Manchester United-Tottenham is a match valid for the twenty-first day of the Premier League and is played Sunday at 5:30pm: TV, lineups, predictions.
The highlight match of this unusual Premier League Sunday with barely two games on the schedule is staged at Old Trafford between Manchester United and Tottenham, two teams currently distant in the standings – Spurs have 8 points more – but both aspiring for a place among the top four in order to get back into the Champions League and face the best teams in Europe.
The year 2023 ended in the worst way for the Red Devils of an increasingly at-risk Erik ten Hag, who against Nottingham Forest collected their ninth defeat in this league. Yet another disappointing performance for one of the continent’s most prestigious clubs that, despite the money spent on the market, is unable to return to the levels of the Ferguson era. The fact is that after 20 days United is only eighth, tied on points with Brighton, and a long way from the Europe that counts. Ten Hag in his first outing of 2024 at least avoided what would have been another embarrassment against Wigan in the FA Cup, making it through the round of the nation’s most important cup with no problems (the two Portuguese nationals Dalot and Bruno Fernandes were in goal) and returning to keep his goal unbroken.
Werner ready to make his debut with Spurs
The real test, however, will be with Tottenham, one of the teams to make the race on to get back into contention for fourth place.
The Spurs are experiencing a diametrically opposite moment to that of the Red Devils. The crisis between November and December is only a distant memory, with Ange Postecoglou’s men having achieved three more successes since the victory with Newcastle – the last of them in the FA Cup with Burnley – surrendering only to Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton. Among other things, the club is one of the most active in the market. Two reinforcements have already arrived in attack and defense, namely former Chelsea man Werner and defender Dragusin, bought for 25 million euros plus bonuses from Genoa. The German is expected to start, while at the back there will be no Davies, who was injured against Burnley. Also absent are Sarr, Bissouma and Son, busy between the African and Asian Cups. As for United, it is doing everything to be there Lisandro Martinez, who has now recovered. Onana, on the other hand, will play his last game before joining his Cameroon side in Ivory Coast.
The prediction
The numerous absences Tottenham has to deal with make this challenge more balanced. And it is likely that the disappointing Manchester United will at least manage to avoid defeat. There should be no shortage of goals on the afternoon at Old Trafford: at least three overall.
The probable lineups of Manchester United-Tottenham
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1): Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Evans, Dalot; McTominay, Mainoo; Garnacho, Bruno Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund.
TOTTENHAM (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Pedro Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Udogie; Hojbjerg, Bentancur; Johnson, Kulusevski, Werner; Richarlison.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-2
