Premier League: Tottenham aiming to pile more misery on Man United

Top four showdown

Manchester United and Tottenham face off on Saturday in a match that will have major repercussions for the Champions League race.

With Arsenal favourites to finish in the top four, this fixture doesn’t quite have the feeling of a knockout tie, but it’s getting to the stage of the season when its importance is huge. 

Man Utd are 2.18 favourites, with Spurs on offer at 3.6. A draw, meanwhile, can be backed at 3.65.

United still lacking their devil

If the panic button has not yet been hit at Old Trafford, it is getting to the stage where it will be very soon. Last weekend, the Red Devils were emphatically swept away by Manchester City 4-1 in a sore derby loss, which was followed by yet more rumours of behind-the-scenes discord at the club. 

United, after all, were expected to challenge for the title this season. Last weekend’s defeat threw into sharp focus just how off the pace they are.

From their last eight games, they have won just twice. These victories came against out-of-form sides Brighton and Leeds. 

Fleeting hints of their attacking quality have been evident in such matches, but they remain a side all too easy to stifle. 

United boss Ralf Rangnick has seen his side win only two of their last eight games

Spurs are back

Antonio Conte, meanwhile, is starting to make his mark at Tottenham. The Italian has masterminded three successive league victories, with Monday’s thumping 5-0 win over Everton following impressive away wins against Manchester City and Leeds. 

Conte is known as a coach who is expert at preparing his side when he has a full week to work with them, and while he falls just short of this criteria as he takes his men to Old Trafford, they will nonetheless go with confidence.

This is a very different Spurs team to the one that rolled over 3-0 to United in October, which saw the end of Nuno Espirito Santo’s brief reign, and closer to the one that famously dismantled Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men 6-1 a year previous to that on their last visit to Old Trafford.

Value is on Tottenham

Manchester United’s recent form shows nothing that suggests they deserve the warm favouritism that they have been given for this match. Rangnick has a win percentage of under 50 as things stand, and while he has suffered only three defeats in that time, the Red Devils are not in a good way. 

Spurs have been rather more erratic but are no doubt in better form and, with their forwards now scoring freely, the value is on backing them. After all, they have won two of their last three visits to Man United in the league. 

With Spurs having scored 12 goals in their last three games, look for plenty of action. Harry Kane and Son Heung-min have both rediscovered their scoring touch, and after both scored two at Old Trafford last season, look for them to be on target again. 

Recommended bets

Tottenham @ 3.60

Over 2.5 goals @ 1.75

Son Heung-min anytime @ 2.98