Key events
Michael Carrick speaks to TNT Sports. “Ben [Šeško] is going to be a big player here for a long time … everything about him is really encouraging … it was a huge moment for him last week … I’m sure he’ll have more of those … he’ll come on and make a difference again for us … [Tottenham] are a good team with some really good players … we’ve got to be aware of that … it’s not going to be perfect … if we do it with the right intent, and the supporters feel it, and we bounce off each other, we’ve got a good chance … we want to look good with and without the ball.”
Michael Carrick is in an if-it-ain’t-broke frame of mind. His Manchester United are unchanged from the 3-2 win over Fulham. Matthijs de Ligt, Mason Mount and Patrick Dorgu are all injured.
Spurs boss Thomas Frank makes three changes to his starting XI following the 2-2 draw with Manchester City. Micky van de Ven, Wilson Odobert and Paper Matar Sarr are in; Randal Kolo Muani, Radu Drăgușin and Yves Bissouma drop to the bench.
The teams
Manchester United: Lammens, Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw, Casemiro, Mainoo, Diallo, Fernandes, Cunha, Mbeumo.
Subs: Bayindir, Malachis, Malac, Molacia, Ugart, Heaven, Sesco, Tyler Fletcher.
Tottenham Hotspur: Bicario, Joao Palm, Romero, go to Ven, Gray, Frenchman, Saviour, Udobert, Simons, Solanke.
Subs: Kinsky, Dragusin, Bissouma, Tel, Souza, Muani, Olusesi, Byfield, Williams-Barnet.
Referee: Michael Oliver.
WAS: Paul Tierney.
Preamble
The cynics will tell you that Manchester United have just taken their first three innocent missteps into another cycle of caretaker-boom-then-bust … but didn’t they look genuinely good against the top two teams in the land? Tottenham Hotspur meanwhile languish in 14th spot with home fans revolting … but what a second-half comeback against Manchester City last week, a performance that followed their securing of fourth spot in the Champions League first phase!
All of which is all a long-winded way of saying: here are two teams nobody can quite get a handle on right now. United have won three on the bounce under Solskjær-du-jour Michael Carrick, and sucker-punched Spurs in the last minute at New White Hart Lane last November; Spurs are unbeaten in four and clean-swept United last season, ultimately in silverware-collecting style. So good luck predicting this meeting of two of the most entertainingly erratic, but always so goddamn glamorous, clubs in the world. Kick-off is at 12.30pm. It’s on!
