Spotlight on… Manchester United

We continue our busy Premier League schedule with a trip to Manchester United on Wednesday night. A reminder that we kick-off at 7.30pm.

We enjoyed a memorable night on our last visit to Old Trafford as we stormed to a 3-0 triumph in August, 2018 – a brace from Lucas Moura and a header from Harry Kane sealing all three points.

So ahead of our visit to the north west, we put United under the spotlight.

Team news

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be without midfielder Paul Pogba for the clash with the French international still recovering from an ankle injury. However, the Norwegian could have both Scott McTominay and Nemanja Matic back at his disposal.

Manchester United’s form

On a run of three games without a win in all competitions and with just two wins in their last nine Premier League matches, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side currently sit ninth in the league table with 18 points on the board. Last time out, United picked up a point at home after a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa. The Birmingham-based outfit had taken the lead at Old Trafford through Jack Grealish on 11 minutes but an own goal through Tom Heaton just before the break and then a Victor Lindelof header on 64 minutes turned the game on its head. That lead didn’t last long, however, as Tyrone Mings volleyed home just moments later to earn Villa a point on the road.

New faces

United added three new players to their squad over the summer with defenders Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire joining from Crystal Palace and Leicester City respectively, while winger Daniel James, who has three goals to his name already this season, moved from Swansea City.

Leader of the opposition

In 2018, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer returned to manage the club he had represented as a player for over a decade. A striker in those playing days, the Norwegian won nine major honours during his time at Old Trafford, including the Champions League in 1999. And it was there in 2007 that he hung up his boots before swiftly moving into coaching with United’s reserve side just a year later.

His initial management role came in 2011 at another one of his former clubs – Norwegian side Molde. Bar a brief nine-month stint at Cardiff City in 2014, Solskjaer spent the next seven years at the Aker Stadion, winning two league titles and the Norwegian Cup. In December, 2018, he returned to United, taking over initially as caretaker before being appointed on a permanent basis in the following March.

Last five meetings
13 January, 2019 – Spurs 0-1 Manchester United – Premier League
27 August, 2018 – Manchester United 0-3 Spurs – Premier League
21 April, 2018 – Manchester United 2-1 Spurs – FA Cup semi final
31 January, 2018 – Spurs 2-0 Manchester United – Premier League
28 October, 2017 – Manchester United 1-0 Spurs – Premier League

The numbers game
3 – Manchester United have lost three of their last seven home league games against us (W4), including this fixture 3-0 last season.

18 – Manchester United have picked up just 18 points from their opening 14 Premier League matches this season (W4 D6 L4), their worst start to a league season since the 1988/89 campaign, when they also had 18 points and went on to finish 11th.

2 – Since keeping three consecutive Premier League clean sheets in February, Manchester United have only kept two in their last 25 games in the competition (36 goals conceded).

3 – José Mourinho could become just the third manager to win a Premier League away game at Old Trafford with two different clubs (after Martin O’Neill and Rafael Benítez), having won there 3-1 with Chelsea in May, 2005.

1 – José Mourinho could become our first-ever manager to win his first three top-flight games in charge.

Played for both

A unique talent, Dimitar Berbatov lit up north London in his two years with us, scoring 46 goals and helping us to the League Cup in his final season at White Hart Lane before departing to join Manchester United.

The Bulgarian forward played the game at his own pace but created magic with his deft touch of the ball, his ingenuity in possession, his fierce strike and his audacity in front of goal. ‘Berba’ quickly became a fans’ favourite and one of the most feared strikers in the Premier League. Special strikes against Charlton Athletic and Fulham were just two of many goals he scored in our famous shirt. He also rolled home an ice-cool penalty in the 2008 League Cup Final against Chelsea before Jonathan Woodgate headed home the winner.

The following summer, he moved to Old Trafford where he went on to win a further League Cup as well as two Premier League titles and the FIFA World Club Cup. Later representing Fulham, AS Monaco, PAOK and Kerala Blasters, he hung up his boots in 2018 but went on to put on show once more in N17, as he scored a superb header for our Legends side against Inter Forever in the second of two test events at our new stadium.

Match data

Venue – Old Trafford.

Opposition colours – Red shirts, white shorts, black socks.

Referee – Paul Tierney.

Weather – Cloudy, five degrees.