After exiting European competition in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League this fall, Manchester United will look to take a step toward a return to continental play when they host Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Man U (10-9-1, 31 points) begins the weekend in ninth place in the table, nine points back of the top four and Champions League places, and three back of a top-six position that is typically enough to secure a spot in the Europa League.
The Red Devils’ most pronounced struggles continue to be in the attack. Midfielder Scott McTominay’s five league goals are the most on the team. And manager Erik ten Hag’s squad still has yet to score more than three goals in a game in any competition this season.
But Man U’s previous match against fifth-place Spurs -- a 2-0 loss at Tottenham back on the second weekend of the season on Aug. 19 -- showed how things might be different if the Red Devils had consistently shown more composure in front of goal.
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It was a very winnable match for the visitors -- especially during a first half in which they were decisively the better side -- before being punished for their wastefulness after the interval.
“They’re really proactive, very enjoyable to watch them with a lot of dynamics, very proactive, they combine it with good results,” ten Hag said of Spurs. “But also, when we played them over there ... the first 35 minutes we dominated them, we should have gone in the lead but we didn’t, so we have to make our own luck and take control of the game and finish the chances.”
Spurs (12-5-3, 39 points) begin the weekend only a point back of North London rivals Arsenal and the top four, and they will see loan-signing Timo Werner potentially make his Tottenham debut.
Werner previously spent two frustrating Premier League seasons at Chelsea (2020-22), and he has recently drifted down the striking depth chart at RB Leipzig to precipitate his loan.
But he’s still a player who is only 27 and who has four double-digit goal Bundesliga campaigns in his past. And in the very short term, he will fill a need left by Heung-Min Son, who is on duty for the South Korea national team at the AFC Asia Cup and leads Spurs with 12 goals.
“Particularly with Son going away for a period of time, we felt we needed another player in the final third,” said Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou. “I thought Timo would be a really good fit for us -- he certainly has the attributes we look for.”
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