Team News
Tottenham will once again be without Rodrigo Bentancur, who serves the sixth of his seven-game suspension after the FA rejected the club’s appeal earlier this week. Injuries continue to plague Ange Postecoglou’s squad, with Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Richarlison, Ben Davies, and Wilson Odobert all sidelined due to hamstring issues. Guglielmo Vicario (ankle) and Mikey Moore (illness) also remain unavailable.
Destiny Udogie is a doubt after picking up a thigh injury against Southampton, which could force Djed Spence—who impressed on his first competitive start for Spurs last weekend—to fill in on the left side of defence. Meanwhile, Yves Bissouma returns to contention after serving a one-match suspension, and Brennan Johnson may feature in the starting XI at the expense of Dejan Kulusevski or Dominic Solanke. A potential swap for Solanke could see Son Heung-min move into the centre-forward role.
For Manchester United, Mason Mount is likely to miss out after sustaining a leg injury in Sunday’s derby win over Manchester City, while Noussair Mazraoui faces a late fitness test after a knock forced him off in the same game. Luke Shaw remains unavailable with a hamstring issue, and Jonny Evans is doubtful, having missed the last six matches due to an unspecified problem.
Ruben Amorim has decisions to make regarding Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho, who were omitted from the squad last weekend. Both attackers are in contention for a return, though starting spots are far from guaranteed. Amorim is also expected to rotate his line-up, with Leny Yoro, Tyrell Malacia, Casemiro, Antony, and Joshua Zirkzee all pushing for inclusion.
Form Guide
Tottenham’s recent form under Ange Postecoglou has been inconsistent, with just one win in their last eight matches across all competitions (D3, L4). That solitary victory—a stunning 4-0 triumph at Manchester City—showcased their attacking potential, as they remain the second-highest scorers in the Premier League with 36 goals, trailing only Chelsea. However, Spurs sit 10th in the table after 16 games, five points adrift of the top four.
Ahead of tricky league fixtures against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, Spurs must first focus on their EFL Cup quarter-final against Manchester United. Despite their struggles, Tottenham are aiming for their third semi-final appearance in five years. They defeated City 2-1 in the previous round but need to end a four-match winless run at home to progress. Spurs have not gone five consecutive home games without a win since 2008—the same year they last lifted the EFL Cup, their most recent major trophy.
Manchester United have shown signs of revival under Ruben Amorim, recovering from consecutive league defeats to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest with two consecutive 2-1 away wins over Viktoria Plzen and City. Though still languishing in 13th place, the Red Devils are only six points behind the top four. Amorim will hope that the renewed “belief” demonstrated in the derby victory can propel them to further success.
Predicted Outcome
Three months ago, Tottenham cruised to victory over Manchester United, but given Spurs’ erratic form and ongoing injury troubles, a repeat performance seems unlikely. While United’s recent form has been uneven, we predict this time they will edge out Tottenham with a 3-2 win.
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