Manchester United 1:0 Tottenham Hotspur

top1whoisman · Dec 9, 2016

Stacks said:
2 things. Wednesday-Saturday is the exact same in some weeks. I appreciate the occasional Tuesday-Saturday can be beneficial.

Yes, but most English CL teams get Sunday games if they play CL on Wednesday before that. We've had 1 Monday fixture, I believe.

Agree with the need to rest Zlatan, plays too many matches and is never subbed off.

Hugh Jass · Dec 9, 2016

Going for a draw. If we had a weeks rest i would tip us for the win.

Stacks · Dec 9, 2016

Turnip said:
Say this every game at the moment, but this is a big'n. Win this and we're back within a shout of a european slot pretty easily and not relying on others slipping up down the road.

He's 35 playing up front and we have no winter break and a busy schedule in a more intense league than he's used to, I'm sure him needing a rest every now and then can come as a surprise to no one, Jose should be prepared for this. I hope to see Martial get another chance.

My worry is that if one of the younger lads gets a game upfront and don't perform, that's it. In Jose's mind it may vindicate his reliance on The Zlatan and he will continue being rinsed and grow tired and weary. Jose has such a winning mentality that it can remove his patience. We'll see though

LFC-Fans · Dec 9, 2016

Tottenham should be winning this,

but they're Tottenham, theres just something fragile about them...
Draw. 1-1.

Stacks · Dec 9, 2016

top1whoisman said:
Yes, but most English CL teams get Sunday games if they play CL on Wednesday before that. We've had 1 Monday fixture, I believe.

Agree with the need to rest Zlatan, plays too many matches and is never subbed off.

I just checked and yeah that seems correct. In the past it appeared that Wed-Sat was the rotation, as Sunday games were sparse, but it looks like you get a fair bit of rest in the champions league now. very unfair

top1whoisman · Dec 9, 2016

Stacks said:
I just checked and yeah that seems correct. In the past it appeared that Wed-Sat was the rotation, as Sunday games were sparse, but it looks like you get a fair bit of rest in the champions league now. very unfair

It is, Mourinho mentioned this disadvantage in a couple of press conferences. Europa League has a massive influence on league form, but unlike many point out that the travelling is the main factor that wears you out, I see this Thu-Sun rhythm even more damaging.

Hugh Jass · Dec 9, 2016

Did we fly back yesterday evening or today?

jderbyshire · Dec 9, 2016

Irrational. said:
This is the first in a run of six consecutive quickfire Premier League games. Hope this is the beginning of a nice winning streak.

For some reason, we play three games in 7 days and then there's a 9-day gap before the next fixture. Feck know's why.

Carlsen19 · Dec 9, 2016

Hugh Jass said:
Did we fly back yesterday evening or today?

Got back this morning at half 2 apparently.

AN17 · Dec 9, 2016

0-0 or 1-1.

Dir Wangem · Dec 9, 2016

Two good teams that have underperformed in terms of points, both desperate to win.

It will either be insufferably boring or overly shaky and random.

Philadelphian · Dec 9, 2016

Dir Wangem said:
Two good teams that have underperformed in terms of points, both desperate to win.

It will either be insufferably boring or overly shaky and random.

Expecting insufferably boring.

Irrational. · Dec 9, 2016

jderbyshire said:
For some reason, we play three games in 7 days and then there's a 9-day gap before the next fixture. Feck know's why.

That does appear quite strange, but it breaks down the fixtures into 3 and 3 nicely allowing for a period of rest in between. Somehow all teams have that 8-9 day break. Weird.

top1whoisman · Dec 9, 2016

UNITED'S TEAM NEWS FOR TOTTENHAM CLASH

Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw have been ruled out of Manchester United's home meeting with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday but Eric Bailly should be able to play his first Premier League game since October.

Bailly appeared to pick up an injury during the second half of Thursday's 2-0 win over Zorya Luhansk but soldiered on and produced an impressive performance in his first outing after sustaining a knee problem at Chelsea almost seven weeks ago.

When asked whether England internationals Smalling and Shaw could return this weekend, the boss said "not Sunday, no" but confirmed there were "no problems" with Bailly, who will be absent for a different reason next month when he represents Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Mourino admitted that will be a "big loss", adding: "Let's hope Smalling can recover in time to replace him in the squad because, with so many matches, we need players. At the moment, we have Phil Jones, Bailly and Marcos Rojo [as centre-backs]. We play Tottenham, West Brom and Reading, West Ham away [among others] - in that period we have a lot of matches and it is important to have players."

Full-backs Matteo Darmian and Antonio Valencia, plus ex-Spurs midfielder Michael Carrick, did not make the trip to Ukraine after starting against Everton but will hopefully be fresh and available at the weekend. Juan Mata may have picked up a knock in Odessa, judging by the discussions he was having after being substituted, while David De Gea is expected to return in goal in place of Sergio Romero, despite another clean sheet for the Argentinian.

Wayne Rooney is free from his domestic suspension after serving a one-match ban at Everton and the skipper will be hoping to get a chance to find the net against Spurs, a club he has often tormented in the past, as he continues to chase United's all-time goals record.

"We expect more goals from him but we expect more goals from everyone," added Mourinho. "Maybe Zlatan [Ibrahimovic] is the one [main goal threat] but maybe, as the main striker, it's normal he has scored more goals."

Adam-Utd · Dec 9, 2016

Herrera Carrick and Pogba v Dembele, Dier and Alli should be a good battle.

Treble · Dec 9, 2016

Maybe we need Carrick and he will probably start but the pace will be frantic and he may struggle, especially with their high press.

Macern · Dec 9, 2016

We might actually win this one since it's at OT

Mciahel Goodman · Dec 9, 2016

Macern said:
We might actually win this one since it's at OT

We've been better away so far this season (results wise -- I think our best performances have actually come at home, despite results).

Paul the Wolf · Dec 9, 2016

WR10 said:
We've only lost 2 games in our last 17 games. We're due a loss

After reading the Caf I thought we'd lost 17 in a row

Android1974 · Dec 9, 2016

Stacks said:
Southampton have done it many times. Lets be like Southampton

Yeah, and they didn't qualify in Europa League.

Android1974 · Dec 9, 2016

Treble said:
We should try to decide the game in the first 60 min. After that it will get increasingly difficult as they will be the fresher team. They played earlier their European game and didn't travel.

My guess is that Carrick and Martial will replace Mata and Rooney from the line-up vs Zorya.

But they've also played all their first team players, and United only about half of them.

Treble · Dec 9, 2016

Android1974 said:
But they've also played all their first team players, and United only about half of them.

They played a day earlier and didn't travel. That's a big advantage. Besides, their players are among the fittest in the league, they cover more distance anyway.

We rested mostly defensive players, the most important in Pogba, Herrera, Zlatan amd Mhki will play both games. Rojo too.

Android1974 · Dec 9, 2016

Adam-Utd said:
Herrera Carrick and Pogba v Dembele, Dier and Alli should be a good battle.

Dier has been playing center-back for them, with Wanyama pairing Dembélé.

GlastonSpur · Dec 9, 2016

Android1974 said:
Dier has been playing center-back for them, with Wanyama pairing Dembélé.

Yes, but he won't now that Alderweireld is back. It's just a question of whether Poch picks Dier or Wanyama to play in midfield on Sunday ... it could even be both, but I doubt it.

Hed Zitin · Dec 9, 2016

I still expect the mid week game to ruin us. The pitch was a difficult surface and the travel will be a factor.

Handré1990 · Dec 9, 2016

Will be a very hard game. Since it's at home it'll be a draw.

Raw · Dec 9, 2016

FFS is Alderweireld back? I'm even less confident now.

sunama · Dec 9, 2016

MartialsBeard said:
Lol we all know the drill by now

1-1?

Sammyjunn · Dec 9, 2016

If you cant support us if we draw 0-0, then dont support us when we draw 1-1!

dichinero · Dec 9, 2016

So another draw?

GlastonSpur · Dec 9, 2016

Raw said:
FFS is Alderweireld back? ...

Yes, he came on in the 2nd half in our EL game against CSKA Moscow, so fingers crossed we should have our strongest back four available for Sunday.

Mick1991 · Dec 9, 2016

2-1. Will be a tough scrap.

Mourinhonista · Dec 9, 2016

The way Spurs have been playing, it's hard to see how United get 3 points from this -which, by the way should be an absolute necessity.

It's very hard to predict the right team for this one. Going with Carrick or adding more pace & power into the team, glad that i'm not the one who has to come up with the big decision.

jimmyb2000 · Dec 10, 2016

Lads, it's Tottenham

The Purist · Dec 10, 2016

I think the fate of this match lies in Spurs' hands. If they show up and play as they are capable of, they will win. If they show up lacking bottle like we did at Old Trafford or as they have done a few times recently it could be anything from an ugly defeat to a draw.

I expect a draw or a Spurs win simply because I think Pochettino gets his tactics right more often than not in games such as this but it really is an even game with United having home advantage.

RedFish · Dec 10, 2016

I think we'll totally smash them by one goal to nil.

Crossie · Dec 10, 2016

2-2. Two pens, 1 OG. Pogba to shoot at least three times from >35 yards (obviously, he won't score).

soapythecat · Dec 10, 2016

We've been unlucky not to win games this season, Spurs on the other hand have been lucky to get some of their points. We will win this by a couple of goals.

theyneverlearn · Dec 10, 2016

de Gea
Valencia Bailly Rojo Blind
Carrick
Pogba Herrera
Micky Ibra Martial
__________________________

The above team has enough to put away this Spurs side. I wouldn't be surprised if Darmian or Mata get a start ahead of Blind or Martial respectively. Neither would weaken us, but both would add a little more conservative approach to the team.

Billy Jim · Dec 10, 2016

Team prediction:

De Gea
Valencia Jones Rojo Darmian
Carrick
Herrera Pogba
Mkhitaryan Zlatan Martial

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Manchester United 1:0 Tottenham Hotspur

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