’s campaign

Manchester United, unlike Tottenham, have seen a major turnaround in their Premier League campaign after the arrival of Michael Carrick at Old Trafford.

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Michael Carrick was installed as Red Devils interim boss last month and will remain in the role at the Premier League club until the end of the 2025-26 season.

How worried are you about Matthijs de Ligt and Mason Mount’s injury battles?

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Thursday, Frank insisted that United have benefited from not competing in European football in the current campaign.

“I also think it’s maybe a nice little context to say that Man United don’t play European football,” he said, as per Tottenham’s official website.

“I think we can all acknowledge there’s a little bit… It’s an extra challenge. It’s something we embrace and we’re happy with.”

Thomas Frank on Tottenham’s ‘challenges’ compared with Man Utd in the 2025-26 campaign

Spurs secured European football in the 2024-25 campaign after Tottenham defeated United in the 2025 Europa League final at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao.

United were reduced to a 40-match season after the club made early exits from the League Cup and the FA Cup under Ruben Amorim and Darren Fletcher respectively.

Should Ruben Amorim have been FIRED right after the Europa League Final defeat?

Frank insisted that his main focus remains on picking up three Premier League points against United when Spurs visit Old Trafford for their huge clash.

“So, I think let’s judge us when we are on the same, how can I say, challenges,” he added.

“The ambition is that we want to do very well and carry on with the good performances and beat Man United in two days’ time.”

Manchester United’s preparations to face Tottenham Hotspur this weekend are taking shape, and two players may not be involved.

Michael Carrick and his staff are preparing the Manchester United team for battle against Tottenham this weekend. Two first team stars could be missing.

United’s players were pictured in training at Carrington, with 17-year-old Yuel Helafu and JJ Gabriel, 15, among those present.

Two key stars were absent, and it is becoming a trend. Matthijs de Ligt and Mason Mount were both missing from the session as their injury troubles continue.

How worried are you about Matthijs de Ligt and Mason Mount’s injury battles?

Matthijs de Ligt’s long road back

Matthijs de Ligt has not played for Manchester United since the 2-1 away win over Crystal Palace on November 30.

His injury was originally expected to be a short-term problem, with De Ligt reported to have a back issue.

Speaking at his press conference ahead of the Arsenal game, Michael Carrick tried his best to explain De Ligt’s situation and offer a timeline for a return.

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“He had a bit of a setback before I arrived, only small, but he was a little bit slower than we had liked. He’s getting closer, and hopefully, in the next couple of weeks, he will be back and around it.”

At present De Ligt is still not fit enough to train. Fortunately he is the only centre-back out with injury at present, with Harry Maguire recovering from his problem.

De Ligt scored United’s equaliser in the 2-2 draw against Tottenham in the last meeting and he had been the club’s best defender in the opening months of the season.

That makes his ongoing injury problems more frustrating. It is his second major spell out with injury since arriving at the club in 2024.

De Ligt’s injury at the end of last season saw him miss out on the Europa League Final, a potentially costly absence.

Man Utd HAVE to turn this record around vs Spurs this time…

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Mason Mount’s on-off problems

Mason Mount did feature in the opening game under Michael Carrick, coming off the bench to score a goal that was disallowed in stoppage time.

Carrick says he is a big fan of Mason Mount, however, the club’s number seven is out with another injury.

Mount was an unused substitute against Arsenal, but failed to make the squad for the Fulham fixture.

Speaking ahead of the Fulham game, Carrick said: “He took a bit of a knock in training, but it’s nothing serious.

“We’re disappointed he is not with us today but he’ll be back very soon.”

Mount is yet to return, and while he could pop up in training before the weekend, United fans are well used to his absences at this point.

This is Mount’s third spell out with injury this season, although fortunately both previous times have only been brief spells on the sidelines.

The previous one was frustrating as it came at a point United were relying on him, with Bruno Fernandes suffering a rare injury in late December. Mount then compounded the issue.

This season he has actually played more than previously, making 10 Premier League starts, compared to 13 combined across his first two seasons at the club.

It would be helpful to Mount’s cause if he could finish the season strongly, with United set for another squad makeover in midfield this summer.

Manchester United’s managerial situation is not an easy one to solve. And we are not the only ones having trouble.

There is constant pressure as a Premier League manager, with Ruben Amorim always just one loss away from an ongoing debate over his future.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has urged patience and is seeking a long-term evaluation, with it clear that Ineos have no desire to rip up this current project and start again.

Ratcliffe’s stance is driven by a desire not to have to admit to an error, but also because there is no obvious alternative to Amorim.

The 7 managers contacted by Ineos about the Man United job before Ruben Amorim’s appointment

One manager who was twice linked was former Brentford boss Thomas Frank, before he was later hired by Tottenham.

Ratcliffe held face-to-face talks with Frank following the 2024 FA Cup Final, and he was once again considered once Erik ten Hag was sacked – before United opted for Amorim.

Amorim’s time at United has been challenging, and Frank represented an alternative who was another up and coming manager – but one with Premier League experience.

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He is now getting the chance to show what he can do with Tottenham Hotspur, and the results have been underwhelming.

Tottenham fans point out Frank problems

One of the biggest problems Manchester United fans had with Erik ten Hag, was the lack of a cohesive playing style with his teams.

Ruben Amorim has committed to a style of play, but there is ongoing debate over how effective his tactics are.

Tottenham lost 3-0 to Nottingham Forest at the weekend, slipping to 11th in the table. They have now lost three of their last five matches.

The honeymoon period for Frank at Tottenham is long gone, and fans on social media have been lamenting a disconnect with the club, and his tactics.

One fan wrote: “The next manager MUST bring a clear identity and style. Even if it doesn’t always work, at least there’s something to hold onto. Right now, we have nothing.”

A second responded: “Frank is an embarrassment of a football manager and I know 100% that this IS the worst I’ve ever felt as a Spurs fan!”

A third wrote: “I don’t think Thomas Frank understands what sort of Club he’s at. We aren’t Prime Barcelona but we still have standards.”

Another added: “It’s tough/draining and pointless getting behind a project when we have no faith in the manager.”

And a fifth wrote: “It is truly a numbing experience. Losing to Sean Dyche of all people when in bad form overall should be an automatic sacking.”

“I’m feeling greater apathy than ever before,” added another.

Are you confident Ruben Amorim is the right head coach for Man Utd?

Tottenham hoped to avoid United error

Manchester United’s poor 2023/24 season was covered up by the FA Cup Final win over City. And amid the emotion of winning the cup, United decided to keep Erik ten Hag. He was fired months later after a poor start to 2024/25.

Tottenham found themselves at a similar dilemma after Ange Postecoglou won the Europa League, offsetting a terrible league campaign.

Spurs fired Postecoglou right away, and hired Thomas Frank as his replacement.

It was a decision Ineos considered at the time, and chose not to take.

Whether Frank would be doing better than Amorim is like splitting hairs. He might even have been a downgrade.

What we are seeing from his Tottenham stint so far is that there is no reason for Ineos to regret their decision not to hire him.

Ruben Amorim must think twice before he rolls the dice with one Manchester United star to help fill the void left behind by Benjamin Sesko’s injury setback.

The 40-year-old Manchester United manager suffered a real headache during the Tottenham match ahead of the start of the November international break.

Benjamin Sesko was forced off the pitch in the second half of United’s 2-2 Premier League draw with Tottenham after he initially came off the bench after the break.

Amorim provided an update about Sesko after the match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but the picture was not clear on the extent of the injury to the striker.

Who should start as striker for Man Utd with Benjamin Sesko injured?

It has since been revealed that the 22-year-old Slovenian forward has suffered a knee injury and Sesko will be out of action for United for around a month.

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Ruben Amorim cannot turn to Matheus Cunha as a makeshift Man Utd replacement for Benjamin Sesko

Benjamin Sesko has struggled to deliver consistent goalscoring numbers in a Manchester United shirt since his move from German side RB Leipzig in August.

The ex-RB Leipzig ace has only netted twice in 12 matches across all competitions for United, despite impressing at times with other parts of his playing style.

Ruben Amorim could now be left to experiment with his lone striker option, with the United head coach facing another dilemma on who to play in Sesko’s place.

The obvious candidate would be the in-form Bryan Mbeumo, but United are likely to lose their summer signing next month for the start of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Joshua Zirkzee has been tipped to leave United in January and the out-of-favour Red Devils striker has struggled for minutes under Amorim in the 2025-26 campaign.

Amorim could use either Mason Mount or Matheus Cunha in a false nine type of role, but the United boss should consider the former over the latter in Sesko’s absence.

Gary O’Neil’s approach with Matheus Cunha at Wolves paints the full picture for Man Utd manager Ruben Amorim

Matheus Cunha has played behind the striker for the Brazil national team, but the United summer signing’s biggest strength is drifting in from the left of attack.

Gary O’Neil coached the 26-year-old Brazilian forward at Wolves and even tried to convert Cunha into a striker role during his first season in charge at the Molineux.

However, the 42-year-old former Wolves manager insisted that Cunha’s attacking flair from the left-hand side would be lost at the expense of the player being a poacher.

“He obviously has some fantastic individual attributes that can unlock things and get you up the pitch, but every time the ball is crossed, I need my No 9 to be a threat. You have to be,” Gary O’Neil said, as per Sky Sports in June.

“If you use [Erling] Haaland as the best example, he can go minutes without touching the ball, but he is constantly making runs threatening the backline, making space for others, and you know that as soon as the ball comes across he is going to be sliding in.”

Wayne Rooney has agreed that a decision made by Ruben Amorim was somewhat questionable as Manchester United drew to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on the weekend.

The Red Devils took the lead through Bryan Mbeumo, with the Cameroonian’s first-half header putting United in the ascendancy.

But after a dispirited second half, Tottenham fought back to lead through goals from Mathys Tel and Richarlison.

Matthijs de Ligt saved United’s blushes with a last-gasp header, but it was a rather disappointing result considering how long Amorim’s side held the lead.

Wayne Rooney on Casemiro sub in Man United vs Tottenham

This is something Wayne Rooney reflected on, and agreed with his BBC co-host that part of the reason the performance went downhill was due to Casemiro’s departure.

The co-host said, “I think sometimes Amorim’s substitutions baffle me. And I thought yesterday [Saturday], he should have let Casemiro see the game out and give him a rest next week if need be.

Rooney responded: “Well, he hasn’t got a game next week, has he? It’s the international break.

“So yeah, unless he was physically really tired or had a knock, we don’t know. But, yeah, he probably should have kept him on.

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“And as a manager, when you’re making changes, you hope they pay off – because obviously when they do, it’s great, and everyone turns around saying, “Oh, that was a great decision.”

“But sometimes they don’t, and so it’s a big thing.”

Casemiro leaves United with an injury concern after the Spurs game, with the 33-year-old’s departure from the pitch an unplanned one. So if this is the case, Amorim can’t be given too much stick.

Casemiro has turned his form around at United, and it was undeniable that when the Brazilian left the frame at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, there were gaps in the Red Devils midfield.

Manuel Ugarte ineffective against Tottenham

The man who vacated Casemiro’s position was the Uruguayan midfielder, Manuel Ugarte, who has struggled since he arrived at United.

This was no different against Tottenham, with Ugarte proving ineffective and actually detrimental to Amorim’s side. There were definitely better players on the pitch.

Who was the Man Utd MOTM vs Tottenham?

The be-all and end-all is that United need a new six. Casemiro is fine for now, but hasn’t got long left, which means the next point of call in the transfer market is the deep-lying playmaker role.