Tottenham Hotspur welcome Manchester United to their stadium on Thursday night clash after enduring a devastating weekend.
While the host lost 6-1 to Newcastle on Sunday, Manchester United broke Brighton’s heart to set up a Manchester Derby FA Cup final.
Match preview
Daniel Levy, Tottenham Hotspur owner, blasted his side’s performance against Newcastle last weekend and described it “Wholly unacceptable” and “devastating.”
Stellini who was recently appointed after Conte was sacked was inevitably sacked from his post after 24 hours following the loss.
Spurs are now six points behind Man United and Newcastle – who have both played fewer games – while Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool could also leapfrog the Lilywhites should they win their games in hand.
Ryan Mason who replaced Stellini has some level of top-level management as he oversaw the team after Mourinho left in 2021.
But Bournemouth who lose earlier in the month to end a five-game winning home run in the Premier League, will take something special for them to make the top four this season.
Man United and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Wembley encounter was entertaining as both sides failed to find the back of the net even at extra time.
The match lastest 120 minutes of breathless action in the capital, but in the penalty shootout – Solly March blazed his penalty over the top before Victor Lindelof won the game for United.
Reaching the FA Cup final was a compensation for United after Sevilla inflicted pain to United and threw them out of the Europa League.
However, their three-game winning streak in the Premier League has allowed them to open up a six-point lead over Spurs in fourth place.
Newcastle United are also only above Erik ten Hag’s men on goal difference having played a game more.
The last time Manchester United met with Tottenham, they had a straightforward 2-0 triumph over Spurs in October, who knows what will happen this time.
Tottenham Hotspur V Man United Team News
The 6-1 demolishing by Newcastle was not enough blow for Tottenham, they also had their Keeper Lloris taken off at halftime, following that, their caretake manager was sacked.
Also, other players on the injury list includes; Rodrigo Bentancur (knee), Emerson Royal (knee), Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring) and Yves Bissouma (ankle).
Stellini’s back-four experiment ended in disaster, and new appointee Mason would look to try other formations to see how Spurs can manage.
Man United also start the week with injury concerns as Bruno Fernandes picked up a knock in extra time on Sunday and has since been photographed with crutches and a protective boot at home.
Ten Hag is expected to give an update on Fernandes’s fitness in his pre-game press conference, but the images do not look good for the Portuguese, as he joins Donny van de Beek (knee), Alejandro Garnacho (ankle), Tom Heaton (ankle), Phil Jones (knee), Lisandro Martinez (foot) and Raphael Varane (ankle) on the injury list.
Luke Shaw and Victor Lindelof held firm at Wembely, and Harry Maguire who is back from suspension may not even start the match.
Probable Line-Up
Tottenham Hotspur probable starting lineup:
Forster; Romero, Dier, Davies; Porro, Hojbjerg, Skipp, Perisic; Kulusevski, Kane, Son
Manchester United probable starting lineup:
De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw; Eriksen, Casemiro, Sabitzer; Antony, Martial, Rashford
Tottenham Hotspur V Man United Prediction
Spurs have not drawn a match in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since 2021 and the team’s spirit might be high under Mason’s leadership.
Manchester United were almost sent packing in the FA Cup semi-finals if not for Solly March’s miss, and Tottenham could capitalize on the absence of creator-in-chief Fernandes.
Manchester United struggled against Sevilla in the Europa League as the Portuguese was absent from the line-up.
In this match, we at Futballnews is predicting the match to end in a 1-1 draw.
