Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspurs

                                   Red Devils Vs Lilywhites

    Image source: goal.com

Build up:

The weekday fixtures were back with a bang with United were ready to hosts Spurs with both teams were set to grab 3 points in this exciting fixture. But, we never expected something which blew away our minds. Mauricio Pochettino was sacked after his men drew against Chris Wilder's men which left them at 14th place in the table. We all were shocked after reading the headlines. The man who was appointed after Tim Sherwood was sacked in 2014 surprised the entire league with his style of play. He was responsible for bringing players like Aldewerield, Ali and youth hero Harry Kane in this league who have had made an instant impact since their debuts. The man who guided them to four-time successful top 4 finish and 1st time ever European final in their history was given the boot after the chairman Daniel Levy stating 'disappointing results' were the main reasons that lead to sacking Pochettino. Spurs made other big headlines after they announced the appointment of none other than the 'Special One' Jose Mourinho. Who would have expected this man to manage a team who told that he would never manage the Lilywhites in 2013 when he was The Blues manager. The 2 time UEFA Champions League winner was back in the league after a 1-year hiatus with his last team being the boss of the Red Devils.

    Image source: 90min.com

Match Facts:

Ole's men returned to action after 2 successive draws against Sheffield United and Aston Villa while Jose's men have been on an impressive run with 3 victories in a row against West Ham, Bournemouth and a thrilling encounter in the Champions League against the Greek side Olympiacos. United have picked up 18 points from their opening 14 games their worst start to a premier league campaign since 1988-89 campaign when they also 18 points and went on to finish 11th in the table. The Red Devils had made 4 changes from their side that drew against Villa last time out. Anthony Martial missed out due to injury, with Greenwood coming into the fold, Scott McTominay returned at the heart of midfield while Young returned at left-back. Mata dropped to the bench in favor of Lingard to support Greenwood,  James, and Rashford. Mourinho made two changes to his side that won against The  Cherries with Harry Winks returned in the midfield to replace Dier along with Sissoko moved back as Lucas earned a place at the starting 11 and Ndombele made his return to the bench. Mourinho returned to 'Theatre of Dreams' for the 1st time since he got sacked in spite of him guiding the Red Devils to a Community Shield, League cup and the Europa League. Will Ole finally get the boot or will Jose prevail over his employees?

Match summary:

Manchester United made a blistering start to the match in the early minutes for the 1st time this campaign. We all wondered that 'is this  Man United'? We all expected Jose's men to threaten the hosts as United had always been sitting back in most of the games. The 20-time Premier League champions began to scare the visitors by attacking and keeping possession of the ball. Within 6 minutes, Lingard won the ball against Sanchez which paved the way for Marcus Rashford to fire past Gazzaniga who could only manage to turn it on the post and break the deadlock. Spurs responded on their own when Harry Kane went for a curling strike over the wall only for the ball to go over the bar. Dele Ali equalized in the 39th minute when he flicked the ball over Fred and scored past David De Gea. Both teams did have chances, but the Hosts were far superior in terms of attacking. The final whistle blew as The Red Devils claimed the bragging rights with 3 points and Jose suffered his 1st defeat since he was appointed as the successor Mauricio Pochettino.

    Image source: bleacherreport.co.uk

 

1. Man united's dominance in this encounter:

We all were surprised and shocked. What just happened? Is it a dream or is it a reality? Were was this Manchester United? It looked like The Red Devils were hiding. Since the post era of Sir Alex Ferguson, his successors have failed to replicate the attacking philosophy.  Ever since his retirement, big names such as Louis Van Gaal and Jose Mourinho had failed to turn their misfortunes with only the Special One winning 3 trophies in his tenure and not to forget LVG guided them to FA cup victory over the Eagles. The appointment of Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer was met with an immediate response as they went on to win 14 matches in a row and a miraculous comeback against PSG in the 2nd leg of the knockout stages. Since this start of the campaign, United have made their worst start of their campaign and it looked like it was a beginner's luck as he failed to get the best out of his players. In this match, the hosts began to threaten the visitors in the early minutes of the game and broke the deadlock. The moment of the match was when Marcus Rashford struck a powerful shot from 25 yards out only for Gazzaniga to make a fingertip save as the ball hit the post and went for a corner. The Red Devils continued to frighten throughout the match as they had chances to finish the game. Marcus Rashford scored a penalty to give his side the lead. In the end, it was the 20-time premier league champions who claimed the 3 points.

    Image source: standard.co.uk

2. Dele Ali's resurgence in the form:

Ever since Mauricio Pochettino began his 2nd tenure, he signed a young Dele Ali from MK Dons for £5 million. Everybody wondered who was this lad?. But under the guidance of the former Southampton boss, Ali had gone on to play a pivotal role for Spurs in the coming seasons. In his 1st season, he went on to win the BBC goal of the season for his striking volley against the eagles and he picked up the PFA young player of the season. He went on to play an important role in Spurs finishing in the top 4 for the 2nd successive campaign and won the PFA young player of the year for the 2nd time in a row. He also made his way to the 3 Lions squad and played his 1st international tournament in Euro 2016. Since then, there had been a dip in form as he showed glimpses of impressive football on and off. After the shocking dismissal of Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho was appointed the successor. Reports began to surface Ali criticizing Jose in the past and everybody expected the Special One to exclude Ali. We all know that Jose is a no-nonsense manager who does not spare any player. But since his appointment, there has been a change in Ali's form as he had scored in 2 matches. He also scored in the match against The Red Devils. Is this the moment for Dele Ali to answer his critics?

    Image source: bbc.co.uk

3. Is Serge Aurier the perfect replacement for Kieron Trippier?:

The unexpected of Kyle Walker to Manchester City meant that Spurs had no other option but to splash  £23 million for Serge Aurier from French giants PSG. Everbody expected Aurier to be the 1st choice right back in the starting 11 as he was considered an ideal replacement for Kyle Walker. But, we were proved wrong. It was the young England international Trippier who surprised everyone with his performances. With his ability to provide bending crosses and scoring set pieces, the youngster had played an important role under Pochettino's guidance. He also went on to be a part of the team who made an inspiring comeback against the 4 time UEFA Champions League winners Ajax in at thrilling contest as well as in their 1st time European Finals. His performances caught the eyes of Diego Simeone and went on to sign for the Spanish giants Athletico Madrid. Since his departure, Aurier's playing has been called into question as he performed underwhelmingly. The question remains 'Will Aurier be Jose's ideal right-back or will he be sold in the upcoming winter transfer break'?

    Image source: teamtalk.com

4. Will Eriksen be a part of Jose's plan?

The arrival of Christian Eriksen in the premier league in 2012 has indeed been a great signing for the Lilywhites. The Danish midfielder has been a fantastic and charismatic performer for Spurs consistently. After the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino, Eriksen has went on to play a pivotal role. With his commanding presence, ability to cross, score set-pieces and long-range shots, Spurs midfield had improved drastically with likes of Ali and Moussa Dembele. Since then, he has been a target of big teams, especially the 13 time UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid. But after the appointment of Jose Mourinho, there has been a change. Since then, he has been used sparingly. His absence was highly felt when Spurs were finding it difficult to hold the possession. After his introduction, Spurs were able to get the hang and were able to create chances. There has been speculation that Eriksen has made up his mind to leave for a new challenge and lack of winning trophies. The Red Devils have also revealed their interest in the Danish midfielder. The question is 'Will Eriksen be sold or will he be Jose Mourinho's star midfielder?

    Image source: 90min.com

   

The Red Devil's win over Spurs meant that Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer is safe temporarily. The lackluster performance of Manchester United this campaign against the weaker sides were severely criticized by several pundits and journalists. Even though the 20-time premier league champions responded brilliantly against Spurs, a lot of fans are questioning whether this type of game plan will continue. Some good news for the fans was that Untied were able to register a win finally. Reports emerged that Mauricio Pochettino has been a favorite candidate for the Red Devils as well as the Gunners. Sir Alex has been a longtime admirer of the Argentine manager due to his ability to get the best of youngsters, his attacking philosophy as well as his pressing tactics. The question is 'will the Norwegian bring back the glory days or will the fans wish to see Mauricio Pochettino be appointed as the next long time successor for Manchester United'?

Author,

Zaid