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Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham have been on a roll at the moment. Their 1-0 victory against Chelsea in the semi-final of the EFL cup goes to show they are capable. Though Harry Kane’s goal was disputed, they still managed to put on a mature display to take the win to the second leg of the tie.
Against Manchester United on Sunday, they will have to dig deep again if they are to come out of the game with something. They will know that the 3-0 win they inflicted on Manchester United at Old Trafford earlier this season was during a different time.
The Manchester United they are going to face at Wembley will be a different side from the one they dismantled at Old Trafford. The team now seems to be rejuvenated and will be full of confidence having won five of their last games under their new manager.
Pochettino will want his side not to be cowed but play with the same vigor and swagger they played with at Old Trafford in their last outing. For them to pull off a win, they will have some players that will be instrumental for them.
Assuming that all are fit for this game, here are the players that will be instrumental for Tottenham against Manchester United.
#1 Harry Winks
Since Eric Dier isn’t expected to start a game anytime soon, the amazing Harry Winks will continue in his capacity as a defensive midfielder against United. Harry Winks will be the one tasked with keeping an eye out for the deep runners from the Manchester United midfield and help ensure that his defence isn’t overrun.
He will also be the one who will be recycling possession for Tottenham and quickly turning defence into attack. He has proved that he is quite capable of doing the same this season. He has undoubtedly been in sensational form.
Against Manchester United, Winks is likely to come up against Paul Pogba who has been in sensational form as well under Ole Gunnar. He will want to get the better of the French superstar, to ensure that his team picks up something from this tie.
Winks has already shown that he has experience that trumps his age and Manchester United will have a tough quarterback to deal with here.
#2 Harry Kane
England’s national team skipper Harry Kane is going to have a say on how this match ends. He has been clinical against United in the past and would want to make a statement and have a significant influence on this game.
Manchester United’s backline has been their weakest point this season, and Harry Kane will want to exploit that weakness thoroughly. He will drag defenders out of position with his clever runs across the goal, and when they fall asleep even for a second, Harry Kane will be there to punish them.
Even when he’s not scoring, Harry Kane will want to have a say in this game. He will drop deep into the midfield to hustle the Manchester United players for possession, and as he has proved before, he can pick a perfect pass from those areas.
Manchester United will need to be watchful of the clinical England striker, but either way, he will have a considerable bearing on how things go in the game.
#3 Toby Alderweireld
When you talk of Toby Alderweireld, you are speaking of one of the finest defenders in the Premier League today, if not the world. He’s everything that you’d expect your defender to be. Quick across the grass, dominant in the air, has the physique, wins tackles and reads the game quite well.
Also, one other thing that will make him stand out in this game is his ability to pick a pass from deep. Manchester United will have to throw everything at him if they are to try and win this game. And if he is in the form he has been, that will be tough for them. A natural born leader in his right, Alderweireld will marshal the back line, and Manchester United players may not get a kick in the Tottenham area.
When the midfield gets overcrowded as you can expect from this type of game, Toby will be tasked in ensuring that his attackers get the ball with his diagonal passes. He will also do all he can to ensure that his team keeps a clean sheet in this fixture.
#4 Dele Alli
Another player who will have a massive influence for Tottenham against Manchester United is Dele Alli. The young English midfielder is one of the best players in the Premier League when on his stride. Alli has all the attributes to worry any opponent that he comes across. The problem is, he doesn’t show it quite often.
But you got to have a feeling that against United, he will want to show off all his special skills and worry the United backline. With amazing technical ability and prowess in the air, the Manchester United defence will want to keep a close watch on the attacking midfielder. He can spot a pass from deep, and he will move around the flanks to pick up the ball and also pop in around the penalty area.
Alli is quite a handful to defend against when he is on a stride and a big stage like this game, he is sure to have something special planned.
