Tottenham v Manchester United match preview

TEAM NEWS

Tottenham will welcome back a raft of first-team regulars, having made eight changes for the FA Cup win at Tranmere.

Paul Pogba is set to be available for Manchester United after he missed the FA Cup third round with a leg problem. Eric Dier is still out following appendix surgery and Lucas Moura is an injury doubt, but Mousa Dembele and Jan Vertonghen are back in training.

Eric Bailly remains suspended, while Chris Smalling could miss a seventh straight game because of a foot injury. Marcos Rojo has returned to Argentina to continue his rehabilitation.

MOTD COMMENTATOR’S NOTES

@Wilsonfooty: One of these two managers definitely wants to be the next permanent Manchester United boss, the other is saying nothing.

There’s no question that when United appointed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer they had chosen their moment carefully: four supremely winnable games lay ahead, and United have duly won them.

But Solskjaer has done more than just win – it’s the way United have played and the sight of a couple of youngsters being given their chance. Solskjaer can really do no more.

Mauricio Pochettino’s credentials are beyond question. Spurs are certainly London’s top side just now, and have achieved that without spending in the summer and without a working stadium to call their own.

Chairman Daniel Levy will understand that, if they are to keep the popular Argentine, then both the new stadium and Levy’s wallet had better be open soon.

VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino on further delays over the new stadium: “To move to our new stadium will be massive, massive for our fans. I cannot wait to move.

“I told Daniel (Levy), he always listens and arrives in my office and says ‘do you know what will be good, to move there or not?’. I said 200% we have to move there as soon as.”

Manchester United caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær on Harry Kane: “He’s not bad, is he?

“He is a fantastic goalscorer, one of the best in the world. From the outside it looks like he never misses chances really. We have to make sure he doesn’t get any against us.”

LAWRO’S PREDICTION

This is a big test for United caretaker Solskjaer and it will be interesting to see whether he will be as attack-minded at Wembley as in his first five games.

Prediction: 2-1

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Spurs could win three consecutive top-flight meetings with Manchester United for the first time since 1960.
• United have lost their last three Premier League matches at Spurs, having been defeated just three times in the previous 23 games (W12, D8).
• The two sides have scored 40 goals between them in their last six matches in all competitions.

Tottenham Hotspur

• Tottenham have lost just once in 11 matches in all competitions, winning nine and drawing one.
• They could reach 51 points in this match, which would be at least two games quicker than in any other Premier League season.
• Spurs could lose consecutive Premier League home fixtures for the first time since May 2015.
• They have lost four of their eight Premier League matches at Wembley Stadium against top-six teams.
• Tottenham are on a club record run of 25 consecutive league matches without a draw (W19, L6) since a 1-1 stalemate at Brighton on 17 April.
• Harry Kane could score in seven consecutive matches for the first time.
• Christian Eriksen has scored an unrivalled 19 Premier League goals from outside the penalty area since his debut in September 2013.

Manchester United

• Manchester United have won four consecutive Premier League games for the first time since April.
• They are the only club with a 100% Premier League record since Ole Gunnar Solskjær replaced Jose Mourinho.
• The Red Devils are winless in five matches against established top-six opposition this season, drawing twice and losing three times.
• United could keep consecutive clean sheets in the Premier League for the first time this season.
• Since Mourinho was sacked, Paul Pogba has scored four goals and set up three. Only Tottenham’s Son Heung-Min, with five goals and three assists, has been involved in more goals during that period.
• Marcus Rashford has been directly involved in nine goals in his last eight Premier League games, scoring four and assisting five.

Source: BBC News