On Wednesday, the third- and fifth-place teams in the Premier League face at Old Trafford, with Manchester United looking to get back on track.
United played to a scoreless draw against Newcastle United in their most recent match, while Antonio Conte’s Chelsea team defeated Everton 2-0.
Our Match Preview: Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur
Jadon Sancho and Callum Wilson were denied penalty penalties by Craig Pawson during Man United and Newcastle’s goalless draw on Sunday.
Joelinton hit the post twice in a few seconds before Cristiano Ronaldo believed he had scored by intercepting Nick Pope’s free kick. Pawson disagreed. Erik ten Hag must pick up the pieces after his side’s three-game winning streak ended on Sunday.
The fifth-placed Red Devils are currently three points behind Chelsea after nine matches. The Dutchman felt there were things to take from the match with Eddie Howe’s side, but even in Man United’s triumphs over Omonia and Everton, the Red Devils were far from convincing.
Newcastle interrupted Man United’s eight-game Premier League scoring run at Old Trafford last week, but just two of their past 17 games in front of their supporters have finished in loss, and no club has more Wednesday wins than United’s 72.
Tottenham Hotspur was on the right end of a contentious penalty ruling against Everton, as Harry Kane took a fall over Jordan Pickford and scored to put Spurs ahead.
Some believed Kane went down too easily under Pickford’s charge in his 400th Spurs match, but Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s drive hit Alex Iwobi and went in.
Antonio Conte’s side had to be patient to break through Everton’s tough defense, and they were rewarded by going level on points with Manchester City in third place after the champions’ defeat to Liverpool and keeping their distance to leaders Arsenal at four.
The North London team has won three straights in all competitions, but they have only won two of seven away games this season and scored three goals in their past five.
Ronaldo’s hat-trick propelled Man United to a 3-2 win in this match last season, which came a few months after the Red Devils sacked Nuno Espirito Santo with a 3-0 win in North London. Conte is in danger of suffering a fourth successive loss away to the Red Devils as a manager.
Our Team News: Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur
Axel Tuanzebe (undisclosed), Brandon Williams (undisclosed), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (muscle), Harry Maguire (hamstring), Donny van de Beek (muscle), and Anthony Martial (back) all missed Monday’s match with Newcastle and are not expected to play on Wednesday.
Maguire and Martial are close to returning, but they will not be a factor this week. On the other hand, Martin Dubravka and Scott McTominay will be available again after being held out over the weekend due to ineligibility and suspension, respectively.
It is uncertain whether Christian Eriksen will be able to play against his former club due to an illness, so McTominay and Casemiro could start in the midfield.
If Cristiano Ronaldo can convince Ten Hag to keep him in the starting lineup, he will try to repeat his hat trick from last year’s matchup. In any case, I am sure Marcus Rashford will have some comments about it.
Also, Spurs have some new injury worries ahead of Wednesday’s encounter as Richarlison fell with a calf injury in the second half of Everton’s match and was later seen leaving the stadium with crutches.
Conte has already ruled out the Brazilian for this match due to concerns that he may miss the World Cup, while Dejan Kulusevski is questionable after regressing in his rehabilitation from a hamstring injury.
Moreover, although Matt Doherty continues to fill in for Emerson Royal, Royal will sit out the last game of his ban. Spurs are without Kulusevski and Richarlison due to injury, so they will switch to a 3-5-2, with Yves Bissouma coming into the starting lineup.
Harry Kane will be looking to become the first Spurs player to score in six consecutive Premier League games.
While Conte said in his pregame news conference that he intended to maintain a 3-4-3 formation with Perisic playing farther up front, it is unclear whether or if this was just psychological tinkering on the part of the 53-year-old coach.
- Manchester United possible starting lineup: De Gea, Dalot, Varane, Martinez, Malacia, Casemiro, McTominay, Antony, Fernandes, Sancho, Rashford.
- Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup: Lloris, Romero, Dier, Davies, Doherty, Hojbjerg, Bissouma, Bentancur, Perisic, Son, Kane.
Our Prediction: Manchester United 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
The entrance of Bissouma was crucial in Tottenham’s victory against Everton, but the Lilywhites have mostly overachieved away from home this season, while Manchester United is a difficult nut to crack at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils will be buoyed by their recent run of goal-filled victories against the Lilywhites, but we see a low-scoring draw as the most probable outcome of this Big Six showdown between Conte’s resilient crop and Ten Hag’s squad.