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Manchester United are set for a reunion with former boss Jose Mourinho as they prepare to face Tottenham Hotspur in North London on Sunday.
The Red Devils were on the wrong end of one of the biggest scorelines of the Premier League campaign as Mourinho's Spurs smashed six goals past them on their own turf. It was their joint-heaviest Premier League defeat in their illustrious history after losing by the same scoreline to Manchester City ten years ago.
It was a statement win against Manchester Un for the Portuguese coach at Spurs, who looked primed for an unlikely title charge in North London with the likes of Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son firing on all cylinders.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side, on the other hand, appeared to be on course for a nightmare campaign as they were in the bottom half of the table after the first three games, during which they conceded eleven goals.
Can Manchester United make amends for their historic loss?
The fortunes of both sides have changed dramatically since their last meeting 27 matchdays ago. Manchester United currently sit in second place on the Premier League table and have one foot in the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League, while Spurs face a battle to finish in the top-four as they sit in seventh place and were embarrassingly eliminated from the UEL.
While the three points will help them solidify Manchester United's position on the table, there is another interesting dynamic at play as Solskjaer's side will be out for blood in the upcoming fixture after their historic loss to Spurs at Old Trafford.
On that note, here, we take a look at the best possible combined XI between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur ahead of the game.
Note: Only players available for selection for the game will be considered, and they will be selected based on their form in the Premier League.
Goalkeeper: Hugo Lloris
The goalkeeper conundrum currently playing out at Manchester United has been one of the most interesting talking points of their campaign so far, with David de Gea and Dean Henderson fighting for the number one spot. With the former being far from his majestic best and Dean Henderson not playing nearly enough in the Premier League with only six starts so far, Hugo Lloris takes the goalkeeper spot in this XI.
The Tottenham Hotspur captain has had to play behind an unstable defence with the personnel changing on several occasions this season, but has come to his side's rescue more often than not.
Lloris boasts of the fourth-best save percentage in the league this season for keepers with at least 20 starts (76.6), which is even more impressive considering that he is one of only three players to concede 100+ shots in the top half of the table.
The French World Cup-winning star has managed ten clean sheets in his 30 games, a figure bettered only by three keepers in the league. He is set to play behind an all-Manchester United defence in this combined XI.
Also read: 5 Greatest players to never win the Premier League title
Defence: Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw
Manchester United's first-choice back four of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, and Luke Shaw retain their places for the combined XI based on their superior displays in 2021 so far.
The two full-backs, particularly Shaw, have been in sublime form for the Red Devils. Shaw has established himself as arguably the best left-back in the league this season as he looks to have returned to top form after a few difficult campaigns at Old Trafford.
His 3.96 shot-creating actions per 90 is one of the highest in Europe at the moment, which, coupled with his 7.52 progressive carries per 90, makes him a dangerous threat. Sergio Reguilon has been impressive in his debut campaign for Spurs, but Shaw has been one of the best in the world in his position this season.
While the 25-year-old has impressed on the attacking front, his teammate Wan-Bissaka has impressed on the other end of the pitch. The former Crystal Palace star ranks in the 94th and 99th (!) percentiles in Europe with a staggering 3.12 tackles and 3.29 blocks per 90, making him one of the hardest defenders to go past in the Premier League. He takes this spot over both Matt Doherty and Serge Aurier in this combined XI.
The world's most expensive defender, Harry Maguire, had a nightmare at Old Trafford the last time the two sides met as him and Eric Bailly were breached on six occasions. Even apart from the goals, he was uncharacteristically poor on the ball and committed an error leading up to Tanguy Ndombele's goal. However, over the course of the campaign, Maguire has gone on to become the most impressive centre-back in the league.
Heading into the game, he has helped Manchester United to four clean sheets in their last five games, conceding just one goal. He has been supported excellently by a resurgent Victor Lindelof, whose displays over the last few weeks have been a remarkable improvement over those at the start of the season.
Lindelof's passing range has been a huge asset to Manchester United as well, and while he may have his flaws — exposed by ex-Red Devil Danny Welbeck in their most recent Premier League game against Brighton & Hove Albion — he has impressed more than his Tottenham counterparts have this year.
He partners his captain Maguire in this combined XI over the likes of Joe Rodon, Toby Alderweireld, Davinson Sanchez, and other Spurs stars.
Also read: 5 Transfers that dramatically changed the fortunes of a club
Midfield pivot: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Paul Pogba
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has been one of the first names on the teamsheet for Tottenham Hotspur, and rightly so. The Dane has established himself as one of Mourinho's on-field generals this season and he's fought tirelessly to protect Spurs' defence. Hojbjerg has excelled at recycling possession and keeping the game ticking in midfield, and his combative approach has endeared him to the Spurs faithful and Mourinho.
The 25-year-old is the most impressive of all holding midfielders across both sides, including Fred and Nemanja Matic. He will be partnered by the Premier League's record signing, Paul Pogba.
The Frenchman's selection is a relatively debatable one as he's appeared seven times fewer than his Spurs counterpart Tanguy Ndombele this season. However, Pogba's impact and the quality he's displayed give him the nod over the former Olympique Lyon star.
Pogba has played a decisive role in several games for Manchester United this season. His ability to control the game from deeper areas, exquisite close control, and knack for splitting defences open have been on display this season as he's helped his side's push for second place.
Pogba has also scored some crucial goals for the Red Devils, including a late winner against Burnley and two stunning comeback goals against West Ham United and Fulham. Pogba has shown what he's capable of from a deeper role and takes the second spot in the pivot over Ndombele, Scott McTominay, and others.
Attacking midfield: Bruno Fernandes
One of the easiest choices all across the pitch is that of Bruno Fernandes in the attacking midfield position. The Portuguese superstar has been one of the best players in the Premier League since his arrival at Old Trafford in January last year and has single-handedly transformed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side.
Fernandes' high-risk, high-reward style of play has suited the Red Devils perfectly all and he has grown into one of the best chance creators in all of Europe. Whether it's a short pass or a raking over-the-top ball to unlock a stubborn defence, the former Sporting Lisbon skipper has it all in his locker and has become United's most important player bar none. His record from the spot is impeccable as he's converted 19 of the 20 he's attempted so far.
At the time of writing, the 26-year-old is the second-highest goalscorer (16 goals) and assist provider (11 assists) in the 2020/21 Premier League campaign, a phenomenal achievement for an advanced midfielder. He is the obvious choice for the attacking midfield position over the likes of Giovani Lo Celso, Donny van de Beek, Ndombele, and others who have appeared in the number ten slot for Spurs and United.
Also read: Most expensive footballers in the world in each position
Attack: Son Heung-Min, Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford
Much like the attacking midfield slot, this combined XI's attack was another easy selection with Son Heung-Min, Harry Kane, and Marcus Rashford taking up the final three positions.
Son began the campaign in incredible fashion after becoming the 28th player in Premier League history to score four goals or more in a game as he ran riot over Southampton. Son also went on to score vital goals such as his stunner against Arsenal in the North London derby and a brace against United in their 6-1 rout at Old Trafford.
The South Korean international also has nine assists to go with his 13 goals in the league this season, giving him a clear edge over most of the other wide forwards across either side, including Lucas Moura, Daniel James, and others. He is set to play on the opposite side to Manchester United academy graduate and star forward Marcus Rashford.
The English attacker has been in fine form this season having scored 20 goals in all competitions with a further 12 assists. Rashford has ten goals and seven assists to show for in the league alone, making him the most productive wide forward for Manchester United. The 23-year-old has been vital for the Red Devils this season and, much like Son, is an easy choice for this role.
The two wide forwards will play on either side of Tottenham Hotspur superstar Harry Kane. After two successive seasons during which he failed to breach the 20-goal barrier, the striker has returned to his breathtaking best.
Kane has been one of the most devastating centre-forwards in world football this season as he marches towards a record-breaking Premier League campaign.
The 27-year-old has already racked up 19 goals and 13 assists — the most for both in the league this year — and could potentially become the first man since Thierry Henry in 2002/03 to score and assist 20 goals in the same league season. His ruthlessness in front of goal and near-unparallelled sense of positioning in the final third makes him one of the biggest threats for any side to deal with.
Kane is arguably the first name on the teamsheet across both sides and will lead the combined XI between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur as the centre-forward.
Also read: Top 10 strikers in the world this season (2020/21)
