Author: Stretford_End

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Manchester United opened their home account with a 3-0 victory over North London side Tottenham Hotspur, which worked out to be United’s seventeenth victory over Spurs at Old Trafford in the Premier League (out of twenty clashes). The first half was quite an even affair, with limited chances for either side. United failed to grab hold of the midfield battle, against a more physical duo in Livermore and Kranjcar, although Anderson and Cleverley showed their class in the second half, zipping the ball around and breaking forward to support Welbeck and Rooney, who were higher up the pitch second half. Welbeck, Jones and Anderson shined in a 3-0 win against a side who, due to the riots in London, were forced to postpone their opening fixture against Everton, and did lack match fitness towards the end. Here we discuss the talking points of an impressive youthful performance from United.

Anderson, Welbeck and Jones the star performers

I’ve always been a fan of Anderson. The Brazilian midfielder has now reached six competitive United career goals (and lets not forget that famous penalty in 2008) in 97 starts for the club, not the best return for a player with such capable gifts on the football field. His performances last season, from November 2010 onwards especially, started to highlight his promise as a box to box midfielder – who was capable of breaking into the box. Anderson’s only problem arising from his eagerness to push forward was his wayward shooting, which at times would end up in the Stretford End. He has demonstrated against Valencia and Schalke that he can indeed finish, indicating his improvement in front of goal – however, I fully expect him to push on further this season and begin to dominate games – something I would presumed would happen earlier following the potential he showed in his debut season.

Anderson was top class in the second half tonight. The Brazilian only misplaced one pass in the second half and scored an excellent goal following an exceptional piece of skill from Danny Welbeck 15 minutes from time. The United number 19 had earlier opened the scoring from an excellent Tom Cleverley cross for the England forward to notch his second United goal, the first coming against Stoke City nearly three years ago. I thought Welbeck had done well in recent games, but there had been better performers for me. However, in the second half – following his goal especially – Welbeck oozed class, taking on defenders and stretching the game – something Sir Alex Ferguson commented post match that he wanted more of following the first half performance. His backheel to Anderson for the second was quite brilliant and finished the game off. Sir Alex now has a tough decision with the return of Javier Hernandez following injury, and of course with the mercurial Berbatov kicking his heels on the sidelines – however, the old cliché is that it is some headache to have.

Phil Jones made one of the most impressive full league debuts that I can remember for a long time. Impressive by what I saw of him last season, I was delighted when he signed earlier in the summer, following enquiries from both Arsenal and Liverpool. From what I’ve seen (in our games against Rovers and these early games) he appears to be a great reader of the game and makes some exceptional interceptions and last ditch tackles. I remember an excellent block last May to stop Ryan Giggs scoring against Rovers and tonight he put a superb tackle in on the pacey Bale in the second half to stop the Welshman from crosses the ball to the onrushing Defoe and Van der Vaart. There is no doubt that when Vidic returns to the fold following injury, he will reclaim his place in the centre of defence – however, in his reported five week absence – United have an extremely impressive replacement in Jones.

Match Conclusion

United fully deserved the win tonight after an extremely impressive display from a very youthful side. Tom Cleverley was impressive in the second half, moving the ball around with ease alongside the industrious Anderson. His superb ball in for the opener was exceptional and shows the quality the boy has in his distribution of the football. Welbeck, who was the main beneficiary of Cleverley’s exceptional cross, turned creator for the second goal as he back heeled the ball into the path of the galloping Anderson who side footed the ball passed the stranded Brad Friedel. Wayne Rooney completed the scoring with a header three minutes from time following an excellent cross from substitute Ryan Giggs. United now host an under fire Arsenal on Sunday – with many Reds hopeful of a back to back win over North London sides.

Author: Doron

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Fortress Old Trafford. Not since the 3rd April 2010 have United lost a league home game – winning 20 and drawing 1 in that time. Monday night’s game against Tottenham Hotspur marks the start of the new league season at home and United will be keen to extend that unbeaten home record to a 22nd game.

United started the defence of their title last weekend with a hard-fought win at West Brom whilst Spurs were forced to postpone their game against Everton due to the riots that had taken place in London.

The opposition:

Harry Redknapp brings the Spurs team that finished 5th last year to Old Trafford for their opening league game of the new season. So far this summer Tottenham have been quiet, bringing in Brad Friedel on a free and letting some fringe squad players leave both permanently and on a free. Importantly for Spurs fans, key assets – Modric, Bale and Van der Vaart remain at the club and all are likely to start this game.

Keeping Modric in particular has been something of a test of chairman, Daniel Levy’s resolve. Chelsea’s interest in the diminutive midfielder has been public all summer-long but has been matched by statement after statement from the Spurs hierarchy, determined not to sell and to reassure fans that he’s not for sale at any price.

Spurs do arguably need reinforcements, up front and potentially at the back too. In order to bring them in, selling Modric may be the only option. One player who won’t feature is Emmanuel Adebayor – the striker is close to sealing a loan move from Man City but nothing has been finalised yet.

As per last season then, this is a side with graft, guile and pace who’ll come to try and win at Old Trafford playing entertaining counter-attacking football. Their midfielders are excellent at retaining possession and in Van der Vaart they have a player very adept at drifting between the opposition lines – something that United have struggled with in the past.

The aim for Tottenham this year will be to attempt to get back into the top four but heavy spending from Liverpool looks to ensure that will be far from straightforward once again. Certainly another year outside the Champions League places may make it tricky for Spurs to keep hold of some of their ambitious and talented players.

Form:

United started their season with a tough away win at West Brom last weekend. Wayne Rooney looked particularly sharp with new signing Ashley Young impressing and eventually forcing a winning goal. United had periods of intricate quick football that were both exciting and reassuring to watch. However as soon as they slowed the pace down, West Brom were straight in and putting United on the back-foot. It’ll be key for Spurs to not allow United to get into any kind of rhythm, learning from what worked so well for the Albion.

Pre-season went well for United and to date they’ve scored 31 goals in 8 games – 6 pre-season friendlies, the Community Shield and a league game. Goals have been spread around with all of the strikers chipping in and looking sharp.

There’s little to go on for Spurs having not had a league game so far but they played in a Europa League qualifier midweek at Hearts winning 5-0. They adopted their familiar 4-4-1-1 and brought in youngster Jake Livermore who scored their third goal. Whilst United kept a few clean sheets pre-season, the win over Hearts was the first of the season for Tottenham who endured a frustrating summer of friendlies. Two wins, a draw and a defeat with only six goals scored was their preparation for this new season but the midweek result was an encouraging sign.

Team news:

United are already short at the back this season with injuries to Rafael, Vidic and Ferdinand. Evra is set to return whilst Evans and Jones have been tipped to start at the back. Sir Alex said that Monday will come “too soon” for Ferdinand – it’s not uncommon for that kind of wording to be followed by a surprise appearance! Fletcher, Valencia and Hernandez are all back in training but none of them are ready for a first team appearance yet.

King, Gallas, Pienaar and Hutton are definitely missing for Spurs whilst Crouch is a doubt. Modric missed the midweek game with a groin problem but is set to start. Huddlestone, Sandro, Palacios and Jenas aren’t certainties either but the former did play the last half hour at Hearts.

United formation and starting XI prediction:

Two things have served United well so far this season – hungry youngsters and a 4-4-2 with a fluid, interchanging front four players. It therefore makes little sense that I’d ignore certainly the former of those two things but all shall be explained.

There’s only one decision to make in the defence – to play Fabio or Smalling. Whilst naturally a centre back, Smalling’s had little trouble filling in at right back and has looked both impressive and dangerous. Phil Jones and Jonny Evans finished the West Brom game as the central pairing and Sir Alex has already named them as starters for tomorrow’s game. It was encouraging to see that in the short spell he was on the pitch last weekend, Jones already feels comfortable in the squad – he was barking out orders and encouraging his team-mates to step up their performance; Gary Neville’s tip as a future captain looks a decent bet. It’s also a great chance for Jonny Evans to prove his quality. A difficult 12-18 month period has been navigated past and since April he’s been excellent, this is a key time for him now – billed as one of the best young defenders in the country it’s time to prove Fergie right.

The midfield is the tricky area – the Anderson-Cleverley axis has worked in its brief experiment so far however the demands are different in this game. One of the keys to beating Spurs is ball retention – they’re great in possession but less good, particularly in midfield where they have ‘ball-players’ without it. With that in mind the Carrick-Giggs prediction is fairly possible. They were key to some excellent performances in big games in the latter half of last season and having been rested lately now may be the time to bring them back into the team for the first bigger game of the season.

What will be important is to ensure that Van der Vaart is unable to easily find space between the United defence and midfield – as he did with ease last year. To stop that, Carrick will have to drop deeper and hence selecting Park will enable Carrick to do that so his position is covered. Whilst selecting only one striker is often negative, Young, Nani and Park (given what we saw in pre-season) will all get up to support Rooney and Young or Park in particular may have license to roam and interchange behind the striker.

A five man midfield laden with experience may well be required anyway to protect and counteract the inexperience of a young back four that haven’t played together before for any great length of time. Whilst all of the defenders have quality, as a unit they’re somewhat unknown so going for safety first seems sensible. If the game is tight after an hour then risks can be taken to try and win it.

Key battle:

Smalling vs. Bale – Gareth Bale may have been the subject of hype and the backlash that comes with inflated expectation at times last year, but more often than not he was a danger. He’s only just 22 but already he’s built perfectly for football – broad, strong and quick. His shift from fullback to winger seems the perfect move. He likes to get to the byline on the outside but is equally capable of coming inside onto his weaker foot. He won the PFA Players’ Player of the Year last season and will certainly be a danger in this game.

The obvious battle to pick out might have been a central one given the quality of players Spurs have there but it’s who Bale is up against that makes this the key battle. Smalling is a good player, he had a great first season and has started this one well. However he’s not a right back and he’s not faced a player of Bale’s quality whilst filling in as a fullback yet. Smalling will have to be positionally clever – he can’t commit himself forward as much as he’d like and he can’t afford to get too tight to Bale as the Welsh winger likes to knock the ball past an opponent and run onto it. However, Rafael has had previous success by engaging Bale in physical contact; whilst strong, Bale has previously been bullied off the ball. Smalling tends to like to wait and read the game before cleanly taking the ball, like Ferdinand, therefore Smalling may have to try and change his game in order to win the battle of Bale.

History and last meeting:

Spurs have never won at Old Trafford in the Premier League (although many Spurs fans will cite January 2005 as a win they were robbed of). This will be the 20th meeting of these two sides in this fixture – United average 2 goals a game with Spurs averaging a goal every other game. Spurs have only spoiled the party on three occasions, otherwise United have won every meeting. There have been seven games where United have scored three or more goals against Tottenham whilst they’ve only managed to score more than one goal once, in April 2009.

Last season United won this fixture 2-0 – a powerful header from Vidic and a controversial goal from Nani. He’d handled the ball quite obviously in the build-up but the linesman and referee had missed it and not blown up for a foul but the Spurs goalkeeper, Gomes, decided to self-award a free-kick, rolling the ball out to kick only to find Nani nicking it off him and tapping it into the empty net.

Prediction:

United have started well this season and have played some excellent attacking football at times but arguably haven’t been clinical enough. The current squad looks full of goals but the young defence will surely be tested against an excellent opposition midfield. Therefore I predict a 3-1 United win.

Referee:

Lee Probert – yet to referee a game this season.

Quick facts:

- Spurs last beat United in May 2001 – 24 games have passed since then.
- Not since December 1989 have Spurs won at Old Trafford.
- United are good at making their substitutions count – last season subs scored 11 goals for them, more than any other team.
- United managed only one shot on target last weekend against West Brom.
- Spurs scored more goals from outside the penalty area than any other team last year (15).
- Spurs lost eight games last season, seven of them came on their travels.

Forum links:

The Stretford-End.com team have each given a predicted starting XI and final score ahead of the game – give us yours here.

For all pre-match banter, tactical discussions, team and score predictions click here.

Videos:

In what was the 148th match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur (United winning 74 and losing 35) finished in a goalless draw, with United ending the match with ten men following the dismissal of Rafael for two yellow cards. United were going into the match in second place, following Manchester City’s 4-3 win over Wolves yesterday (although City had played three games more than United), whilst Tottenham were in 5th place and looking to overtake Chelsea, who beat Blackburn Rovers at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. United last lost a Premier League clash at White Hart Lane back in the May of 2001 – when the League title had already been wrapped up.

There were many talking points today and we of course welcome comments from both United and Tottenham fans following the scoreless draw.

Talking Points

Rafael – Angel & Devil

Rafael made his debut for United in the 1-1 draw with Newcastle United at the start of the 08/09 season, coming on as a substitute. Since that day he has become a firm favourite at Old Trafford for his committed and energetic displays. This commitment can get Rafael in trouble at times, with the best example being in the 3-2 victory over Bayern Munich back in April – where United were eliminated by the away goals rule.

We all know what happened in that game, with United demonstrating some excellent free flowing football in the first half, only to come undone, after being 3-0 up, from a Michael Carrick error – leading to Bayern’s first and a sublime volley from ex Chelsea and Madrid winger, Arjen Robben. In between Gibson’s opener and Robben’s volley – Rafael was sent off for two bookable offenses, which in turn ended the contest as United were resorted to long balls for Nani to chase on to. Today, Rafael was sent off again for two bookable offenses – with the second a very harsh dismissal indeed.

In my opinion, there was no arguments with the first booking – even if the young Brazilian won the ball. Things have changed in English football over the years and a challenge that may have been acceptable thirty years ago, isn’t today. Rafael did win the ball, but he was off the ground with studs showing and was rightfully shown the yellow card. With the second booking, from what I saw, Assou-Ekotto was clipped by Rafael’s legs as he ran across him. A definite foul, however a yellow card? The offense occurred just past the half way line and I guess your decision will be based on the fact whether Rafael was being cynical or not. I know Rafael is quick to put a challenge in, which most of the time are hard but fair – but did his challenge on Assou-Ekotto warrant a booking? I don’t think so.

Luka Modric – Superb

Obviously our main focus is to analyse events surrounding United, however I was extremely impressed (again might I add) with the performance of Luka Modric throughout the 90 minutes. I’m reading on Twitter from some Reds that they were shocked Modric won MOTM for the game ahead of Vidic (will get to Vidic later on) – and although I think our skipper was excellent throughout, Modric was a constant threat and at times had Carrick and Fletcher chasing shadows.

I blogged last year on what a superb signed Luka Modric would be for Manchester United following some transfer gossip doing the rounds. However, with Modric performing like he did today, there is as much chance Barcelona selling United Lionel Messi or Xavi (not comparing the Barca duo to Modric – but just in terms of importance to Spurs and how unlikely the transfer is!). His low centre of gravity allows the Croatian to free himself from his marker, whilst his vision and passing helps to open up play. A marvelous midfielder, who was outstanding today. Below are his passing stats in comparison to his teammate Wilson Palacious and the United duo of Fletcher and Carrick:

Modric attempted 77 passes, which is 7 less than both Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher together. Of course its not about quantity, but his pass success rate was greater than both Carrick/Fletcher – and he made the majority of his passes in a more advanced position. A great display.

Vidic & Van Der Sar – Solid

Manchester United’s captain put in a solid display, which helped United to a point at White Hart Lane. Vidic’s was immense in the air against Peter Crouch, who of course has a distinct height advantage whilst making five interceptions throughout the match (which was the same as Ferdinand, Dawson and Gallas’ interceptions put together). As I mentioned, many were complaining that Vidic was the MOTM for his performance today and in my book was certainly inspirational in United obtaining a point at Spurs.

Fourteen years ago I used to think to myself “I don’t know what i’ll do when Eric retires” – and of course five months later Eric was no more as he quit the game aged 30 to pursue an acting career. I’ve only had that opinion with a few players over the years, but I wouldn’t say Edwin Van Der Sar is far off that. His experience, agility and distribution are an enormous asset to the club since he signed in the summer of 2005. Fergie stated that he should have signed him years ago, but obviously missed out when the Dutchman moved to Juventus from Ajax in 1999. We ran a poll earlier in the season on Van Der Sar’s inevitable replacement, with David De Gea coming out as favourite.

Today, Van Der Sar came and collected a number of crosses with ease, whilst punching and clearing his lines when necessary. The big Dutchman, schooled at the Ajax academy, is always willing to play quick football and his distribution to Rafael or Evra is often key in United’s counter attacking play.

Match Conclusion

Manchester United earned a good point at Tottenham today, through resilient defending even if their normal passing game wasn’t there. Tottenham demonstrated why they should be considered a top four side, with some slick passing and movement from Luka Modric – who orchestrated most of the play for the North London side today. United were forced, for the second time in two seasons, to play a quarter of the match with ten men following the dismissal of Brazilian fullback Rafael – who was rather harshly sent off for two bookable offenses. The first tackle was a yellow card, even if fullback did win the ball, as it was rash and off the ground. The second was a mere clash of legs, which nearer the halfway line than United’s goal. Rafael had been very impressive throughout the game as he continues to go from strength to strength.

This was no doubt a tough encounter for United, who remain unbeaten with seventeen games left till the end of the season. If you would have offered me a point before the game I would have taken it. Spurs are a very good footballing side and although United have had better performances and results in recent seasons – a team that contains the pace of Bale and Lennon combined with the artistry and guile of Luka Modric – I believe Fergie will be happy with a point. Birmingham City are next up for United next Saturday.

Another dreaded away fixture. Granted, the away curse has subsided slightly with the New Years Day win at West Brom, but Tottenham Hotspur is an entirely different nemesis. It has been a crazy season which has seen Tottenham surpass defending Champions Chelsea in the Premier League for a place in the top four. There is positive news ahead of the journey to North London though. Wayne Rooney, Nemanja Vidic, Paul Scholes, and Edwin van der Sar are all in contention for Sunday’s fixture against Spurs after spells on the sideline.

Three points against Tottenham would be massive in the title race. While they sit on the outskirts on the title race, Tottenham is a very talented and threatening team. To come away from White Hart Lane with three points is a difficult task, but one that may be defining of champions. It is comforting to know that Manchester United has not lost to Tottenham since 2001. Of course, that doesn’t pertain to all of the miserable draws we’ve suffered away from Old Trafford this season. Hopefully, the win at West Brom was the end of that poor away form.

In some of the tougher away fixtures this season Sir Alex Ferguson has packed the midfield using a 4-5-1, so it is perhaps a bit bold that I’m predicting a 4-4-2. If Van der Sar is healthy, then I fully expect him to start. There is no reason to stray from the first choice back four. Rafael silenced Gareth Bale when Tottenham came to Old Trafford, and I fancy him to do exactly that again on Sunday. With Vidic back in training, he should reclaim his spot next to Rio Ferdinand in the heart of defence. And of course, the ever present Patrice Evra completes the back four.

The midfield and strikers give the line up some flexibility. I’m predicting a midfield four of Nani, Anderson, Michael Carrick, and Ryan Giggs with Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov leading the line. This would allow for the team to shift to a 4-3-3 if necessary. Rooney could go wide left with Nani shifting to a more advanced role on the right, leaving a midfield trio of Anderson, Carrick, and Giggs. This sort of flexibility would be key depending on the flow of the game.

When looking for the threats in this Tottenham side, you need not look beyond Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart. The midfield duo have been terrorizing defences all season. Bale is full of pace, and unlike Theo Walcott, that isn’t his only asset. He has a fantastic ability to both cross and score. Like I mentioned earlier, though, Rafael did a fantastic job defending him last game. If we can get the same sort of performance from the young full back that’d be a major part of the battle. Van der Vaart has also been a revelation since his arrival at White Hart Lane. Often positioned right behind the striker he’s capable of both creating and scoring. Ferdinand and Vidic will be busy trying to deal with his threat.

There is some cushion at the top of the table for United, with Manchester City trailing by two points, albeit having played two more matches than United. It is getting to the point now where we can no longer afford to throw points away. It goes without saying that the longer United can maintain this lead in the Premier League, or possibly even extend it, the better our chances of a record 19th league title. The title is ours to lose, but I have faith that the squad can hold on until May and reclaim the Premier League.

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Follow Kyle on Twitter at KDill_MUFC

An exhibition of a first half was followed by a controversial end – Nani was prominent once more, scoring and providing as Manchester United’s recent surge in results continued against a formidable Tottenham Hotspur side.

The first half was as open as it was entertaining, with both sides creating numerous opportunities thanks to the space on offer; none more spectacular than a chance a piece in the first ten minutes that rattled each others woodwork. After Park Ji-Sung had lashed a 25 yard effort against the post, in-form Spurs midfielder Rafael van der Vaart beat Michael Carrick but not United’s upright from a similar distance.

In the 13^th minute, Park had another chance after flowing football between Nani and Berbatov, but the South Korean’s finish was lacking in purpose or direction – Rafael, 5 minutes later, found himself in a similar position following a mazy run but he dragged his own left foot effort at the near post and easily wide. Michael Carrick forced Gomes into a save from 25 yards; the Spurs keeper recovering from spilling it with Chicharito pouncing, as United began to flex their muscles.

The breakthrough came on the half hour – Kaboul flattened Chicharito, earning him a yellow card, and Nani’s delivery from the free kick was exceptional. Nemanja Vidic met it with a header that owed more to sensational precision than brute power from 12 yards out, and United were ahead. Spurs’ best chance to level before the break came from Modric, whose chest and volley from a corner was remiscent of Scholes, but Edwin van der Sar was equal to it, albeit at full stretch.

The second half was a procession until the last 10 minutes; a Bale run and shot and a Chicharito effort were the only efforts of note until the 83^rd minute, when Nani – not the first time – became the centre of a moment of controversy that sealed the game. Racing onto a clipped pass from substitute Wes Brown, Nani got goalside of Kaboul, who was all hands. The winger delayed his reaction and went down when no penalty could rightly be given; Gomes picked the ball up and rolled it down, assuming Spurs had won a free kick for a dive. Referee Mark Clattenburg clearly gestured to play on, and Nani crept around the keeper and slide the ball into the net.

Tottenham players surrounded the ref and linesman, who appeared to flag against the goal. Referee and assistant discussed; Clattenburg overruled his colleague, sealing the result.

United kept up their recent good run to see off their London opponents but not for the first time, Tottenham will feel aggrieved at their bad luck with officiating at Old Trafford.

Ratings : van der Sar 7, Rafael 8 (Brown 7), Ferdinand 7, Vidic 8, Evra 7, *Nani 9, Carrick 7, Fletcher 7, Park 7, Berbatov 6 (Scholes 7), Chicharito 7 (Obertan)

For the first time this season United face one of their fellow English Champions League representatives. New to the ‘big four’ Spurs have so far balanced European football with Premier League football well and this will be a tough challenge for United. I expect all eyes will be on three players in particular – Chicharito, Bale and Van der Vaart. Spurs’s have a bad record at Old Trafford though and we’ll all be hoping that tomorrow’s game follows that same path.

Spurs were knocked out of the Carling Cup in the third round and therefore avoided a midweek fixture. They should be fresh and ready to come to Old Trafford with a renewed belief in their abilities. Champions League qualification last year put to bed ghosts of failures past. Importantly it meant Spurs were able to keep hold of some of their better players over the summer. The additions of Gallas, Sandro and Van der Vaart were all positive moves and a sign that Spurs intend to now keep their place in the top four.

Spurs have had a decent opening quarter to season. Solid results against Man City and Everton were backed up with good wins against Aston Villa and away at Fulham. However, a home defeat to Wigan and a poor loss at West Ham show just how hard and unforgiving the league can be. At United we know only too well that it’s the results in those games that can come back to frustrate you. Like United, Spurs are yet to face a fellow member of last years ‘big four’. They come into this game off the back of a noble loss in Milan and a tight draw at home to Everton. Spurs fans could be forgiven for looking beyond this game to Tuesday however, when White Hart Lane hosts the European Champions, Inter Milan in what will be probably the biggest game of the season at The Lane.

Tom Huddlestone has been linked with United on a few occasions but it seems likely that he’ll miss this game through injury. Also missing out is an entire back four of Corluka, King, Woodgate and Dawson whilst O’Hara and Defoe still are receiving treatment for injuries. With the Inter game ahead Harry Redknapp has hinted he may drop Gareth Bale to the bench in a bid to save him from any kind of burnout too early in the season. There could be a league start for Sandro as part of a midfield five and don’t be too surprised to see Crouch dropped in favour of Pavlyuchenko.

On form, the two players to keep an eye on are Bale and Van der Vaart. In a recent poll I conducted on twitter, Bale came out as the player United fans want the club to sign more than any other. His electric early form playing in midfield has caught the attention of clubs worldwide. Last year he came to Old Trafford and played at left back – his defensive naivety was hugely exposed as United won 3-1. He is spurs top scorer this year with six goals of which two have come in the league. His strength, energy and drive make him a real threat come half past five on Saturday. Van der Vaart is Spurs’s second top scorer with five goals, four in the league. He joined on transfer deadline day despite the paperwork being submitted after the deadline. His cut-price fee of £8million looks a real bargain as he has added a touch of class to both Spurs and the league. I expect him to play as part of a midfield five but I’m sure he’ll have some more freedom to roam.

Unfortunately for Spurs the facts do not look good in the build up to this game. No win in 25 games in all competitions against United and it’s nearly 21 years since the last win in Manchester. Worse still, it’s 67 games since Spurs won away at any of United, Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool. Untied should be encouraged by the fact that Spurs haven’t kept a clean sheet in the league since the opening game of the season. Last seasons fixtures ended with 3-1 victories for United home and away.

I’ve had real trouble trying to predict the United team for this game and I am torn between two options so I will publish both of them:

And:

My team selections come down to a few things: lack of available wide players; a midweek game; and how keen Ferguson is to play Chicharito again. I honestly can’t decide what formation he’ll go for but I think the back four is quite set in stone, with only Evra coming in for O’Shea or Rafael if he opts to play Park in the midfield. Scholes and Fletcher will both start, as will Nani and Berbatov.

Giggs, Owen, Hargreaves, Rooney and Valencia are al definitely unavailable. Edwin van der Sar remarkably turns 40 today (Friday) so I thought that is a little milestone worth mentioning. Other facts related to United show that Nani has seven assists in the league, more than any other player whilst United still remain the only unbeaten side. Whilst Berbatov is the top goalscorer, he incredibly hasn’t found the net since his hat-trick against Liverpool on the 19th September – a goal is overdue against his former club.

United are on a run of three consecutive wins in all competitions, however they are five points behind Chelsea in the league. Anything bar a win will not be acceptable. I’m afraid Spurs fans that I am siding with history for this one and I’m going to predict a tight 2-0 United win.

Share with us your thoughts ahead of this game on the Spurs thread on our forum

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Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has admitted that he would like to sign Wayne Rooney from Manchester United.

He has intimated that he will talk to Daniel Levy regarding the possibility of signing the wantaway forward; I’d suggest a straight swap for Gareth Bale ought to do it at this stage.

For Harry’s full comments, read on.

“I’m going to speak to the chairman and see if he’s going to get Rooney to Tottenham – but I doubt very much that will happen. He’s not going to be cheap, is he? But at the end of the day, if he does not sign a new contract, Wayne Rooney will be a free agent.

“What an amazing situation that would be – a player worth £50m or £60m who would be a free agent. There’s always going to be interest when the best players become available and I’m sure there’s going to be some big fish who want him.

“Wayne Rooney is a fantastic player. He’s had a bad spell for the past two or three months but he’s a great player.

“But I think the players do have the power now. He’s in a situation where he’s got 18 months left on his contract. If he doesn’t want to sign a new one he will be a free agent and walk away.

“What a position to be in but you have to be realistic. He’s in a position where somebody could then give him, Wayne Rooney personally, £30million to sign him – and they’d still be getting a cheap player – even if the wages were then on top.

“He has just 18 months to get through before he is free. It would be difficult but if that’s the road he wants to go down there’s nothing Manchester United could do about it. It would be impossible for them to stop it.

“All they could do is keep on coming up with better offers to get him to sign a new contract but that’s the option he has. All I would say, for sure, is that he wouldn’t find a better club than Manchester United, or a better manager. It would be a shame if it ended that way.”

“These things need to be coming out in the open. The game belongs to the people and the people should know more about what’s happening. The most important people in football are the ones who pay the wages, and that is the fans.”

I blogged earlier that if he wants out, I would like Rooney out in January and David Beckham back as a temporary successor to the number 10 shirt. In my article on Sunday I accurately predicted a hell of a storm was about to hit, and suggested it would include Rooney.

I also repeated my wish for us to sign Gareth Bale in the same blog. Right now, I’d take him in a straight swap. If Sir Alex is on the ball, he’ll be on the phone to his old friend suggesting exactly that. It’s not about money anymore; it matters not if we get £30m or £50m, it’s about acquiring the right player. Bale, as I said, would always be my first choice. If there’s a chance of getting him in and Rooney out in one fell swoop?

All the better.

As Manchester United fans our focus is firmly on our club. We don’t really spend much time worrying about other teams as we have a belief and confidence in our own side. However, that isn’t to say that from time to time we look around and see what everyone else is doing – it’s only natural to be intrigued. Therefore with three weeks to go until the start of the league season, and nearly a month into the transfer window I thought I’d share my brief thoughts on the competition.

I must point out that I’m not fascinated with other clubs over my own (often a criticism by opposition fans when these sort of things are done); I’m not looking to specifically nail into other clubs either…I am merely giving my honest opinions on how I see things at the moment. Read as you desire into what I have to say.

Chelsea

At present: They are the reigning champions and as expected they will be a threat regardless next year. Right now their tour squad provides an insight into the direction they are heading with lots of younger players included. Abramovich appears to have tightened the purse strings meaning there are spaces up for grabs from within. Benayoun has come in to replace Joe Cole, from the bench at Anfield to the bench at The Bridge.

Strengths: Michael Essien’s return from injury is a huge bonus for Chelsea. He is in my opinion, the best non-United player in the Premiership. Frank Lampard scored more goals last year than he had done before and whilst like all England players his World Cup didn’t go as planned, no one would be surprised if he carried on scoring for Chelsea. Importantly, the squad know what it’s like to win – they have the experience.

Weaknesses: For me the biggest problem is that their squad is thin. They’ve lost a lot of experienced players who between them played quite a few games last year. Any team that loses Joe Cole, Ballack, Belletti and has the prospect of losing Deco and Carvalho is considerably weaker. Chelsea are keen to give youngsters a chance but the reality is that few of them have any real experience. Chelsea have already lost Cech, Alex and it looks like Drogba now as well for the start of the season, a few more injuries or a crisis like we had last year and they’d be in real trouble.

Future: Chelsea MUST sign some players if they want to win the league this year. Their starting XI is of course strong but every team must expect suspensions and injuries which I don’t think they could handle at the moment. If there are no signings (plural – one won’t do) then they may find themselves struggling at times.

Arsenal

At present: Arsenal are a relatively unchanged team from last year (minus some defenders). Their current tour squad is typical of what we’ve seen under Wenger – talent and youth. Wenger has made a couple of moves in the transfer market bringing in Chamakh (straight replacement for Eduardo) and Koscielny (replacement for both Silvestre and Gallas).

Strengths: In three words, talent and Fabregas. Arsenal’s squad oozes with talented youngsters all of whom will be hoping to make a serious mark in the first team next year. Ramsey, Wilshere, Djourou, Nordtveit, Vela, Gibbs, Szczesny, Frimpong and Lansbury all may hope to play bigger roles should they not go out on loan. As it stands, Fabregas remains an Arsenal player. His quality is unquestionable, as is his love for Arsenal. While he remains, Arsenal have a player of true quality in their side. The return to fitness of Van Persie will also be key – if he can stay fit he will add some flair and deadly finishing in the forward areas.

Weaknesses: Arsenal don’t have the experience of winning a trophy. This generation of youngsters haven’t fulfilled their potential yet and are inexperienced when it comes to jumping the final hurdle. If Arsenal have more bad luck with injuries then a repeat of last year may be on the cards. Arsenal must sign a goalkeeper and some centre backs. Almunia was often the reason points were dropped whilst right now the four centre backs (Campbell, Vermaelen, Djourou and Koscielny) don’t strike me as good enough.

Future: As always with an Arsenal team – lots of young talent doesn’t equal success. I think Arsenal should be content with a Champions League place next year – I don’t see them challenging all the way unless a few more players are brought in.

Tottenham

At present: Spurs have a big squad and good depth to it. Harry Redknapp has taken some of the younger players on tour and seems keen to give them a chance. Other than bringing in highly rated midfielder, Sandro, there has been little activity at White Hart Lane even though transfer speculation seems to be going into overdrive.

Strengths: As I said, they have a good deep squad. There is cover in every position bar right back if we’re being picky. The biggest plus for them is that so far they seem to be holding on to prized assets Modric and Bale with ease. The team have seen that they can be successful and no doubt confidence is very high at the moment.

Weaknesses: If Spurs want to remain a part of the top four then their squad is looking good. They will probably need to be in the market for a better striker – ideally someone who can play alone in a 4-5-1 formation. With quite a few players (Jenas, Keane, Pavlyuchenko plus others) possibly on the way out they may need a few more squad players. It will be important to see how seriously they take the Champions League if they get through the qualifiers. If they take it seriously they must make sure it doesn’t affect their league form and Harry may need to rotate the squad more.

Future: If the league remains the priority then Spurs could sneak into the top four again. I believe their squad is superior to Arsenal’s and so they could be the two teams battling it out for 4th place. Lots of players are being linked with a move to Spurs and it certainly seems like the club are moving in the right direction. They may well prove to be a real danger if they can get one or two quality players in.

Manchester City

At present: It’s hard to know what to say. Their squad is big and has some players of the highest quality in it. Speculation in the papers every day is linking them with more and more good players. They are building the core of what looks like a strong youthful team.

Strengths: Money. No player is truly beyond them. They can sign who they like and pay ridiculous wages if necessary. They have bought in a top player in David Silva, a Champions League winner in Yaya Toure and a centre back with real potential in Jerome Boateng. This team is only getting stronger.

Weaknesses: I have to try to be serious and not go down the route of money ruining football. Their weaknesses are probably inexperience when it comes to winning and the risk of the team not gelling. I don’t personally know how much identity means to City fans but with the prospect of a few of their players who’ve come through the academy leaving, they are starting to lose a sense of local identity and are becoming rather international – mind you, I’m not sure it’s bothered Chelsea fans too much. In truth, there aren’t many weaknesses other than the burden of no trophies in a long time and the pressure of living up to their bigger and better (cough) neighbours.

Future: If the team can come together then City may well be a real threat for the title not just for 4th place. The signings they have made suggest intent and with more seemingly to come the blue half of Manchester may well start to dream. I don’t live in fear of City at all but relish the challenge and I do respect the team they are building (I’ve seen City fans on Man United forums suggest we are scared, I’m certainly not…bring it on!).

Liverpool

At present: New manager. Unsettled squad. Rumours of Gerrard, Mascherano and Torres leaving. Only Joe Cole worth mentioning out of the signings, and his arrival was countered by the fact he stole another new signings shirt.

Strengths: Hard to see many but right now with none of the big names leaving -so far – that must count for something.

Weaknesses: The owners want to go. They aren’t in the Champions League. The squad looks poor. It really isn’t a good time to be a Liverpool fan.

Future: I believe at least one of the big three will leave and then it’ll come down to how Hodgson can reinvest the money. Liverpool should be concentrating on getting squad players in so that they can ensure they make Europe next year. I don’t believe one quality player is what they need. Right now their squad is not in good shape and getting into the Europa League spots may be their challenge this year.

Apologies if your team has not been mentioned. I felt it was necessary to mention Liverpool as they are close rivals of ours and they still believe they should be a top four team. I expect Aston Villa and Everton to push Liverpool hard and possibly come above them.

Hopefully what you can see here is that I believe that right now only City have got stronger. I don’t doubt that Manchester United are in a good position to challenge again for the title. We have certainly not got weaker and have the prospect of a large, talented, youthful but experienced, relatively injury-free team to start the season with. There is no harm from time to time in looking at and assessing the opposition with respect. I hope that anyone who had doubts about our own squad can see that actually other teams have bigger problems. Right now, all things considered, bring on the new season, I have a good feeling the opposition are scared of us.

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Experience was the key factor in last weeks Manchester derby; it was required here, with just a touch of youthful extravagance to decide the game in the Champions favour against a tough Tottenham Hotspur side. Ryan Giggs was coolness personified to convert two penalties while Nani produced a match winning moment of magic to return Manchester United to the top; however temporary that may be.

Harry Redknapp’s team had taken 6 points from Arsenal and Chelsea and he had said prior to the game that had someone told him he’d get 5 points from this trio of fixtures he’d have snatched their hand off – Tottenham therefore were able to play with more of a nothing to lose attitude than their hosts, who had everything to lose. The visitors were boosted by the absence of Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand and rightly had realistic aspirations of their first win at Old Trafford for over twenty years. There was a case to say that in addition to Rooney and Ferdinand, the absences of Gary Neville, Ji-Sung Park, Anderson and Owen Hargreaves – though the latter did make the bench for the first time in almost 2 years – left United with half a team out.

Neither side started particularly well; it took a half hearted shot from Pavlyuchenko to inject some energy, and that seemed to be hit more as a point to the rest of the players that the game was petering out as early as the 25th minute. It did spark a flurry of action in the next 10 minutes as the Red Devils really stepped up their urgency. From the resulting break; Nani and Patrice Evra worked a move brilliantly that saw the French fullback get into the area and fizz a ball across goal towards Ryan Giggs. Gareth Bale was able to temporarily disrail the ball but the loose ball fell to Dimitar Berbatov – the Bulgarian, however, saw his shot brilliantly blocked by Ledley King.

United began to work the wings with the full backs and wingers featuring prominently – it was the right hand sides turn to open up, Bale caught out by Valencia’s movement chasing a Rafael pass, but the Ecuadorian equalled his Blackburn effort with a tame shot at the keeper. Gomes cleared, the ball came straight back and Dawson’s header was met by a 25 yard Berbatov effort. The former Spurs man showed enough confidence to go for it but had the time really to have made something better from his shot than firing it wide.

A Gareth Bale free kick went over before Nani and Evra worked well again and the Frenchman struck his shot over on the run. With 4 minutes left until half time, Rafael’s ball inside found Berbatov on the edge of the area – he made himself some space but, again having done so, hit his shot poorly.

There was certainly no question that the second half needed more impetus from the players; there seemed little to change the shape of the team from the bench, with Scholes and Giggs United’s dictators in the middle but Fletcher quietly going about his business to allow them their platform. The Champions were almost caught cold though straight after half time when Jermain Defoe struggled to control a ball into the box – Evra did just enough to put both Defoe and Pavlyuchenko off.

Evra was certainly the central figure early in the second half – before the second period had even gotten to five minutes, he was doubled up being physically and violently sick. He recovered to five minutes later receive a short corner from Giggs and create the best opening yet, a header for Berbatov. He headed wide, though, with Darren Fletcher agonisingly close on the stretch to deflecting it in. Wilson Palacios bustled through on a quick break to test Edwin van der Sar, but United had begun to get to grips with the game and occasion.

Another short Giggs corner went to Nani, who was rather wasteful after beating Modric, shooting wide at the near post. A minute later though, as United were breaking again, they finally got the breakthrough. Berbatov for once ran with purpose towards goal and perhaps actually having some direction to his game took the Spurs defenders on the surprise and back foot. He ran towards goal and seemed up a blind alley, but backheeled cleverly into the path of Evra who had crept into the area. Benoit Assou-Ekotto was in unfamiliar territory as a left footer at right back and was completely caught out, bringing down the United left back and giving referee Andre Marriner no option but to award the penalty.

Nani has taken penalties for United in the past; Berbatov was probably angling for it, while Scholes too has hit them before, but it was Ryan Giggs who assumed the responsibility for his first ever league penalty.He had missed the only ever other penalty he had taken in front of the Stretford End in the FA Cup against Southampton right at the start of his career but converted this kick with immaculate precision.

It was unclear whether it was the number of kicks Valencia was receiving or if he too was feeling under the weather, but he was replaced by Michael Carrick. Tottenham too changed their shape, moving Bale more advanced and bringing on Aaron Lennon after several months out. The tactical shift changed the game and suited Tottenham, who really grew in confidence with their positions more familiar. And ten minutes after conceding, their positive response got a reward, when Ledley King headed in Bale’s corner to equalise. King did use Carrick as something of a jumping aid so it would be unfair to blame the ex-Spurs midfielder, but Rafael did move slightly off of the post to punishing effect. He swung out a boot to try and stop the header but the damage was done.

It could have been much worse 5 minutes later when Modric set up ex-Chelsea player Eidur Gudjohnsen – the Iceland striker beat Evans but Nemanja Vidic brilliantly blocked the shot to keep United in the game.

Sir Alex Ferguson then called on his final substitute – having brought off Evra just before for O’Shea – when he introduced Federico Macheda. The Italian was instrumental at a similar stage last season and his contribution once on the pitch demonstrated just why he is so highly thought of. Just two minutes after coming on, he was pivotal to the defining moment of the game. Nani picked up the ball just inside the Spurs half and played it to Darren Fletcher. Fletcher’s pass inside to Macheda didn’t really give the youngster much room to do anything, but Nani was already making that decision for him, running forward into space. Macheda’s ball was perfectly weighted but the Portuguese winger had a lot of work to do.

Despite the constant accusations that he would never be Cristiano Ronaldo or that he was too inconsistent, Nani has shown incredible inner strength to become a vital player in this United set up. It was incredible to think that despite his brilliant contribution in the second part of the season he had not scored in the league since last August – but he showed composure and arrogance to defy the occasion when he first took a perfect touch to beat Ledley King and then the most perfectly executed, and arrogant, chip over Gomes and into the middle of the goal. Old Trafford erupted as Nani celebrated a moment that could yet become an iconic chapter in the illustrious history of the club.

He wasn’t about to rest on his laurels, though, and in the 85th minute, won a second penalty – a mazy run was illegally interrupted just inside the area from Tottenham’s second makeshift right back of the day, Wilson Palacios. Giggs stepped up again and changed sides – once again, Gomes guessed right, but once again, the kick was perfectly placed into the corner.

United were able to see the game out and go back to the top of the table – Chelsea’s game in hand against Stoke is tomorrow – even if there was still time for Nani to throw up as well. Sir Alex said after the game that Rooney could miss the rest of the season with a groin injury – 2 to 3 weeks, his estimate – but that the bug that affected Evra and Nani should clear up before the next game. Even if the Champions have to play out the remaining 180 minutes of this season without their top scorer, there is an inner belief that exists around the likes of Valencia and in particular Nani, as well as Macheda’s bullish atttitude that seems to scream that he is not only ready but that he feels he can take games at this level by the scruff of the neck. That kind of attitude may be needed at Sunderland; if not, United know that they have an experienced core in the brilliant Giggs and Scholes.

Ratings : van der Sar 7, Rafael 7 (Macheda), Evans 8, Vidic 8, Evra 8 (O’Shea 6), Valencia 7 (Carrick 6), Fletcher 7, Scholes 8, Giggs 9, *Nani 9, Berbatov 7

Edward Paul Sheringham was born in April 1966 and his career in England saw him have start out at Millwall and have contracted spells at Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur before signing for Manchester United in the summer of 1997. It’s safe to say that at £3.5m, the forward represented one of the best value for money purchases of Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign at Old Trafford.

His arrival at the club understandably drew comparisons with Eric Cantona, given that he arrived immediately after the Frenchman had announced his shock decision to retire. United were linked with all kinds of playmakers with the strongest rumour being that they would sign little Brazilian Juninho from recently relegated Middlesbrough; but instead, Ferguson turned to Spurs and paid £3.5m. In hindsight it looks a bargain; at the time eyebrows were raised. At 31, Sheringham was almost two months older than Cantona and it seemed a big gamble.

Sheringham didn’t inherit Cantona’s shirt but he did assume penalty taking responsibility, missing from the spot on his debut, ironically at White Hart Lane. His first season was considered somewhat of a disaster despite scoring 14 goals in all competitions – his relationship with the fellow senior striker who he was bought to play alongside, Andy Cole, had been lukewarm to be kind after Cole considered the veteran had snubbed him when he was making his international debut. That relationship totally broke down in the first season when Teddy blamed Cole for his part in a goal conceded against Bolton at the back end of that first season, which saw United end up trophyless.

As a result of that and the arrival of Dwight Yorke the next season, Sheringham saw his opportunities limited, playing under half the league games. Sheringham scored just 5 goals in the 98-99 season but his contribution would never be forgotten. He came on as a substitute in both the FA Cup Final and the Champions League final to score United’s first goals in both games – the first, the eventual winner against Newcastle, and the second, a crucial injury time equaliser against Bayern Munich. The treble that season represented the first major trophies of Sheringham’s career, and after being abused by merciless Arsenal fans for his Tottenham connections, he took great delight in reminding them that he now had quite a handsome collection.

Teddy, like Ole Solskjaer, became a dream to manage for Sir Alex Ferguson – both strikers giving something that neither Cole or Yorke had. On the one hand, when Cole and Yorke were on song, they were unbeatable, but both were susceptible to dips in form. The other two were waiting in the wings knowing that while they may not be as prolific when on song, they gave what Cole and Yorke couldn’t – and in Sheringham’s case, it was timing and intelligence that never seemed to suffer from loss of consistency.

United had planned to move the forward on after the 1999/2000 campaign – no real issue with the players form, but Ferguson felt that more of a cutting edge was needed up front in Europe and had identified Ruud van Nistelrooy to come in. Ruud infamously broke down injured in his medical and although he obviously ended up at United 12 months later it did hand Teddy a reprieve, a chance for a golden swansong, and he grabbed that opportunity with both hands.

Undoubtedly the beneficiary of a United midfield of Beckham, Scholes, Keane, Butt and Giggs that was at its energetic peak, Sheringham’s sense of timing and moment had never diminished and moving into his 35th year he managed to score an impressive 15 league goals in 29 games, earning him the PFA player of the year award and a third consecutive league title medal. It would be fair to say that despite that recognition from his fellow pro’s, even that would have come second to the feeling of scoring the final goal in the last minute of a 6 goal hammering of Arsenal in his final season at United.

Some of his goals and overall contribution that season was a real joy to watch and although it could be accepted he was never the genius that Cantona was, he wasn’t a bad replacement and indeed, looked twice the player that Dimitar Berbatov, a fellow Spurs-Utd mover at almost ten times the cost, ever has.

van Nistelrooy’s recovery facilitated Sheringham’s return to Tottenham on a free transfer, and although his form in his last season and prompted Sir Alex to offer Teddy a year extension, the player clearly had a renewed (and justified) belief that he could contribute on a more frequent basis than seemed open to him at Old Trafford.

His two year return to White Hart Lane consolidated his place as a legend, or at the very least, above the backhanded compliment of “cult status”, at two of English football’s most famous clubs, with a very impressive 26 goals in 80 games for a veteran closer to 40 than 30. A year at Portsmouth followed as he helped the South Coast club stay up in their first ever Premier League season with a great return of ten goals, before he signed for West Ham and spent 3 seasons there. The first season in the Championship, he scored 20 leagues goals, and when they returned to the top flight he was still a key performer, notably becoming the oldest outfield player in the history of the Premier League at over 40.

His career ended with a spell at Colchester in the Championship in 2008 where he finished just 2 games short of 900 appearances in his long, storied career.

A player of Sheringham’s quality is rare and this can best be proven by his absence – how the current England – and United, for that matter – set up would benefit from a peak Teddy right now.