Manchester United – Tottenham

After extensive consideration, Erik ten Hag was given continued trust as Manchester United manager by the new board at Old Trafford, largely thanks to the FA Cup trophy win that concluded last season. However, perhaps the victory in the final against Manchester City was given too much weight when the decision was made. United fans are still waiting for the long-promised sporting turnaround.

Ahead of this weekend’s Premier League fixtures, United have played eight games this season. Only three have been won, against Fulham, newly-promoted Southampton, and League One side Barnsley. A particularly tough opening schedule cannot be blamed either. After Thursday’s 1-1 draw at home against Twente, tougher challenges await in the form of Tottenham and Aston Villa. The results here could quickly become decisive for both United’s season and Ten Hag’s position.

Still Lacking Results
Manchester United ended last season with a negative goal difference, and none of the teams in the top half of the table scored fewer goals than Ten Hag’s men. Although only five rounds of the current season have been played, the trend continues. Only Crystal Palace and the newly-promoted duo Ipswich and Southampton have scored fewer Premier League goals than Manchester United’s five this season.

No United player has scored more than one league goal, and it’s the offensive side where the struggles remain most evident.

• “I’m still pleased with the mentality of the team, but we struggle to finish games. Both the players and we, the coaches, must look in the mirror and admit we have challenges to work on,” Ten Hag said after the Europa League match against the 54-year-old’s former employer.

Tottenham Also Facing Early Struggles
It’s not just Manchester United that has experienced a slow start to the season. After the first five Premier League games, Tottenham are level on points with United, and the team has shown wildly inconsistent performances. They dominated and were on track for a routine win away at Leicester in the season opener, only to squander everything and settle for a 1-1 draw after a weak second half. They then defeated a poor Everton side at home, followed by straight losses to Newcastle and arch-rivals Arsenal. Last Saturday, they fell behind within the first minute at home to an injury-ravaged Brentford, but turned it around to a deserved win after outshooting them 23-6.

Much-Needed Goals
Like United, Tottenham have wasted a significant number of chances early in the season. Brennan Johnson and new signing Dominic Solanke have been among the biggest culprits, and their contributions to the scoresheet against Brentford cannot be overstated.

• “As a striker, you’re judged by your goals, so it was very important for me to get results today. I actually think we’ve played well all season without getting the rewards. If we keep working together, the results will come,” Solanke told the English press after the win over their capital rivals.

Solanke and Johnson boosted their confidence further on Thursday, both scoring in the home win against Qarabag in the Europa League.

Manchester United – Tottenham
Old Trafford, Sunday 17:30

United have only won 9 of their last 19 home games in the Premier League. Mason Mount returned from injury against Twente, leaving Victor Lindelöf, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, and Leny Yoro out of United’s squad.

Tottenham are unbeaten in their last three against United, but historically, they’ve found little success at Old Trafford. 24 of the 32 Premier League matches here have ended in defeat. Ange Postecoglou will be without Wilson Odobert and Richarlison, while Son Heung-min remains doubtful after picking up a knock midweek.

Bet of the Day
Both United and Tottenham have underperformed in front of goal this season, but there’s still hope for a few goals on Sunday at Old Trafford. After all, the stats show a strong attacking intent when these two teams meet. It’s been 10 years and 20 encounters since a Manchester United vs. Tottenham match ended without a goal. In nine of the last ten meetings, there have been at least three goals, and two of the last three ended in a 2-2 draw.

Hoping for seven goals, like in October 2020, might be a bit too optimistic, but both sets of fans can still expect goals on Sunday. “Both teams to score” seems like the play for this showdown – between two teams desperate for three points.