Post by staggerstag on Aug 27, 2018 18:26:20 GMT
Some Spurs fans have strayed into Café Football on Sir Matt Busby Way, wishing they hadn't. They peer with disdain at the menu and decide to pass, electing instead for Fat Boy's snack wagon down the road.
Thanks but no thanks. Anyway, Sanchez is benched, Matic is back and Martial is missing completely.
Hugo LLoris starts in goal (expect the predictable crowd banter for him) and Mo Po seems to be going for a back four situation.
Man U: De Gea; Valencia, Jones, Smalling, Shaw; Herrera, Matic, Fred; Lingard, Pogba; Lukaku.
Subs: Grant, Lindelof, Young, McTominay, Fellaini, Rashford, Sanchez.
Spurs : Lloris; Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose; Dier, Dembele; Lucas, Alli, Eriksen; Kane.
Subs: Vorm, Davies, Aurier, Sanchez, Winks, Lamela, Llorente,
Man U 13/8
Spurs 19/10
Draw 23/10
Preamble by Jacob Steinberg :
CAFE FOOTBALL, Manchester
Scholesy's - Steak and suet pudding, chips, mushy peas, gravy £14
Giggsy's - Cumberland sausages, mash, gravy - £13
The Nicky Butty - Chicken, bacon, lettuce, egg mayo, shin skin-on-fries £13
The Mara Dona - Shredded lamb and garlic pizza £14.50
The Goal and Zola - Four cheese pizza with pear and walnut salad what the f*** £12.50
Protein Promotion - Grilled chicken, chorizo, sweet potato salad and coriander yoghurt £13.00
Fat Relegation - Prawn curry, cauliflower rice, mange tout £12.00
Clean Sheet - Roasted butternut squash, avocado, other healthy stuff £11.00
Scholesy's - Steak and suet pudding, chips, mushy peas, gravy £14
Giggsy's - Cumberland sausages, mash, gravy - £13
The Nicky Butty - Chicken, bacon, lettuce, egg mayo,
The Mara Dona - Shredded lamb and garlic pizza £14.50
The Goal and Zola - Four cheese pizza with pear and walnut salad what the f*** £12.50
Protein Promotion - Grilled chicken, chorizo, sweet potato salad and coriander yoghurt £13.00
Fat Relegation - Prawn curry, cauliflower rice, mange tout £12.00
Clean Sheet - Roasted butternut squash, avocado, other healthy stuff £11.00
Hugo LLoris starts in goal (expect the predictable crowd banter for him) and Mo Po seems to be going for a back four situation.
Man U: De Gea; Valencia, Jones, Smalling, Shaw; Herrera, Matic, Fred; Lingard, Pogba; Lukaku.
Subs: Grant, Lindelof, Young, McTominay, Fellaini, Rashford, Sanchez.
Spurs : Lloris; Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose; Dier, Dembele; Lucas, Alli, Eriksen; Kane.
Subs: Vorm, Davies, Aurier, Sanchez, Winks, Lamela, Llorente,
Man U 13/8
Spurs 19/10
Draw 23/10
Preamble by Jacob Steinberg :
Hello. Given Tottenham’s miserable record at Old Trafford in recent years, it hasn’t quite reached the point where Mauricio Pochettino can enter the away dressing room this evening and say “Lads, it’s Manchester United” before walking out again. Tottenham have lost on all four visits to this ground under Pochettino, failing to score in any of those games, and this is the moment where it’s obligatory for me to point out they <richardkeys>they haven’t won here since Tactics Tim beat David Moyes in a battle of Proper Football Men on 1 January 2014</richardkeys>. Makes you think, doesn’t it?
Maybe not. Yet point here is that while United are a total mess at the moment, with Jose Mourinho threatening a spectacular public implosion, this is one fixture where they tend to come up with the goods. Tottenham, for all their progress under Pochettino in the past four years, still have something to prove. They will face some awkward questions if they freeze again, just as they did when they lost to United in their FA Cup semi-final last season. To be brutally honest, that was a choke on Tottenham’s part. They led early and threw it away in a manner that suggests this vibrant young team might never be ready to take the most important step in their development and win something of substance.
That said, there’s no doubt that Tottenham are in much better shape than United at the moment. They’ve started the season with two wins, despite failing to sign anyone in the summer, and the visitors be in a wonderful chance of maintaining their 100% record if they find the level that saw them come back from a goal down to beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge for the first time since 1990 back in April. Tottenham hadn’t won away at a fellow top-six rival since February 2016 before that game, but in the end their performance underlined why they’re a breath of fresh air compared to Mourinho’s dour United.
There, ultimately, is the rub. On form, Tottenham should win this. United are fast approaching crisis territory. Mourinho is spreading negativity with his farcical sulking, Paul Pogba is raising intrigue with a series of mysterious public pronouncements and Toby Alderweireld will be wearing Tottenham’s colours this evening. Judging by last week’s collapse against Brighton, United’s fear factor is slipping away and a second consecutive defeat would leave them six points behind title favourites Watford after three games. Last season, however, they had a habit of raising their game when they hosted their rivals. They have enough individual talent to win when everything comes together and that has to be the worry for Tottenham, who need to show that some old habits do die hard.
Maybe not. Yet point here is that while United are a total mess at the moment, with Jose Mourinho threatening a spectacular public implosion, this is one fixture where they tend to come up with the goods. Tottenham, for all their progress under Pochettino in the past four years, still have something to prove. They will face some awkward questions if they freeze again, just as they did when they lost to United in their FA Cup semi-final last season. To be brutally honest, that was a choke on Tottenham’s part. They led early and threw it away in a manner that suggests this vibrant young team might never be ready to take the most important step in their development and win something of substance.
That said, there’s no doubt that Tottenham are in much better shape than United at the moment. They’ve started the season with two wins, despite failing to sign anyone in the summer, and the visitors be in a wonderful chance of maintaining their 100% record if they find the level that saw them come back from a goal down to beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge for the first time since 1990 back in April. Tottenham hadn’t won away at a fellow top-six rival since February 2016 before that game, but in the end their performance underlined why they’re a breath of fresh air compared to Mourinho’s dour United.
There, ultimately, is the rub. On form, Tottenham should win this. United are fast approaching crisis territory. Mourinho is spreading negativity with his farcical sulking, Paul Pogba is raising intrigue with a series of mysterious public pronouncements and Toby Alderweireld will be wearing Tottenham’s colours this evening. Judging by last week’s collapse against Brighton, United’s fear factor is slipping away and a second consecutive defeat would leave them six points behind title favourites Watford after three games. Last season, however, they had a habit of raising their game when they hosted their rivals. They have enough individual talent to win when everything comes together and that has to be the worry for Tottenham, who need to show that some old habits do die hard.
