Kick Off Time: 20:15 (BST)
Venue: Old Trafford
Score Prediction: Manchester United 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Words by Ciaran Coyle
Manchester United will be looking to get back to winning ways as they welcome Antonio Conte’s Tottenham Hotspur to Old Trafford on Wednesday evening.
The home side currently sit in 5th place in the Premier League table following their game against Newcastle United, where they were held to a 0-0 draw by Eddie Howe’s men.
Wednesday’s visitors have been enjoying a good start to their Premier League campaign, with Conte’s men currently occupying 3rd position in the table, only 4 points off their north London rivals Arsenal, who find themselves top after 10 games.
The lilywhites come into this fixture on the back of a 2-0 win away at Goodison Park, with Harry Kane and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg on hand to clinch all 3 points against Frank Lampard’s Everton.
United manager Erik Ten Hag will be hoping his side can replicate last season’s heroics that played out when Spurs made the trip to Manchester back in March, with a ruthless Cristiano Ronaldo scoring a hat-trick to see the hosts come away with a 3-2 win.
He will also be looking to take confidence from his side’s good record against Spurs, with the Red Devils having won their last 3 league fixtures against Wednesday night’s opposition.
The visitors will be wanting to improve on their poor record against sides in the ‘top 6’, with Tottenham coming into this game having won only one of their last 19 Premier League away games against the 5 other ever-present sides in the competition.
A win for the home side could see Ten Hag’s men move within one point of Spurs in 3rd place having played a game fewer, whilst 3 points for Conte’s side would see them leapfrog Manchester City to go one point behind Arsenal at the top of the table, with the Gunners missing the midweek round of fixtures.
Team News
Ten Hag has confirmed that ex-Spurs midfielder, Christian Eriksen, may be available to take to the pitch against his former employers after being unable to play his side’s last two competitive fixtures through illness.
The United boss will also be able to welcome Scott McTominay back into the match day squad for this game, with the 25 year-old having served his one match suspension against Newcastle on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors will be without summer signing Richarlison for their trip to Old Trafford, with the Brazilian striker picking up an injury against his former side last weekend.
Conte may also be without the services of Dejan Kulusevski, who is thought to be a major doubt for this game having not featured in Tottenham’s last five fixtures since sustaining a hamstring injury on International duty with Sweden.
They will also be without full-back Emerson Royal who received a 3 match ban following his red card against Arsenal on October 1st.
Predicted XI’s
Manchester United
De Gea, Shaw, Varane, Martinez, Dalot, Casemiro, McTominay, Rashford, Fernandes, Antony, Ronaldo
Tottenham Hotspur
Lloris, Romero, Dier, Davies, Doherty, Bissouma, Hojbjerg, Bentancur, Perisic, Son, Kane
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