Everything to Know about Manchester United vs. Tottenham Hotspur: Schedule, How to Watch
Two perennial titans of the Premier League find themselves in unfamiliar territory ahead of their battle for mediocrity.
When Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United take the pitch, there's usually a lot at stake. When the two sides meet in North London this weekend, however, the only thing up for grabs, besides potentially a salve for wounded pride on both sides, is 13th place on the table. Yes, folks, you heard correctly, (un)lucky number 13, which a quick scan of the standings would tell you that’s objectively below average for two of the most storied sides of the Premier League.
Granted Ange Postecoglou’s headache has exploded into a full descent into madness as his club has recently had to weather a spate of injuries that have sidelined 10 players, a tumultuous knockout in the semifinal of the Carabao Cup to Liverpool, and an even more unceremonious exit from the FA Cup at the hands of Aston Villa. The Spurs manager has been clinging to life. But Ruben Amorim, Manchester United's successor to Erik ten Hag, is dealing with his own struggles. Though it hasn’t been a complete failure to launch, Amorim’s lost eight of his past 20 matches while cobbling together 10 wins, elevating the Red Devils to just two points above Spurs. That said, an unsteady victory over Leicester in the fourth round of the FA Cup didn’t really wash away a rather unsavory 0-2 defeat to Crystal Palace.
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Still, while a race to the middle of the pack is anything but ideal for both clubs, a win for either could drastically improve morale during a time when both desperately need some good vibes.
Where to Watch Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur
The clash between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur kicks off Sunday, February 16 at 11:30 am ET at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in North London. Referee Peter Bankes will call the match while Paul Tierney will serve as the video assistant referee. Footy fans can catch all the action on Peacock.
Key Storylines
To Sack or Not to Sack
Considering we all know the Premier League coaching guillotine is always ready to drop, Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou's future has been cast into doubt this season. Tottenham's lack of defensive organization and Postecoglou's seeming stubbornness in refusing to pivot from his attack-first philosophy have the vultures circling. How many more poor results can the Aussie afford to have.
Injuries Abound for Tottenham
The Spurs could literally field another team with how many players have been debilitated by injuries. Here’s a full list of the North London club's recently injured: Brennan Johnson, Cristian Romero, Timo Werner, Wilson Odobert, Destiny Udogie, James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Dominic Solanke, Guglielmo Vicario and Radu Dragusin.
Three in a Row?
Despite his injury-riddled squad, Postecoglou has a rare opportunity to secure a third victory in a row over Manchester United. Tottenham barely edged out the Red Devils in December during the Carabao Cup quarterfinal (4-3), and the Spurs embarrassed then Erik ten Hag’s squad at Old Trafford (3-0) in league play. The last time the Spurs notched three wins in a row against United was during the 1989-1990 campaign.
The Devils in Search of Some Heat
Manchester United rank at the bottom of the barrel in terms of goals scored with 28. Only Ipswich, Southampton, Everton and Leicester have scored fewer whereas only Liverpool and Arsenal have scored more than Tottenham’s 48.
Problems of the Purse
Per ESPN, once a club that basically printed money, Manchester United have reported losses of £300m over the last three years and, despite cutting 250 employees over the summer, another 100 or so could be on the chopping block.
Players to Watch
Manchester United
No player has scored more goals or added more assists for the Red Devils this season than Amad Diallo (he has six of each). His fitness appears solid, so expect him to attack early and often.
Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes need to shine for United. Period, full stop. Their ability to work in tandem on attacks can help open up the field and leave the Spurs already weakened defense more vulnerable. That said, if Ruben Amorim crafts a more conservative game plan, he may be looking to structure them in a way to allow for more of a probing offense that’ll seek attack lanes off of longer possessions.
Tottenham Hotspur
Forward Son Heung-min earned the title of Tottenham’s assist leader after setting up Pape Sarr’s goal against Brentford, but look for the South Korean scoring machine to lead the charge with one singular mission in mind: putting the ball in the back of the net.
On loan from Bayern Munich in a decisive deal, French forward Mathys Tel just debuted for the Spurs, providing a glimmer of hope with his goal against Aston Villa in the 91st minute of Tottenham’s 2-1 loss during the fourth round of the FA Cup. A strong showing against the Red Devils could trigger Tottenham to execute his €60 million purchase option fee.
Newly signed transfer Kevin Danso is a commanding center back, but the sweeper on loan from Ligue 1 club RC Lens has had barely any time to gel with his new club. Still, his strength and speed immediately bolsters the Tottenham’s back line.
Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is reportedly available for selection despite fracturing his ankle against Manchester City in November, and James Maddison is also back in training after being on the mend with a calf injury. Fresh legs from Maddison would be helpful, but it’s not a silver bullet, nor is it certain.
