Manchester United are given a slight advantage by the odds for their Premier League showdown at Old Trafford, though their recent form leaves much to be desired. Here’s a look ahead to Sunday’s clash with our Manchester United vs Tottenham prediction and preview.
Manchester United vs Tottenham: Match Preview
After falling short last season, both Manchester United and Tottenham entered the 2024-25 campaign with Champions League qualification as their main objective. However, five matches in, neither team has emerged as a standout contender for a top-four finish.
With just seven points each, United and Spurs find themselves in 11th and 10th place, respectively, ahead of Matchday 6.
Both Erik ten Hag and Ange Postecoglou are already under pressure this season, and a loss on Sunday would only intensify the scrutiny.
United’s ongoing struggles in the final third were evident in Matchday 5, as they were held to a goalless draw against Crystal Palace. Despite dominating for long stretches, Ten Hag’s side failed to capitalize on their five major chances, with former goalkeeper Dean Henderson making seven crucial saves to deny them a breakthrough.
United’s total expected goals (xG) for the season stands at 9.6, the third highest in the Premier League, trailing only title contenders Manchester City (11.46) and Liverpool (10.1). Despite this, they have managed to score just five goals, resulting in an xG underperformance of 4.6.
Only Southampton (two goals from 7.1 xG) have a larger negative differential in the league this season, but United have also had the misfortune of facing several in-form goalkeepers. Their expected goals on target (xGoT) is only slightly lower than their xG, sitting at 9.08.
Rasmus Højlund has been limited by a hamstring injury this season, but he has made substitute appearances in their past few matches, suggesting his first start could be imminent.
New signing Joshua Zirkzee led the line against Palace, though his impact was minimal, with only one shot attempt and three touches in the box. However, Zirkzee has accumulated more xG (2.19) than any other United player this season, despite starting just three of their five league games.
Ten Hag’s decision to rest Marcus Rashford for the Palace match—just days after praising his return to form—sparked rumors of a rift between the two, which the Dutchman later dismissed as “crazy.” Rashford, who looked sharp in the Europa League clash against Twente on Thursday, is expected to return to the lineup on Sunday. He has scored six Premier League goals against Spurs, second only to the eight he’s netted against Leicester City.
Since the start of last season, only Newcastle United (53) and Brighton (47) have conceded more fast breaks than Tottenham (44, tied with Man Utd). In what is expected to be an open contest, Rashford could play a crucial role.
Postecoglou’s side, meanwhile, bounced back from consecutive league defeats with a 3-1 win over Brentford last week. Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson, and James Maddison found the back of the net after Bryan Mbeumo scored just 23 seconds into the game.
Since the start of last season, only Manchester City (31) have collected more points from losing positions in the Premier League than Tottenham’s 28.
It’s fortunate Postecoglou’s side demonstrated their resilience in that game, as early-season frustrations were beginning to surface. Just three days earlier, they needed two late goals to overcome Coventry City in the EFL Cup. Thursday’s Europa League victory over Qarabag also came after they were reduced to 10 men.
Postecoglou has cautioned that there is no “quick fix” to make Tottenham competitive at the top of the league, but improving their poor away record would be a step in the right direction.
They picked up 14 points from their first six away Premier League games under Postecoglou (four wins, two draws), but have only managed 14 from their next 15 road matches (three wins, five draws, seven losses).
Among teams that have been ever-present in the Premier League over the last two seasons, no side has won fewer away games since November 2023 than Spurs (3). Bournemouth (24), Nottingham Forest (19), and Crystal Palace (15) are just some of the clubs that have earned more than Tottenham’s 14 away points during this period, leaving them level with Everton.
If Spurs are to secure a victory at Old Trafford, captain Son Heung-min will be crucial. He has contributed to five goals in his last seven league appearances against United, scoring four and assisting one.
As a team, only Liverpool (282) have made more off-the-ball runs into the opposition’s box than Tottenham (263) this season. On an individual level, Son (54) and Dejan Kulusevski (43) rank joint first and joint third, respectively. Given United’s struggles with defensive transitions, Son is likely to find himself with goal-scoring opportunities.
Manchester United vs Tottenham: Head-to-Head
United have secured 24 Premier League home victories against Tottenham – the second-highest tally in the competition’s history, with only Arsenal having more home wins against a single opponent (25 against Everton).
However, Spurs are unbeaten in their last three Premier League encounters with the Red Devils, winning one and drawing two, after previously losing four consecutive matches to them between 2021 and 2022.
In their most recent visit to Old Trafford in January, Postecoglou’s side twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw, with Rodrigo Bentancur and Richarlison responding to goals from Højlund and Rashford.
United have remained unbeaten at home against Spurs since their disappointing 6-1 loss under Ole Gunnar Solskjær in October 2020, winning two and drawing one of their three encounters at Old Trafford during Ten Hag’s tenure.
Manchester United vs Tottenham: Team News
Manchester United
Erik ten Hag has provided a preview of Manchester United’s upcoming Premier League clash with Tottenham on Sunday.
Following a 1-1 draw against FC Twente in the Europa League, the Reds return to Old Trafford this weekend to face the north London side.
The manager is evaluating his options ahead of the 16:30 BST kickoff, with Matthijs de Ligt having been rested as an unused substitute on Wednesday, and Mason Mount making his return from injury in the second half.
Rasmus Højlund continued his recovery with another brief appearance and could feature, having scored and assisted for Marcus Rashford in last season’s home fixture against Spurs.
When asked if there were any injury concerns following the European tie, Ten Hag told reporters at Carrington: “No, I don’t think so. It will be the same squad as Wednesday.”
He added: “I think it will be a very intense game. It always is against Tottenham, and I think our style of play contributes to that. So, I expect it to be a very dynamic and exciting match.”
When asked about captain Bruno Fernandes potentially showing signs of fatigue, Ten Hag responded: “I think the team is putting him in the right positions. He’s already proven, time and again in the Premier League, that he can create chances. I’m confident he’ll regain his form. He’s still creating opportunities, and he’ll deliver those final passes and score goals. It’s only a matter of time.”
Defenders Victor Lindelof, Tyrell Malacia, Luke Shaw, and Leny Yoro remain sidelined, and Ten Hag’s comments suggest they will be unavailable for the upcoming game as well.
Alejandro Garnacho, Kobbie Mainoo, and Rasmus Hojlund are all vying for a starting spot.
Manchester United: Predicted Lineup
- Goalkeeper – Onana
- Defenders – Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez, Dalot
- Midfielders – Eriksen, Mainoo, Bruno Ferandes
- Forwards – Amad, Rashford, Zirkzee
Tottenham
Heung-Min Son will undergo a late fitness test ahead of Tottenham’s Premier League clash against Manchester United on Sunday, as confirmed by manager Ange Postecoglou.
The Spurs captain appeared to be in discomfort after coming off during Thursday night’s 3-0 Europa League win against Qarabag. He will continue to be monitored in training before the team’s trip to Old Trafford (kick-off at 9 pm IST).
Son played 71 minutes in the match and was involved in Tottenham’s third goal, where his shot from outside the box was parried, allowing Dominic Solanke to score. He received treatment immediately after that and was then replaced by Timo Werner.
“It’s still early days after last night,” Postecoglou said on Friday (27 September). “The players who worked hard are understandably tired.”
“Aside from Sonny, everyone else is fine. I don’t think it’s too serious with him. He wants to train tomorrow, so we’ll see how he does in training and make a decision then. We still have a day to give him every chance.”
Richarlison and Wilson Odobert currently seem to be the primary doubts for Ange Postecoglou’s squad.
Cristian Romero will rejoin the squad following his suspension in European competition, while James Maddison and Pedro Porro are anticipated to start after being rested in midweek.
Tottenham: Predicted Lineup
- Goalkeeper – Vicario
- Defenders – Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie
- Midfielders – Bentancur, Sarr, Maddison
- Forwards – Kulusevski, Johnson, Solanke
Manchester United vs Tottenham: Prediction
Given that neither team has found their rhythm so far, a draw appears to be a probable outcome.
Prediction – Manchester United 2-2 Tottenham
When and Where to Watch the Match? Streaming Details
Manchester United will face Tottenham on Sunday, September 29, with the match set to kick off at 9 PM IST. Star Sports Network holds the broadcasting rights for the 2024-25 Bundesliga season in India. The game will be aired live on the Star Sports TV channels. Fans can also watch the match via live stream on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website in India.
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When to watch Manchester United vs Tottenham?
Manchester United vs Tottenham is on Sunday, 29 September from 9 pm (IST) onwards.
