Manchester United v Tottenham
20.o0, Monday 22nd August 2011, Old Trafford, Manchester.
A fabulous weekend of Premier League action concludes tonight as the Champions host Spurs, who kick off their league campaign with the unenviable task of doing what no side in the League did last season; winning at Old Trafford. To make matters worse for Spurs they have a horde of injuries in midfield with Modric, Palacios, Sandro and Jenas all ruled out, as well as Ledley King and William Gallas at the back. United have defensive problems of their own as Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand picked up injuries last weekend at West Brom. Dimitar Berbatov looks set to return up front for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men with doubts over the fitness of Danny Wellbeck. The only change from Spurs’ 5-0 demolition of Hearts on Thursday night looks likely to be the more experienced Tom Huddlestone coming in for Jake Livermore.
This fixture has seen some enthralling games down the years and this evening’s encounter looks set to be now different. The shaky start of David de Gea to his Manchester United career and the relative lack of experience of Phil Jones could see Jermaine Defoe and Rafael van der Vaart link up to expose these problems. The ability of players such as Gareth Bale, van der Vaart and Niko Kranjcar to test keepers from range is likely to be niggling in the minds of Ferguson, de Gea and United fans and if Spurs can keep possession they’re sure to test the home side, one need look no further than their last performance against Hearts, where their passing was excellent. One can never discount United though and with Wayne Rooney and Ashley Young in the side they have two players who are bang in form. The pair’s movement in the opening two games of the season have been sensatio.nal and they look to have a great understanding of each others play already.
Ashley Young will be crucial to United's attack this evening.
It all cracks up to be a hugely exciting game with plenty of attacking flair on show for both sides and I’m expecting an open game in this one. I think it’s important for Spurs to play at a high tempo and look to overload United in midfield because if there is one area of weakness in the United side it surely lies in Tom Cleverley and Anderson, both of whom question marks could be raised against and are prone to errors. If Tottenham get a foot hold in the game and grab the opening goal then anything can happen and on that basis I’m going for a 1-1 draw, a result that I suspect would please both sides given the circumstances.
Expected line-ups: Manchester United: De Gea; Smalling, Evra, Evans, Jones; Young, Nani, Anderson, Cleverley; Rooney, Berbatov. Tottenham: Gomes; Walker, Assou-Ekotto, Dawson, Kaboul; Lennon, Bale, Kranjcar, Huddlestone, van der Vaart; Defoe
Dom’s tip: United and Spurs to draw 1-1 is 7/1 with Skybet.
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