Soccer
“What worries me most” – Chris Sutton Explains Why He isn’t Fully Confident That Manchester United Will Beat Tottenham Hotspur
Former Celtic forward Chris Sutton has predicted a Manchester United win over Tottenham Hotspur but is not fully confident of his prophecy due to a shortcoming in the Red Devils’ game. The ex-Chelsea man expects the two teams to produce a closely contested game, with United ultimately coming away with a 2-1 win.
Chris Sutton Explains Why He is Not Sure Manchester United Will Beat Tottenham
Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United will welcome Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham to Old Trafford for their Premier League Matchday 6 clash on Sunday, September 29. Both teams have amassed seven points from five games this season, but Tottenham sit in 10th place — a place above United — due to their superior goal difference.
Previewing and predicting the outcome of the game, Sutton wrote in his BBC column:
“My first thought was that I fancy Manchester United to win this but, the more I think about it, the less likely that seems. United made heavy weather of their Europa League draw with FC Twente on Wednesday, with a performance that was very uninspiring. Mind you, we need to see more from Spurs in the final third too, so I am going to stick with my instincts and go for a United win. Let me explain why.
“In my opinion, United cannot beat Spurs by going toe-to-toe with them, but there is an argument that Tottenham’s playing style will suit Erik ten Hag, because it is in these sort of games where Ten Hag’s counter-attack football works best.”
Explaining he was not 100% confident of a United win, Sutton added:
“I am not exactly confident they will beat Spurs though.
“What worries me most about tipping United is what happens in the centre of the park. Are United going to rely on Christian Eriksen again, against his former club. A great player, but does he have the legs?”
Sutton’s Prediction: Man Utd 2-1 Spurs
Man Utd vs Spurs: Recent Form Comparison
Manchester United is coming into the game of a disappointing 1-1 draw with FC Twente in the UEFA Europa League — a game in which Eriksen was responsible for scoring the goal and giving the ball away for Twente’s equalizer. United looked toothless in their last Premier League match as well, playing out a goalless draw with Crystal Palace.
Tottenham Hotspur, on the other hand, came out on top in their UEFA Europa League clash with Qarabag on Thursday, September 26. Despite playing with 10 men for over 80 minutes, they bagged a comfortable 3-0 victory. They also claimed maximum points in their last Premier League outing, beating Brentford 3-1 at home.