MANCHESTER UNITED host Tottenham in a huge Premier League clash on Super Sunday.
And the headline team news from Old Trafford is that Timo Werner starts for Spurs up top while Lisandro Martinez returns from injury for the Red Devils.
The Red Devils have had a horror first half of the season under Erik ten Hag and sit 9th in the table going into this afternoon’s match.
Elsewhere, Ange Postecoglou’s side are 5th in the Premier League and are just six points off table toppers Liverpool.
- Kick off time: 4.30pm GMT
- TV channel: Sky Sports Main Event/Premier League
- Live stream: NOW
- Man Utd team: Onana, Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Evans, Dalot, Eriksen, Mainoo, Garnacho, Bruno Fernandes, Rashford, Hojlund
- Tottenham team: Vicario, Porro, Skipp, Romero, Udogie, van de Ven, Bentancur, Hojbjerg, Johnson, Richarlison, Werner
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Now, will Richarlison continue in his No9 role that has done him well in recent weeks?
Or will Timo Werner’s introduction mean a shift to the left wing spot for the Brazilian?
Time will tell, but he’s certainly had an impact for Spurs this term.
He has more goals and more assists than Marcus Rashford, despite playing fewer games than the England man.
From SunSport’s Neil Custis at Old Trafford
Manchester United have been boosted by the return of both Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro to their matchday squad.
Centre-back Martinez has not played since September having aggravated a metatarsal injury originally suffered towards the end of last season.
Midfielder Casemiro last played in the Carabao Cup defeat to Newcastle in early November when he suffered a hamstring injury.
Both were on the bench as Erik ten Hag made only one change to the side that beat Wigan in the FA Cup last Monday with Christian Eriksen replacing Scott McTominay.
There was another start for the impressive Kobbi Mainoo whose performances are now demanding more regular playing time.
United went into the game desperately in need of a victory to keep in touch with the race for the top four.
Fifth placed Spurs went into this game on an impressive run of five wins in six games including the 1-0 FA Cup win over Burnley.
Timo Werner went straight into their starting line-up after arriving on loan from RB Leipzig last week.
Radu Dragusin is also a new arrival in a £25million deal from Genoa and was on the bench.
Micky van de Ven enjoyed his first start since getting injured in early November and Cristian Romero returned as captain.
Current Premier League form
Spurs: WLWWW
Spurs 3 Bournemouth 1
Brighton 4 Tottenham 2
Tottenham 2 Fulham 1
Nottm Forest 0 Tottenham 2
Tottenham 4 Newcastle 1
Current Premier League form
Man Utd: LWLDL
Nottm Forest 2 Man Utd 1
Man Utd 3 Aston Villa 2
West Ham 2 Man Utd 0
Liverpool 0 Man Utd 0
Man Utd 0 Bournemouth 3
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Last time out
The sides last met in Tottenham’s first home game of the season back in August.
The thrilling 2-0 win was Ange Postecoglou’s first Premier League victory as Spurs boss.
Pape Sarr got the opener before a Lisandro Martinez secured the points in the final 10 minutes.
Setting the scene
It’s a tad chilly in Manchester this afternoon and it’s not getting any warmer.
The Spurs players were out for a gentle wander around the park a short time ago and warm ups will be starting shortly.
Spurs team to play Man Utd
And there’s significant team news for the visitors.
Cristian Romero has been passed fit and joins Micky van de Ven in the heart of the back four.
And there’s a space and debut for new boy Timo Werner, who leads the line this afternoon.
TOTTENHAM XI: Vicario, Porro, Skipp, Romero, Udogie, van de Ven, Bentancur, Hojbjerg, Johnson, Richarlison, Werner
Man Utd team to play Spurs
Christian Eriksen returns from illness to play in the United midfield.
He’ll play alongside Kobbie Mainoo, with Lisandro Martinez and Antony on the bench alongside Casemiro.
MAN UTD XI: Onana, Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Evans, Dalot; Mainoo, Eriksen Fernandes; Rashford Garnacho, Hojlund
From SunSport’s Neil Custis at Old Trafford
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is convinced he will have control of football operations at Manchester United ratified within weeks.
The INEOS boss is in attendance today – his first match at Old Trafford today since it was agreed that he would purchase 25 per cent of the club.
That will include taking entire control of the footballing side of United.
Ahead of the game Ratcliffe walked around the corridors of Old Trafford meeting staff and media.
He could not answer many specific questions about his plans for the club with the Premier League still to grant his involvement which he believes is a matter of weeks away.
Sir Jim said: “Early to mid Feb. We hope they don’t find anything dodgy in our CV!
“It’s the first match for me since we got here. It’s taken a few turns as you know but these things take some doing. I am very excited to be here but I can’t answer any questions really. “It’s a big match. We normally do well against Spurs.”
Sir Jim has been involved in elite sport with cycling, sailing and with Nice in Ligue 1.
He said this was undoubtedly the most exciting thing he has been involved in, having first set his eyes on United ‘two or three years ago’.
“I have done a few exciting things but this caps it all there is no question about that,” he said.
He has already had meetings with manager Erik ten Hag but would not expand on what was said.
He said: “I have met Erik but inappropriate to say anything, until it is all formalised.
Sir Jim, born just outside of Manchester in Failsworth, is a lifelong United fan but said he has not been to Old Trafford for ‘two or three years’ for a game having first come 60 years ago.
He named Paul Scholes and Eric Cantona as his favourite players and going forward said he would be a more regular visitor.
He said: “I can’t come all the time because I have a few other things to manage. But I will come.”
Here comes the team news…
Has either manager got a joker up their sleeve in regards to today’s team news.
We’re about to find out in the next few seconds….
Ange on big games
The Tottenham boss insists his side have shown up well in games against the so-called big teams this season.
And he reckons past results won’t dictate how his side do here and moving forward.
He said: “I think it is important if you want to be successful, you need to be able to perform in those big games, particularly away from home.
“I’m not a great one at looking at the historical references to these things, I wasn’t there so I don’t know whether there was something endemic in the club that didn’t allow that. I just tackle from when I get into a club.
“We went to Arsenal, City (and drew), (beat) Liverpool here, we’ve done OK in those games. Not just results but performance-wise, I don’t think we’ve walked away from any of those games and thought there was a massive gap between us and them.”
How we stand
This was the Premier League table – well, the top half anyway – waking up this morning.
With a split across this weekend and next with the fixtures, there’s a real chance for United and Spurs to put the pressure on those teams ahead of them.
United could go seventh today – Spurs could climb into the top four.
Ten Hag’s praise
The United boss was fully complimentary of his opposite number in the dugout today.
He said: “They’re definitely different, so I think they complement the way they played, he changed the environment there, they’re really proactive, very enjoyable to watch them with a lot of dynamics, very proactive, they combine it with good results.
“But also when we played them over there and I think that’s what we can take belief out of that. In the first 35 minutes we dominated them.
“We should have gone in the lead but we didn’t so we have to make our own luck and take control of the game and finish the chances.”
Arriving home
The Man Utd players haven’t long arrived at Old Trafford ahead of this one.
Team news is just over 20 minutes away and there was a close eye kept for any clues….
Credit: Getty Credit: Getty
Injury issues
Speaking of those absentees and the current issues, both managers are set to welcome back key players in the coming weeks.
It doesn’t help that the Asian Cup and AFCON have already disrupted their usual line-ups.
United are set to be without Amrabat, Mount, Maguire, Lindelof, Malacia and Martial.
But good news was offered at the pre-match press conferences when Ten Hag revealed Eriksen and Antony would be involved, while Shaw, Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez had also resumed training this week.
For Spurs, their injury list is well-documented, with Son, Bissouma and Sarr away on international duty, too.
Good afternoon!
And welcome along to Old Trafford for a very, very intriguing Super Sunday clash between Manchester United and Tottenham.
United come into this one in ninth spot after defeat at Nottingham Forest last time out.
Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs have won five of their last six games as they begin to find their early season form again.
An incentive for them is three points will see them leapfrog Arsenal and into the top four.
Injuries have hit both squads this season so far but they’ll be hoping that won’t matter today.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
