Paul Merson believes there is a huge amount at stake for Tottenham when they travel to face Manchester United, and he expects a tight contest between the two sides on Saturday.
United head into the game full of confidence, with optimism sweeping through the club following Michael Carrick’s arrival. The atmosphere at Old Trafford is likely to be intense, posing a tough test for Spurs. However, Tottenham will take encouragement from their recent visit to the stadium, where they cruised to a 3–0 win last season.
The Lilywhites enjoyed the upper hand against United last campaign, beating them four times, including in the Europa League final. Even so, Spurs head into this weekend’s clash as clear underdogs.
Despite the 12-point gap and 10-place difference between the teams in the table, Merson is convinced Carrick will approach the game with caution and show Spurs plenty of respect. That said, the former Arsenal star feels United’s quality will ultimately make the difference.
Speaking to Sportskeeda, Merson said: “This is a massive game. Michael Carrick has started really well at Manchester United, but we’ve seen similar situations before, like with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Carrick won’t underestimate Tottenham at all. It’s a difficult one to predict. Spurs are clearly stronger when Dominic Solanke plays, but I’m backing Manchester United to win.”
Prediction: Manchester United 3–1 Tottenham Hotspur.
Spurs boosted by injury news ahead of Old Trafford trip
Tottenham have received some positive fitness updates ahead of the clash. Thomas Frank has confirmed that Micky van de Ven is available for selection, while Djed Spence could also return to bolster the defence.
There is further good news in attack, with Dominic Solanke expected to be in contention to start despite limping off late in the 2–2 draw with Manchester City. Meanwhile, Cristian Romero is also likely to feature after missing the second half of last week’s game due to illness.
