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The 2020-21 edition of the Premier League continues with Manchester United taking on Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.
The Red Devils are in buoyant mood following their mid-week success against Granada in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final. Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur will return to league action after a week since drawing 2-2 away at Newcastle United.
Manchester United are second in the Premier League table, with 60 points from 30 matches. Tottenham Hotspur, meanwhile, are in seventh place with 49 points and vying for a Champions League berth.
Manchester United will look to exact revenge for their 1-6 drubbing at the hands of Jose Mourinho's men in October. However, Manchester United have come a long way since then, stringing a series of wins to climb to second in the league table, while Tottenham Hotspur have blown hot and cold.
Nevertheless, an enticing matchup could ensue when the two teams lock horns on Sunday. On that note, let's have a look at five key battles that could determine the outcome of the game.
#1 Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) vs Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Manchester United)
Son Heung-Min is expected to retain his usual place in the Tottenham Hotspur starting lineup against Manchester United, taking up the left flank in either a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3.
He could come up against Manchester United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who has made a name for himself in the last few years by shutting down ace wingers.
Son is known to cut inside and attempt right-footed curlers or make darting runs inside the box, which means Wan-Bissaka will have to be positionally aware and not get caught napping.
The Spurs winger is also a proficient dribbler. With Wan-Bissaka also an expert tackler, this could be a mouth-watering matchup.
#2 Tanguy Ndombele (Tottenham Hotspur) vs Fred Rodrigues (Manchester United)
Tanguy Ndombele and Fred Rodrigues could duel in the middle of the park. But the duo will have different roles for their respective teams.
Ndombele will be expected to break the Manchester United press and release the Tottenham Hotspur forwards on the break. Rodrigues, meanwhile, will likely reprise his role of breaking up play and shuttling up and down the pitch.
Ole Gunnar Solksjaer will mostly likely command the Brazilian to disrupt Tanguy Ndombele's rhythm. So it will be intriguing to see which midfielder comes out on top in this enticing duel.
Also Read: Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United — Combined XI | Premier League 2020-21.
#3 Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) vs Serge Aurier (Tottenham Hotspur)
Manchester United prefer to play on the counter-attack, thanks to their pacy forward line.
Academy product Marcus Rashford symbolises the aforementioned philosophy, as his immaculate first touch and decisive finishing make him a lethal customer on the break.
However, Rashford could have a slightly trickier assignment on Sunday, as he will come up against Cote d'Ivoire international Serge Aurier.
The former PSG man has been in and out of Tottenham Hotspur's playing XI this season due to personal and fitness-related reasons. While Jose Mourinho has chopped and changed at the right-back position several times, he has certainly looked the best of the lot.
Rashford could be a major goal threat against Tottenham Hotspur, so Aurier's handling of the English international could be a deciding factor in the match.
#4 Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) vs Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg (Tottenham Hotspur)
Bruno Fernandes has been in stellar form for Manchester United this campaign, especially in the Premier League, where he has registered 16 goals and 11 assists.
He is a strong contender to win the PFA Player of the Year award, and Sunday's game will be another opportunity for him to be a difference-maker for Manchester United.
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho is known to use a man-marker in high-profile games to take the opposition's most influential player out of the contest. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg will likely carry out that responsibility against Manchester United, with Bruno Fernandes his expected target.
Hojbjerg has arguably been Mourinho's most trusted foot soldier this campaign. His commanding presence in midfield has allowed Tottenham Hotspur the upper hand in many games. But he could have his hands full on Sunday against the in-form Fernandes.
#5 Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) vs Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
This could be arguably the most enticing matchup of the night when the two teams lock horns at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.
Harry Kane's talismanic performances have kept Tottenham Hotspur's hopes alive for a top-4 finish, while Harry Maguire' solid presence in the starting lineup has been a key factor in Manchester United's success this season.
Maguire is known to play aggressively, unsettling forwards early in the game. Kane, meanwhile, has morphed into a hybrid of a no. 9 and a 10, scoring when presented with a chance and supplying when necessary.
Both Harry Kane and Harry Maguire have been in sublime form in the ongoing this season. But the former could have a slight edge over the centre-half because of his ability to conjure goals out of nothing.
Also Read: Crystal Palace 1-4 Chelsea: 5 talking points as Christian Pulisic's brace fires Blues to victory | Premier League 2020-21.
