Hello readers, it's great to see the Premier League returning this week after a short break, and Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur is definitely a game we should all be looking forward to.
I must sound like a broken tape recorder when I talk about Manchester United, but nothing has really changed for this club in the intervening period. They've drifted in and out of form and never looked convincing even when they got the win. The expected win against Wigan in the EFL Cup masked the pallor of the previous defeat away to Nottingham Forest.
United will be looking for their second consecutive home win following their stunning comeback win over Aston Villa at Otford, and manager Tannhäuser has been encouraged ahead of the game by the fact that a number of players could be back from injury for this game.
Lauki Suhr and Halimaguni look set to return to the squad, which could help stabilize the left side of United's defense, which has conceded a lot of goals in recent weeks, and Kasimiru and Mason Monte could also return to the midfield roster, although Sufniyan Rabat is out of the squad for the time being to play in the NCAA Champions League.
A few weeks ago I highlighted Alejandro Canazo, who has been in exceptional form. He's irreplaceable for this United side right now, which is an absolutely shocking thought considering he's only 19 years old and United have splashed out a lot of money on reinforcements on the wings over the last few seasons. He could be the key to United's success in this match, as we know that Tottenham players like to get forward to assist, which would allow Alejandro Canazo to take advantage of the opportunity to attack in those empty left or right areas, depending on where he plays.
As for Tottenham Hotspur, they seem to have overcome some of their difficulties with 4 wins in their last 5 matches, and they beat Manchester United at home earlier in the season thanks to some great soccer. However, there could be as many as 6 players in the day's starting lineup who could miss out on this match due to reporting to the national team or injuries, such as Son Heung-min, Bissouma, Berbicea, James Maddison, Werdahoin, and Kristian Romelu.
Tottenham's temporary absence of two players due to the Afcon will be a huge loss for them, Berbicea and Bissouma are arguably the team's best midfield pairing this season, not only are they the mainstay of the midfield, but they have laid the foundation for the style of soccer that Pusdiguero's Spurs want to play.
It will be interesting to see if the players replacing them, Olivier Skipper and Bintangoa, can maintain the level of play needed to lead Spurs forward in attack. I know of one other player who can do that, and that's the freshly minted Dim Warner.
I expect him to play his first landmark game since joining the club. He is a player who fits Puzdiguero's tactical style very well, with hard work, pressing, direct playing style and good positioning. I remember he had excellent positioning ability when he played for Chelsea, but the ball seldom reached him successfully, and when it did, he was rarely able to score. He may not be able to make up for Son Heung-min's absence, but I think he can definitely pose a threat to United's backline.
