The Premier League is continuing in its usual fascinating fashion and living up to the natural competitiveness as well as its charming and elegant football. As it progresses further in the 2021-22 edition, the EPL is bringing more and more exciting fixtures for the fans to make the weekend magical. In one of such games, the Red Devils from Manchester are squaring off against the Eagles of London. The White Hart Lane is gearing tonight up to host this mouth-watering fixture on Saturday night. United has been enduring a disastrous season this year and it’s getting worse with every passing day. OLE Gunnar Solakjær’s men are out to revive their season after a string of losses questioning their existence. No wonder that this game against Tottenham will be his final and decisive one as a United coach.
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Tottenham similarly is in the same position as that of United. They are only one point ahead of United and sitting in the seventh position. Nuno’s men started the season on an excellent note with three wins out-of-three but have lost the pace ever since. The Spurs’ players quickly need to regroup and play again some quality football in order to return back to his glory days. Can the Devils from Manchester return back to winning ways by shrugging off the Londoners or will the Eagles prove to be the perfect party spoiler?!
Why to Watch Out For
There is absolutely no reason in the world that can stop you from watching this match between the two PL giants. Two of the best clubs in Europe are going head-to-head against one another and so generally, expectations would be way higher. It’s high-time United should realize that the football they are delivering now won’t even guarantee them a top-10 finish now. The morale of the squad is really down and one needs a few outright wins to lift the atmosphere. And practically, this match will play a vital role in determining Solskjaer’s future. Tottenham has also not been much good across all competitions with the recent setbacks in the conference league further deteriorating it. Nuno Espirito Santo, though was promising in his first days as Spurs boss, is also now fighting to prove his worth.
So tomorrow’s match will witness a fight between two similar placed teams with both contesting for a top-four place. It remains to be seen who holds their nerves as well as plays better to come out on top over the other. The scheduled time for kick-off is 22:00 IST.
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Manchester United
Manchester United is traveling to North London on Saturday with an awful run of form in their mind. They have been terrible since the Newcastle game at Old Trafford. Since then, they’ve won only one Premier League game and that too came after De Gea saved a last-minute penalty. In the previous match, the hosts went down 0-5 to Liverpool in one of the most devastating defeats ever. A Salah Hat-trick coupled with goals from Naby Keita and Diogo Jota sealed the deal for the Reds. United was literally blown away by their counterparts. They had 64% (almost two-thirds possession of the ball) as well as unleashed 19 shots towards the opposition goal.
In the last five premier league games, they have won one, drawn one, and lost three. It’s certainly not upto the mark for a club of Manchester United’s caliber. Surely it’s not getting on with Ole and fans as well as football fanatics are waiting when Ole will be sacked. But if he needs to save the job, then the Tottenham match is a do-or-die one. Let’s see if the Devils can bounce back from their hat-trick of losses and bring enlightenment for the fans.
Tottenham Hotspur
The Eagles of north London are coming into the match on the back of a demoralizing away loss at the hands of WestHam. Michail Antonio’s 72nd-minute strike proved to be the decisive and decider one in the game. Tottenham played good football throughout the match but was less creative in the attacking third. They were the inferior side in terms of attack and that’s where they lost the match. Tottenham had only 7 shots compared to WestHam’s 13. But the away side maintained 63% (or two-thirds possession) but couldn’t make any mark till now. They played out a whopping 637 passes between them but always broke off while building attacks. And this is where Nuno needs to focus more.
No wonder Tottenham would be looking to rectify their mistakes and come back strongly in a dominant fashion. The attacking quad is misfiring a bit leaving Son and Nuno would hope they return back to their best. So, both teams are desperate for a win and it spices up the encounter even more!! Join us for an eventful Saturday night at White Hart Lane.
Team News
Manchester United
United will be playing against Spurs on Saturday with no such injury concerns on their mind. Only Paul Pogba will remain on the sidelines owing to his three-match suspension. The side should be boosted by the return of Raphael Varane into the squad. Apart from Pogba, there are no absentees as of now.
Tottenham Hotspur
Nuno Espirito Santo also won’t have much to ponder about injuries before facing United. They will only be without the services of Ryan Sessegnon who is out due to a long-term hamstring injury. Bryan Gil is also expected to miss out after picking up a thigh issue against Burnley. Apart from these two, Nuno has a fully fit squad to choose his starting XI from.
Head to Head
Manchester United has a clear-cut advantage in the head-to-head between the two teams staying way ahead. They have registered 93 wins out of the total 195 contested. Spurs have won 53 times while 49 matches have ended in a stalemate. The most recent fixtures between these two clubs saw a goal-fest contest. Last year Spurs thrashed United 6-1 and now this year United hammered the Spurs 3-1. It promises to be a high-scoring one this time too.
Players to watch out for
Manchester United
Cristiano Ronaldo
The Portuguese Superstar is still a delight to watch in Manchester United colors though at this age of 36. He is a constant threat in and around the box and doesn’t let any chance go the other way. His inhuman goalscoring abilities are an invaluable asset for his team. Against Spurs, Ole will be again Hoping that his star man dishes out a solid performance on stage. He will be eagerly waiting to increase his tally of 6 goals in Red Jersey.
David De Gea
The Spanish custodian has been one of the few positives from Manchester United’s calamitous season till now. On many occasions, he has stood out to be the lone savior for his team. He has started to reminisce his past glorious years again and has started to show up for United. Once again, to stop the mighty attacking duo of Son and Kane, Ole will have to depend on DeGea to give a worthy performance.
Spurs
Son Heung-Min
South Korean International is one of the most consistent players in the Premier League. He has performed for Spurs year in and year out becoming one of their most dependable men. Son has already scored four times in the Premier League with all of them coming at important times. He will be looking to polish his scoring boots once again against a drowning United side.
Pierre Emile Hojbjerg
Hojbjerg has turned out to be one of the best holding midfielders in the PremierLeague with his jaw-dropping performances. He maintains full control of the midfield for his team along with significant contributions in attack and defense. His long-range passing skills and through balls are a delight to watch. If the Spurs retain control of the midfield, the match is surely theirs. Hojbjerg will surely do his duties yet again on Saturday and show why he is such a gem of a player.
Conclusion
In all respects, it is going to be an enticing and enthralling match for the fans from all respects. Both the teams have to win it somehow to close the gap between the top four and them. Expect a fierce and goal-fest encounter to unleash between the two sides. So what to wait for, tighten your seat belts, and get ready to witness the battle between two off-paced clubs. Will Ole sneak out a win at the White Hart Lane and secure his job further this year or will Nuno dump him out of his managerial role with a win over him? Tune into the match to find out!!
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