As the race for top 4 intensifies, 6th placed Manchester United host 5th placed Tottenham Hotspur in a bid to compete for a top 4 position. Both the teams have performed below their expected standards and would be looking to win this match to get their Premier League campaign back on track.
Manchester United have won only 1 match in their last 8 league matches, 2 in the last 11 matches and have drawn a whopping six times. Their performances have been a huge improvement over last season’s but the results have just not gone their way. With 21 points in the 14 league matches so far, it has been United’s worst ever start to the season in Premier League era.
Spurs themselves have only 27 points so far this season but they broke their run of consecutive draws at 4. After a speedbump against Chelsea, they have won the last match 5-0 against Swansea and seem to have gotten their act together finally.
Both the teams will be fighting for their lives and the margin for error will be none. Here, we look at 3 key battles that will affect the outcome of the match:
#1 Harry Kane vs Phil Jones
Harry Kane had a frustrating start to the season with 3 goalless games. It seemed like he was getting back to his scoring ways after goals against Stoke and Sunderland in consecutive games. However, fate had other plans as he was sidelined for more than 6 weeks with an injury.
The 23-year-old English striker has been in tremendous form since his return with 9 goals in the last 9 matches he has played. Spurs have always struggled in the last 2 years whenever Kane hasn’t been scoring and this season is also moving in the same direction.
The job to keep Harry Kane in check will be given to his English counterpart, Phil Jones. The 24-year-old centre-back has played 5 matches in a row for the first time since 2013 and Jose Mourinho has done the impossible of keeping him fit.
Jones may not have improved much over the last few years as he was expected to, mainly due to his recurring injuries but he has been a solid centre back whenever fit. He is known for his famed performances against Real Madrid when he kept Cristiano Ronaldo and Di Maria in check playing as a defensive midfielder.
Jones’ best performances have come when played in a zonal defensive system under Sir Alex and Mourinho has implemented a similar system at Man Utd. With Harry Kane in a blistering form, Jones would have to make sure he loses no focus throughout the match.
#2 Henrikh Mkhitaryan vs Danny Rose
The Armenian captain has struggled to start a match for Man Utd this season. Mourinho had exiled him completely from the first team lineup and rumours were floating around that he will be sold in January without being given a chance.
However, Mkhitaryan has turned it around with his hard work and determination. Having impressed Mourinho with his professional attitude, he has taken the scarce chance he received with both hands.
Two man of the match performances in 3 matches and also Man Utd’s best attacker in the other match, Mkhitaryan has given a whole new dimension to their attack. The 27-year-old has produced 12 chances already with a chance created every 28 minutes since his return to the squad.
Danny Rose is possibly the weakest link in the Spurs’ defence but he enjoys the trust of Pochettino because of his consistency. Often known for his marauding runs than for his defensive contributions, Rose has grown into one of the best left-backs in the league.
With Danny Rose’s attacking ability, even Mkhitaryan has to remain aware of his defensive responsibilities. This battle on the wings will surely be one of the most explosive battles of the weekend.
#3 Zlatan Ibrahimovic vs Hugo Lloris
For most strikers, a tally of 8 goals in the league and 12 overall in the season so far would be quite satisfactory in the league. Not for this big Swede, not in this team.
The 35-year-old striker has missed the most clear cut chances this season and his finishing has been a huge letdown. Despite the inconsistent output, Zlatan has been troublesome for the defenders and the goalkeepers consistently. He has also been a tad unlucky that goalkeepers like West Ham’s Randolph and Burnley’s Heaton have produced performances of their lifetime against him.
Hugo Lloris has been his usual inconsistent self this season. Saving Spurs the blushes at one weekend while making sure they drop points a week later, the French Goalkeeper hasn’t been able to give consistency to his game.
Lloris is a sweeper keeper and is capable of frustrating his opponents regardless of the opposition when it’s his day. Against Man City, he made 6 saves, denying them goalscoring opportunities at every opportunity.
Against a machine like Ibrahimovic, Lloris needs to be at his very best to deny him a goal and make sure that Spurs need to stay in contention.
