Explainers

MAN UTD beat Tottenham 3-0 in North London to take heaps of pressure off manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Cristiano Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani and Marcus Rashford scored at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to instead pile the pressure onto Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

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RESULT: Tottenham 0-3 Man Utd
Tottenham XI: Lloris, Royal, Dier, Romero, Davies, Skipp, Hojbjerg, Lo Celso, Lucas, Son, Kane
Man Utd XI: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Varane, Lindelof, Shaw, McTominay, Fred, Bruno Fernandes, Ronaldo, Cavani

Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
GOODNIGHT
What a different a week makes.
Manchester United’s world caved in last weekend, but tonight they are up to fifth and just three points behind rivals Manchester City – who they play next.
How Tottenham could do with such a revival, if only for one night. Nuno Espirito Santo has only been in the Spurs job four months, but he won’t last much longer if these kind of performances continue.
The Londoners were at best unadventurous, at worst feeble, as they crumbled to a 3-0 defeat. They’re remain in the top half for now yet need to rediscover the attacking endeavour that gets Harry Kane and Son Heung-min firing again. Otherwise, it could be a long, hard season.
That’s all from us for today, but we’ll be back with more Premier League action tomorrow. Until then, thank you and goodnight.
SOLSKJAER SMILING AGAIN
Six days on from the disaster that was Liverpool at home, Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has staved off the pressure – for now – after overseeing a convincing win on the road.
We were excellent. I was told it was the oldest team I’ve picked at Manchester United, and it was time for it. The old men led from the front, [Ronaldo and Cavani] play well together.Ole Gunnar SolskjaerSky Sports

NUNO IN TROUBLE
In the aftermath of tonight’s result, Nuno Espirito Santo has been cut from 14/1 to 11/8 to be the next Premier League manager sacked.
The Tottenham boss was due to conduct his post-match interview with Sky Sports pitchside, but was moved to the tunnel with a crowd of frustrated Spurs fans waiting for him to appear.
The Portuguese had the weight of the world on his shoulders when he eventually reflected on this latest defeat.
It was a bad performance. Manchester United were stronger than us. We conceded in a poor way, we lost balls and we allowed counter-attacks. We were not able to break them.
We are not on the right track. We totally understand the criticism, it’s part of football. When the team doesn’t perform, the fans suffer and show us they’re not happy. It’s up to us to take it and tell them that we are sorry and will try our best. Humbly, we ask them to support us.Nuno Espirito SantoSky Sports

SPURS AT A LOSS
Another defeat without scoring has left Tottenham in eighth place in the Premier League, although even that position flatters them according to Graeme Souness, who has labelled them as “mid-table at best.”
The result also means Nuno Espirito Santo mirrors Christian Gross by losing five of his first ten league games in charge.
Their nine Premier League goals is as many as young Chelsea defenders Reece James, Ben Chilwell and Trevoh Chalobah have between them.

TOOTHLESS TOTTENHAM
You certainly couldn’t label Nuno Espirito Santo’s Tottenham as a second half team? Mind you, you couldn’t call them a first half team today either.
Credit: @Squawka Twitter
FT: SPURS 0-3 MAN UTD
Redemption for Ole! Manchester United have bounced back from last weekend’s horror show with a convincing win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani and Marcus Rashford saw off the abject challenge of the home side. Spurs didn’t register a single shot on target and the fans that did stay towards the end made their frustrations clear to owner Daniel Levy and manager Nuno Espirito Santo.
PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!IT’S FULL TIME IN THE CAPITAL!
SPURS 0-3 MAN UTD
90+2. Romero is cautioned after sliding in with Rashford.
In all honesty, the free-kick and card could have gone the other way, but the United man has probably got the benefit of the doubt by staying down and rubbing his head.
SPURS 0-3 MAN UTD
90. Four minutes of additional time are signalled by the fourth official. Just yards away from him, Nuno Espirito Santo looks shellshocked.
SPURS 0-3 MAN UTD
89. Just to bring you up-to-date: Spurs still haven’t had a shot on target.
SPURS 0-3 MAN UTD
87. “We want Levy out!” rings out around the stadium…
…which is impressive when you consider how empty it now is.
SPURS 0-3 MAN UTD
86. It’s three! And the roars of delight coming from Manchester United’s travelling fans are only just heard over the boos from the remaining home support.
It’s another simple goal on the counter attack as Nemanja Matic splits whatever is left resembling a Tottenham defence.
Played onside by Ben Davies, substitute Marcus Rashford races through and calmly sidefoots home beyond Hugo Lloris. Easy.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!MARCUS RASHFORD GETS IN ON THE ACT!!
SPURS 0-2 MAN UTD
84. Boooooooooooooooooooooooo.
The Tottenham fans are furious as their team’s lack of enthusiasm and intent.

SPURS 0-2 MAN UTD
83. Kane finds himself in a very similar position to where Ronaldo opened the scoring.
But rather than shaping himself to execute a magnificent volley back across goal, he allows the ball to him on the chest and then falls over as he bundles a shot wide.
Awful.
SPURS 0-2 MAN UTD
82. It’s time for Cavani to take a well-earned break.
The Uruguayan has put in one hell of a shift that defies his 34-years of age, and topped it with a lovely goal.
On comes Jesse Lingard.
SPURS 0-2 MAN UTD
80. Smashing stuff from Cavani, who shows relentless energy to get back and knock an Emerson cross behind after Fred had been left trailing in the Tottenham man’s wake.
SPURS 0-2 MAN UTD
78. Ben Davies is the next player in Stuart Atwell’s book for a cynical foul on McTominay.
Frustrations are running high, especially among the home ranks, and you would not rule out a red card in the final 12 minutes.
SPURS 0-2 MAN UTD
76. Nemanja Matic is on but not for Fred as expected.
Manchester United’s fouling machine remains on, and instead it’s Bruno Fernandes that has been taken off.
SPURS 0-2 MAN UTD
75. Another mind-boggling Cavani backpass sends an unmarked Kane bursting down the right.
The striker has options in the middle, but doesn’t put enough emphasis on his cross and sees it comfortably cut out by Maguire.
Much frustration. The boos ring out again.
SPURS 0-2 MAN UTD
73. Fred goes into the book, and he may count himself lucky that he’s going off.
Stuart Atwell signals advantage as the United midfielder takes out Ndombele, but within seconds Fred has done the same to Bergwijn.
The second challenge brings him a yellow card, arguably the first could have too.
SPURS 0-2 MAN UTD
72. Another substitution, and it’s the return of Dele Alli. A former fixture in the England team, the midfielder’s fall from grace perhaps encapsulates Spurs’ over the past two years.
Off goes Giovani Lo Celso.
SPURS 0-2 MAN UTD
70. Cristiano Ronaldo has done his job. A glorious goal and a first assist since returning to the club, the forward takes his leave in order to be replaced by Marcus Rashford.
SPURS 0-2 MAN UTD
68. On the touchline, Nuno Espirito Santo looks most uncomfortable. Barring a miracle, the next half hour is going to be very difficult for him.
SPURS 0-2 MAN UTD
66. It’s been a rare unconvincing display from Skipp, and he’s going to be sacrificed for the final stages. On come Tanguy Ndombele.
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MAN UTD face Tottenham this evening in a crucial game for manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, whose side lost 5-0 to Liverpool last week.The Norwegian’s job is hanging in the balance and he can’t afford another big loss tonight in London against a Spurs side also looking to prove a point.

Start time: 5.30pm BST
TV/Live stream: Sky Sports Premier League
Tottenham XI: Lloris, Royal, Dier, Romero, Davies, Skipp, Hojbjerg, Lo Celso, Lucas, Son, Kane
Man Utd XI: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Varane, Lindelof, Shaw, McTominay, Fred, Bruno Fernandes, Ronaldo, Cavani

Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
FULL TIME RESULTS
Final whistles are being blown around the country in this afternoon’s three o’clock kick-offs, and this is how today’s other games in the Premier League have finished.

Leicester 0-2 Arsenal
Burnley 3-1 Brentford
Liverpool 2-2 Brighton
Man City 0-2 Crystal Palace
Newcastle 0-3 Chelsea
Watford 0-1 Southampton

With Liverpool, Manchester City and Brighton all dropping points, this evening’s game suddenly presents an opportunity for these two clubs to put pressure on those sides above them.
MANCHESTER UNITED SUBSTITUTES
26 Henderson, 3 Bailly, 10 Rashford, 11 Greenwood, 14 Lingard, 20 Dalot, 25 Sancho, 31 Matic, 34 Van de Beek
MANCHESTER UNITED XI
Big changes were called for at Manchester United, and big changes have arrived. Perhaps not in terms of personnel with only two switches from the side versus Liverpool, but certainly in shape. Raphael Varane replaces Mason Greenwood which means a shift to three at the back. A midfield four of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Scott McTominay, Fred and Luke Shaw has a very defensive look to it, but may prove to be the perfect foil for a front two of Cristiano Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani, the other incoming player who replaces Marcus Rashford. It’s a new-look 3-4-1-2 shape for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the Red Devils.
1 De Gea; 2 Lindelof, 19 Varane, 5 Maguire;  29 Wan-Bissaka, 39 McTominay, 17 Fred, 23 Shaw; 18 Fernandes; 21 Cavani, 7 Ronaldo
Credit: @ManUtd Twitter
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR SUBSTITUTES
22 Gollini, 2 Doherty, 3 Reguilon, 6 Sanchez, 14 Rodon, 20 Dele, 23 Bergwijn, 25 Tanganga, 28 Ndombele
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR XI
Nuno Espirito Santo makes four changes to the Spurs side that won at Turf Moor in midweek. Captain Hugo Lloris returns in goal while Eric Dier is back in central defence. Lucas Moura was the matchwinner off the bench at Burnley and is rewarded with a start; the Brazilian will play one side of Giovani Lo Celso with another returning forward, Son Heung-min, on the other. Sergio Reguilon and Tanguy Ndombele can perhaps count themselves unfortunate not to be recalled, but their spots on the bench mean a second Premier League start of the season for Lo Celso, and a first for Ben Davies. Harry Kane leads the line of a 4-2-3-1 formation.
1 Lloris; 12 Emerson, 4 Romero, 15 Dier, 33 Davies; 5 Hojbjerg, 29 Skipp; 27 Lucas Moura, 18 Lo Celso, 7 Son; 10 Kane
Credit: @SpursOfficial Twitter
THE TEAMSHEETS ARE IN!
WHERE DID IT ALL GO, RON?
After making an explosive return to Manchester United with three goals in his first two Premier League appearances, it’s all gone a little quiet on the scoring front for legend Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portuguese superstar hasn’t netted in any of his last four league appearances, making it his worst run since November 2017 when he was at Real Madrid.
If he fails to find the net this evening, it will be the first time he’s gone five league games without a goal since a run of nine for the Red Devils between November 2008 and January 2009.

MATCH ODDS
Despite their 5-0 tonking at home last weekend, Manchester United are favourites to bounce back with a win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The draw is the longest of the three 90 minute options.

Tottenham win 2/1
Draw 5/2
Manchester United 13/10

Odds from Betfair correct at the time of post publication.
GOOD AFTERNOON
Welcome to North London for our live coverage of the crunch Premier League clash between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.
Cruelly dubbed ‘El Sackico,’ these famous clubs meet with their respective managers – Nuno Espirito Santo and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – under enormous pressure.
Many expected United to be traveling south without the Norwegian in charge following last Sunday’s nightmare at Old Trafford against rivals Liverpool.
The humiliating 5-0 thrashing was a fourth league match in succession without a win, and the kind of result that has heads rolling.
Yet Solskjaer has avoided the chop for now and his first challenge is to lift his side’s spirits for the match at Spurs, a contest he’ll have to oversee without the suspended Paul Pogba.
It’s the Saturday teatime kick-off in the Premier League with the action underway at 5.30pm and official team news due shortly.

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