Monday’s Premier League fixture between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur is set to be aired on ESPN2 at 11:55 ET. This fixture marks Spurs’ opening game of their 2011-12 league campaign, after their first match versus Everton at White Hart Lane was cancelled due to the riots in London. Harry Redknapp’s men face a tall task in trying to defeat the defending champions. Surely Redknapp will be happy with one point, but can Tottenham’s defence withstand the imminent pressure United will force upon them?
Probably not. For this reason and many others, United are clear-cut favourites to take the three points on Monday 22nd of August. History has been quite kind to the Red Devils in this fixture, with Spurs’ last win versus United at Old Trafford coming some 22 years ago. Though United will be missing Vidic, Ferdinand, and Rafael, they should still win comfortably at home versus a Spurs side with their own defensive woes.
Probable Starters:
Manchester United: De Gea, Evra, Smalling, Jones, Fabio, Nani, Anderson, Cleverley, Young, Welbeck, Rooney
Tottenham Hotspur: Friedel, Walker, Dawson, Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Huddlestone, Modric, Bale, Van der Vaart, Defoe
Players to Watch:
Danny Welbeck is set to make his second consecutive league start for the Red Devils. The lanky England international will be looking to take advantage of Tottenham’s weakest link, their back four. Welbeck’s link up play with Wayne Rooney will be the key for United to break down the Spurs centre-back tandom.
Rafael van der Vaart is always the most dangerous man on the pitch for Tottenham. Despite Gareth Bale undeservingly winning the PFA Players’: Player of the Year in 2010-11, the Holland international was Harry Redknapp’s right hand man. In 36 games for Spurs last season, Van der Vaart netted 15 goals and nine assists. Look for the Dutch master to take advantage of Tom Cleverley’s lack of experience in central midfield.
Key Matchup:
The highlighted matchup is Harry Redknapp vs Sir Alex Ferguson. Two of world football’s greatest master-minds are going head-to-head in this affair. If history is to repeat itself, Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United should get the win, but Harry Redknapp surely has other plans. The crafty Spurs manager will have to come up with a game-plan to not only break down United’s defence and keep their attackers of the score-sheet, but to limit the impact the Red Devils supporters will have in this one.
In order to do so, Spurs must start the game on the ball. The longer they can keep the ball away from United, the more the home supporters will dose off and cease to rise the decibel meter.
Prediction: Manchester United 3 – Tottenham Hotspur 1
United control the game and win their first home game of the 2011-12 Premier League season in easy fashion.
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