While both both sides might not be enjoying their greatest Premier League season, Tottenham v Man United has been know to throw up a goal or seven over the years, and we’re hoping for another goalfest on Sunday.
Spurs exited both domestic cup competitions within four days last week, and with their league form spiraling, manager Ange Postecoglou could do with three points against a United side that has picked up five wins in their last seven games despite some turgid displays under the tactically intransigent Ruben Amorim.
Ex-White Hart Lane hero Peter Crouch gave us his thoughts on the state of both sides and his favourite bets for the game – and remember, Paddy’s Super Sub offer means your bet rolls on even if your player selection gets taken off early…
Tottenham v Man United Bet Builder
Both teams to score: Yes
Mathys Tel to have 1+ shots on target
Bruno Fernandes to be fouled 2+ times
Manuel Ugarte to be shown a card
A bet builder with these selections pays at approximately 10/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK OR TAP HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP
WHEN: Sunday, February 16, 4:30pm
WHERE: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
TV: Sky Sports Main Event
It’s hard to be positive about Spurs at the moment.
They lost to Liverpool and then to Villa within four days, pretty convincingly. Ange Postecoglou has come out and spoke about the injuries and i like the way he’s done it
He’s basically saying give us a bit of a break because it is so hard with the same players playing so many games.
And the amount of injuries to important players is mad really. Even if you go through other teams you can see the amount of players who are missing – Arsenal are going through it at the moment, for example.
You put that kind of burden on any club and it’s going to be difficult, so I do have some sympathy for the manager on that level and he should be given a chance once the squad is healthier to show what he can get out of them – I wouldn’t go changing another manager yet at Tottenham because we’ve seen that happen too many times over the years.
However, I still think they have to be better than they were in the cup games.
I doubt anyone really thought they were going to go to Anfield and win that second leg, but I thought they’d be much more difficult to beat and it’d be a bit closer than it was.
It was a walk in the park for Liverpool really.
Europe is out of reach through the Premier League this season for Spurs, but they still need to try to finish as high as possible, and they also have the Europa League to play for. They have the ability to go and win that, and that would get you into the Champions League next season. That’s a massive carrot for them still, so they should throw everything into that for the rest of the season.
And no one would really remember this period if they could turn things around and win in Europe.
They are also getting players back now. Destiny Udogie and James Maddison are probably back this week, but getting Romero, Van de Ven and Solanke back soon would be huge for them and, if they have their strongest team, they can beat anyone in that competition – they’re second favourites with Paddy Power at the moment for it, only behind Sunday’s opponents, Man United.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 28: Ruben Amorim the head coach / manager of Manchester United during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase MD5 match between Manchester United and FK Bodo/Glimt at Old Trafford on November 28, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
United were poor again last week too, but got through with a bit of luck against Leicester in the cup.
I’m looking at players like Scott McTominay and Antony away from the club now and they can’t stop scoring!
And you just know Rashford’s going to do well at Villa, don’t you? It feels like a bit of a graveyard at the moment at Old Trafford.
Both teams to score: Yes
It does make this an interesting game as both clubs are struggling. I’d find it very tough to call it for either side so I went for a draw in my podcast predictions.
There’ll be goals though – it finished 4-3 to Spurs in the Carabao Cup tie this season. I wouldn’t be surprised if it finished 2-2.
Harry Maguire got the crucial goal against Leicester for United, but the goalscoring issues at striker for United baffle me. They have Hojlund, but I don’t think Amorim really fancies, so he’s mixing it up with others at centre-forward. He’s even played Kobbie Mainoo as a false nine.
If shows the manager is still trying to find the right blend up-front. He doesn’t really seem comfortable with any of them at the moment. There’s going to have to be a rebuild and finding a striker will be a part of that.
Mathys Tel to have 1+ shots on target
Spurs brought in Mathys Tel in January from Munich to address their own striker shortage. Solanke should be back soon and he’s very important for them, but Tel did score against Villa last weekend and should be leading the line again on Sunday. I’d expect him to have a shot on goal at minimum in a game where there should be chances.
Bruno Fernandes to be fouled 2+ times
Amad Diallo’s been United’s biggest goal threat recently, and Garnacho came off the bench versus Leicester and made an impact, but Bruno Fernandes is such a big player for them and is someone opponents have to deal with. I’d expect him to be fouled a few times in this game.
Manuel Ugarte to be shown a card
And Manuel Ugarte is usually dishing out fouls in the midfield for United. He has ten yellow cards already this season and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see another one on Sunday, especially going up against his Uruguay teammate Rodrigo Bentancur.
Peter Crouch’s Spurs v United Bet Builder
Both teams to score: Yes
Mathys Tel to have 1+ shots on target
Bruno Fernandes to be fouled 2+ times
Manuel Ugarte to be shown a card
A bet builder with these selections pays at approximately 10/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK OR TAP HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP
* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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