Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur

Old Trafford forms the backdrop for a mouth-watering Premier League showdown between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

Despite generating a jaw-dropping 4.12 xG in a comprehensive 2-0 FA Cup win against third-tier Wigan Athletic in their opening 2024 fixture, these are uncertain times for Manchester United. Erik ten Hag remains under heavy scrutiny after a disheartening 2-1 defeat at Premier League bottom-half strugglers Nottingham Forest toward the end of 2023 left the ‘Red Devils’ stranded in eighth, nine points adrift of fourth-placed Arsenal. United’s heavy summer investments haven’t paid dividends, with only the bottom two sides lamenting a worse scoring record than their 22-goal tally this season. Indeed, they’ve averaged just 0.9 goals per away league game in 2023/24, so it’s unsurprising they come into proceedings desperate to end a four-match winless league run on the road (D1, L3).

Meanwhile, visiting Tottenham Hotspur put Bournemouth to the sword at the tail-end of 2023, running out 3-1 victors on home turf in response to a woeful 4-2 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion on their last Premier League travel. Buoyed by that triumph, ‘Spurs’ eked out a narrow 1-0 win against Burnley in the FA Cup round three to get 2024 off to a flying start. However, without talismanic captain Son Heung-min, Ange Postecoglou’s free-scoring side may face trouble keeping their 100% scoring record in the Premier League this season intact. Winter arrival Timo Werner should fill the South Korean’s boots as the Londoners bid to defy an underwhelming four-game form on the road (W1, D1, L2). But since they’ve conceded 2+ goals in each winless outing in that run, keeping Man Utd at bay could be a problem.