Manchester United will try to revive themselves after suffering a humiliating defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion. They face a stern test ahead as Spurs travel to Old Trafford after having a solid start to the season. It will be a mouth-watering contest as both the teams will look to take all three points from the match.
Here we will take a look at 3 key battles which will shape the outcome of the fixture:
#3 Luke Shaw vs Lucas Moura
Both the players have been effective in the first two matches of the season and will look to continue their impressive form. Another thing common between them is that they have scored their first goals for their respective clubs in the recent games – Luke Shaw against Leicester City and Lucas Moura against Fulham.
Shaw has to bring his A-game against this Tottenham side who look to be in great sync while going forward.
Moura is a strong dribbler of the ball and has good vision to create chances. He has the speed and skills which could trouble Manchester United’s defence. Luke Shaw will be expected to keep track of the former PSG star and at the same time have the additional responsibility to be a part of his team’s attack.
#2 Nemanja Matić vs Christian Eriksen
Nemanja Matic returned to first-team training last week and is expected to start ahead of Andreas Pereira. Manchester United missed a deep-lying midfielder in the previous game who could shield the centre-halves. Matic will offer stability and solidity at the back, allowing Fred and Pogba to operate with more freedom.
Eriksen is one the finest creative midfielders in Europe. If Matic is able to nullify him, Spurs will find it hard to create goalscoring chances. Eriksen has played against the best of defensive midfielders and has often conquered the battle to leave a stamp on proceedings. He is the catalyst for his team when going forward. This contest in the midfield between the Serbian and the Dane will be a treat to watch!
#1 Harry Kane vs Chris Smalling
We back Smalling to come back in the starting XI in place of Eric Bailly who had a nightmare last week. Smalling has been at United for more than eight years but has failed to develop into a leader of the backline. He is strong and likes to keep things simple at the back but often faces flak due to his positioning errors.
Harry Kane will pose an arduous task for the centre-back as he looks to be in fine form after breaking his “August-curse” by scoring a goal against Fulham last weekend. The World Cup golden boot winner will be eager to take advantage of United’s fragile defence to add goals to his tally.
