Tottenham Hotspur at Manchester United should be a good football game of contrasting styles; here is what to look for: Spurs are to win the game.
If Tottenham Hotspur is to make a run at the top places in the Premier League, Spurs need to get points in crucial road games against top-half teams. Wednesday’s game at Old Trafford is precisely that kind of game for Spurs. Here is what to look for if Tottenham takes one more point in a massive road game in Premier League play.
What to look for when Spurs are defending
We know that Antonio Conte teams start with sound defense, and if Tottenham can keep Manchester United from scoring, Spurs can earn at least one point. However, a defensive approach against a team that likes to maintain possession, like United, can force a team to sit too deep defensively; this cannot happen for Spurs against Manchester.
Key 1: Tottenham cannot sit too deep
Against Everton, Spurs were aggressive with pressure from the forwards and stiff defense from the backs, working to deny any hold-up play. While a similar approach would be nice against United, Manchester does not use their forwards to play hold-up football. Instead, Marcus Rashford and Cristiano Ronaldo are runners who are looking to move.
The natural tendency defensively would be to sit deeper and give United less space behind our defense. Of course, moving the defense back can be a slippery slope that leads to a bus parked at the penalty box, which is a recipe for disaster.
Tottenham cannot play quite as aggressively as they did against Everton, but they cannot just sit back and defend deep; it is about applying pressure at the right time and in the right places.
Key 2: Apply appropriate pressure within the shooting range
One of the biggest struggles for Manchester United this season has been scoring goals, and Tottenham will hope that continues on Wednesday evening. Of course, the lack of goals is more a by-product of a team in transition than anything with United’s ability to score. Manchester has several players capable of scoring from anywhere within 30 yards of the goal.
The United players are not afraid to shoot from a distance and can be pretty adept at doing so. Spurs fans know all about the shooting acumen of Christian Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes, and of course, Ronaldo. Now, United also has Antony, who likes to cut in on his left foot from the right, much like Dejan Kulusevski.
Tottenham cannot hesitate when any of these players get within shooting range with the ball, or it could be trouble.
What to look for from Tottenham with the ball
We all know going in, Spurs are unlikely to try and dominate possession on the road against United. However, we should expect Tottenham to battle enough to hold the ball and create some chances to steal a big road win. We saw against Everton Spurs were capable of producing many chances; they need to finish those against United.
Key 3: Tottenham needs to move without the ball
If you watch United play for an extended period, you notice two defensive things about the team. First, the players play hard; they throw their bodies all over the pitch and will put 11 players on the goalline if they think it will stop a goal. However, as those players run to throw themselves at the ball, they often lose sight of the man they are guarding.
In other words, United can be caught ball-watching, which Spurs can take advantage of through movement.
When Manchester City put six past United, much of the success came from the off-the-ball movement. As defenders looked at the ball, the City players moved to where the ball was going to be, and it turned into a goal-scoring bonanza.
Tottenham being down attackers will make this a more difficult proposition, but if Spurs can get movement off the ball, they will find players in space.
Key 4: Tottenham needs to connect on their crosses
Off-the-ball movement is a key and works, assuming you finish in the end. Going back to City’s route of United, all six goals came from crosses. The cross was the key, whether a corner kick, just swinging the ball around to the side, or quickly moving the ball outside and back in.
Against Everton, Spurs were pinging crosses into the box, particularly from the left of the attack, but struggled to score. If Tottenham is to put one or more past David de Gea, it will likely come from finishing a cross. However, if Spurs fail to capitalize on the opportunities in the box, they may rue the result.
Key 5: Spurs need to keep their head on a hectic day
In their last road game against a top-half team, Spurs lost their cool as Emerson Royal was sent off against rival Arsenal. Against United, at Old Trafford, Spurs need to expect to be on the short end of the crowd and likely a few calls. Regardless, Tottenham needs to keep focus.
United is a team that will look to hit you when you are sleeping. Ronaldo’s cheeky attempt to steal a free-kick this past weekend at Newcastle is a perfect example of how United will look to hit you when you least expect it.
If Tottenham gets caught up complaining about calls or looking for an opportunity to get some payback, they will not be thinking about their assignment, which is a recipe for trouble.
Championship teams keep composure when the game gets hectic; if Spurs can take a step in this regard on Wednesday, their odds of winning go up. Of course, if someone loses their cool, it could make for another long day.