Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United resume their Premier League campaigns on Friday following a break of more than 100 days.
The sides experienced contrasting form prior to the coronavirus-enforced shutdown, with Red Devils going 11 games without defeat in all competitions and Spurs failing to win in six.
Manchester United are much better placed for a top-five finish ahead of the restart, sitting three places higher than Spurs in what is likely to be the final Champions League qualifying spot.
Team News
Fit-again forwards Harry Kane Son Heung-min and Moussa Sissoko will start against Manchester United, according to Tottenham head coach Jose Mourinho.
Giovani Lo Celso will have an injury assessed and Dele Alli is banned for a social media post mocking coronavirus but Japhet Tanganga will miss the encounter due to back injury
Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has recovered from a stress fracture in his back.
Paul Pogba is also available after an ankle problem but defenders Axel Tuanzebe and Phil Jones are injured.
Head to Head
This will be Manchester United’s first-ever Premier League visit to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Red Devils won the reverse fixture 2-1 at Old Trafford in December thanks to Marcus Rashford brace.
Manchester United have won three of the last four meetings in all competitions, losing one.
Red Devils could win consecutive Premier League away matches against Spurs for the first time since a run of six between September 2001 and February 2007.
Recent Form
Spurs slumped to a disappointing 3-0 defeat in their last game before the break, crashing out of the Champions League at the hands of RB Leipzig, leaving the Premier League as their only competition to focus on.
The break-in play has given them a chance to forget that they were winless in their last five games.
That aforementioned 11-match unbeaten run prior to the coronavirus-enforced suspension of English football included a win over Chelsea and two against Manchester City.
Manager Quotes
Jose Mourinho on the battle against his former club: “It is a strange battle to fight but at the same time it is a great challenge and a great motivation. I will try not to look at that point difference. That is why I cannot tell you exactly the difference in points we have to our opponents. We have to look to this incredible challenge in the way that every game we will try to win.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on the task at hand: “It’s a great game. A big game against one of the best teams in the league, Champions League finalists less than a year ago, a hard game. We prepared as well as we can, we’ve had a couple of in-house 11 v 11s and one 11 v 11 vs West Brom, which will hopefully stand us in good stead. We’re young, they look fit and ready, and we’ll see tomorrow night.”
Likely Lineup
Tottenham predicted XI (4-3-3): Lloris; Aurier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Davies; Sissoko, Winks, Ndombele; Lucas, Kane, Son.
Possible Man United XI (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw; McTominay, Fred, Fernandes, Pogba, Martial, Rashford.
Prediction: Spurs 1-1 Manchester United
source:- fcnaija
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