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Manchester United vs. Tottenham
In terms of real rivals it certainly gets bigger than this, but when it comes to important fixtures in the English football calendar this match up definitely sticks out.
This big game warrants plenty of preview discussion, and the staff of The Busby Babe would like to gather a few of your thoughts as well.
Vote below, and join in the comments to tell us exactly what you believe José Mourinho should try against Tottenham on Monday night.
Alexis and Anthony
Alexis Sánchez suffered a knock in training, which ruled him out as a potential starter against Brighton, and Anthony Martial’s performance left much to be desired. Martial was the one who made the difference at Old Trafford last season against Spurs, but should United trust him on the left over Alexis?
Poll
Even with a healthy Alexis Sánchez, who should start in attack between him and Martial?
This poll is closed
-
45%
Alexis Sánchez
(135 votes) -
30%
Anthony Martial
(90 votes) -
23%
Neither should start
(69 votes)
Formation
Mourinho chose a 4-3-3 formation against Brighton, similar to the lineup from the Leicester City game, but it didn’t work nearly as well in the midfield. Fred and Andreas Pereira were outnumbered and outplayed physically while Pogba became quickly frustrated by close marking and questionable no-call tackles from Brighton defenders. United’s possession was quickly shut down in midfield before attacks could come to fruition, and United were only able to create a handful of chances.
Should José Mourinho stick to the gameplan, or look to new tactics for success?
Poll
Which formation should José Mourinho play against Tottenham?
This poll is closed
-
10%
4-3-3 (Same Players)
(27 votes) -
32%
4-3-3 (Different Players)
(85 votes) -
26%
4-2-3-1
(71 votes) -
30%
3-5-2
(82 votes)
Attack Attack Attack
United’s forwards were anything but effective on Sunday. Martial had a couple bad giveaways, and Juan Mata and Romelu Lukaku hardly saw any meaningful action apart from the first goal.
Manchester United are a club with a long history of attacking football, but that reputation has been dealt a major blow the past few seasons. Lukaku has proven himself to be the man for the job at no. 9, and Alexis and Martial appear to be the likely candidates at left wing, though Rashford could also be an option.
So, who should feature on the right wing?
Poll
Who should line up on the right against Tottenham?
This poll is closed
-
12%
Juan Mata
(37 votes) -
38%
Marcus Rashford
(110 votes) -
48%
Jesse Lingard
(139 votes)
Midfield Mayhem
What should be done about Manchester United’s midfield problem? Paul Pogba has been given the captain’s armband for the time being, but has himself admitted his focus wasn’t there in a difficult performance against Brighton. To be fair, his supporting cast hasn’t exactly performed either. Nemanja Matić is still out with an injury suffered during the pre-season, but Ander Herrera, Scott McTominay, and Jesse Lingard are notable players from last season who haven’t really featured yet in this campaign.
Vote on a midfield lineup, or comment your own below.
Poll
Which midfield group should start against Tottenham?
This poll is closed
-
20%
Pogba-Andreas-Fred
(56 votes) -
47%
Pogba-Herrera-Fred
(127 votes) -
13%
Pogba-Herrera-Lingard
(37 votes) -
9%
Pogba-McTominay-Fred
(25 votes) -
8%
Other (Comment Below)
(22 votes)
Defense (Or Lack Thereof)
Manchester United’s defense was all over the place on Sunday. There were errors with marking, communication, and set pieces, and even the normally reliable Eric Bailly looked out of sorts.
Is a change needed at the back? And if so, who fills in?
Poll
How should United line up defensively
This poll is closed
-
32%
Back 4: Shaw-Lindelof-Bailly-Young
(88 votes) -
20%
Back 4: Shaw-Jones-Bailly-Young
(56 votes) -
24%
Back 4: Shaw-Smalling-Bailly-Young
(65 votes) -
12%
Back 4: Shaw-Jones-Smalling-Young
(34 votes) -
9%
Other (Comment Below)
(25 votes)
Game Prediction
Finally, we want you to give us your prediction for the game itself.
Please provide your prediction for the scoreline in the comments below.
Poll
Predict the result for Manchester United vs Tottenham
This poll is closed
-
31%
Manchester United Win
(128 votes) -
52%
Tottenham Win
(214 votes) -
16%
Draw
(69 votes)