Manchester United vs Tottenham combined XI

Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United - Premier League
De Gea in action against Brighton

CDM: Nemanja Matic (Man Utd)

Serbia v Brazil: Group E - 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia
Mourinho will be praying for Matic to be fit by Monday

Tottenham's options in midfield currently are limited to Eric Dier, Moussa Sissoko and Victor Wanyama, with Moussa Dembele's future still up in the air, and that's why Matic gets in ahead of them in spite of not being 100% fit yet.

Matic was one of United's best outfield players last season, expertly shielding the defence and starting attacks from the back. His absence was sorely felt last Sunday, as Brighton picked apart Mourinho's midfield with embarrassing ease.

New signing Fred has not justified his price tag so far, and still has some work to do. If Matic is deemed fit to play on Monday, he should start ahead of the Brazilian.

CM: Paul Pogba (Man Utd)

Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United - Premier League
Pogba nets his second of the season against Brighton

Pogba himself admitted after the loss to Brighton that his attitude wasn't right, but even when he isn't in form, he is one of the best midfielders in England.

He did put on a splendid performance against Leicester, which shows that his consistency is the issue and not his talent. He has also captained United in both their matches so far, but will need to show the same leadership qualities he displayed with France at the World Cup.

Tottenham will prove to be very hard to break down, and Mourinho will need Pogba to be at his creative best on Monday, while also remembering his duties elsewhere on the pitch.

CM: Dele Alli (Tottenham)

Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham - Premier League
Dele in action against Fulham

Alli received criticism for an uneventful World Cup with England, but the 22-year-old has always been better for Tottenham than for his country.

He's already scored this season and will look to build upon a rather underwhelming 2017/18 campaign when he scored just 9 goals (as compared to 18 goals in the season before that).

While his quirky celebrations might be diverting the attention away from his performances on the pitch, United and Mourinho simply cannot afford to take him lightly.

Quick Links