Spotlight on... Manchester United

We resume our 2019/20 Premier League campaign on Friday night as we welcome Manchester United to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (8.15pm kick-off).

This game, as well as our other eight remaining fixtures, will be played out behind closed doors with fans not permitted to attend as we look to limit the spread of COVID-19 by following social-distancing measures.

To bring supporters as close as possible to the match though, we'll be airing an exclusive live stream, broadcast direct from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - N17 Live - ahead of the game across our social media channels as well as the Spurs Official App. Our encounter with United will then be televised on Sky Sports.

Team news

Ahead of their visit to north London, United will have an almost fully fit squad to choose from with both Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford expected to return to action after injury lay-offs.

Defenders Axel Tuanzebe and Phil Jones, however, are likely to miss out.

Manchester United’s form

Currently sitting fifth in the Premier League, four points in front of us, United were enjoying a purple patch of form just before the season was suspended back in March. Prior to the campaign’s postponement, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side were on an 11-game unbeaten run across all competitions. Their last league defeat came back in January – a 2-0 home loss to Burnley.

One to watch

Portuguese international midfielder Bruno Fernandes joined United at the end of the January transfer window from Sporting Lisbon. He made his debut a few days later against Wolves and has played nine matches so far - voted United's Man of the Match in five - and United are unbeaten in that time. He's also weighed in with three goals. Former United, Bayern Munich and England midfielder Owen Hargreaves likened him to Paul Scholes back in March, describing how Fernandes 'makes everyone around him look better'. 

New faces

As well as Bruno Fernandes, Solskjaer boosted his ranks with the arrival of striker Odion Ighalo on loan from Shanghai Greenland Shenhua at the end of January. After spells in Norway, Italy and Spain, the Nigerian international made his name at Watford, where he linked up well with Troy Deeney and scored 39 goals in 99 games between 2014 and 2017. He moved to China in 2017 before securing a dream loan move to his boyhood team, opening his account in their FA Cup win at Derby County in March. His loan deal with United has since been extended until the end of January, 2021.

Last five meetings

4 December, 2019 - Manchester United 2-1 Spurs - Premier League
13 January, 2019 - Spurs 0-1 Manchester United - Premier League (at Wembley)
27 August, 2018 - Manchester United 0-3 Spurs - Premier League
21 April, 2018 - Manchester 2-1 Spurs - FA Cup, semi-final (at Wembley)
31 January, 2018 - Spurs 2-0 Manchester United - Premier League (at Wembley)

The numbers game

2 – Manchester United are looking to record consecutive away Premier League wins against us for the first time since a run of six in a row between September, 2001, and February, 2007.

5 - Manchester United are unbeaten in five Premier League games, winning three and drawing two. The Red Devils have kept four clean sheets in that run, as many as they had in their previous 35 Premier League games.

2 - We will be aiming to win back-to-back Premier League games against Manchester clubs for the first time since October, 2016 (a run of four).

0 - Jose Mourinho has never lost a home Premier League match against Manchester United, winning four and drawing one.

Played for both

Michael Carrick joined us from West Ham in the summer of 2004, as we started a rebuild initially under Jacques Santini, and then Martin Jol. In fact, Michael was somewhat overlooked by Santini, but Jol started him in his first game in charge in November, 2004, and he shone from there. Great off both feet with the ability go both ways to keep play ticking over or find team-mates with his range of passing, Michael went on to play 75 times for us in all competitions before departing for Old Trafford in 2006.

He became a modern-day legend at United, making 464 appearances in all competitions over the next 12 seasons and winning the lot, including five Premier League titles, the Champions League, FA Cup, League Cups, the Europa League and World Club Cup before retiring at the end of the 2017/18 season. In an era that included the likes of Gerrard, Lampard and Scholes, Michael won 34 caps for England and was selected for both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. He is now a coach at Old Trafford and part of Solskjaer’s staff alongside another ex-Spur, Kieran McKenna. 

Quick quiz on United

1. In which minute of the game did Dele score with a superb volley in our 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford back in December?

• 34^th minute
• 39^th minute
• 44^th minute

2. Friday night will mark Manchester United’s first visit to N17 since White Hart Lane’s Finale in 2017 – we were victorious in that meeting, winning 2-1, but who scored our opener that day?

• Harry Kane
• Toby Alderweireld
• Victor Wanyama

3. While Danny Blanchflower lined up for us at White Hart Lane, his brother was lining up for Manchester United at Old Trafford – what was his name?

• Jackie Blanchflower
• Reginald Blanchflower
• Arthur Blanchflower

4. Which of the following current first team member did NOT make his debut for the Club against Manchester United?

• Dele Alli
• Jan Vertonghen
• Toby Alderweireld

5. Who scored his first Spurs goal in a 3-2 win at Old Trafford back in September, 2012?

• Clint Dempsey
• Gylfi Sigurdsson
• Sandro

Pictures from the past

Match data

Venue – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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

Referee – Jonathan Moss.

Weather forecast – Mostly cloudy, 18 degrees.

Digital matchday programme

Be sure to secure your copy of our matchday programme on Friday - available as a digital version to enjoy at home, saving money on the cover price of the printed edition.

Quiz answers: 1 – 39^th minute; 2 – Victor Wanyama; 3 – Jackie Blanchflower; 4 – Jan Vertonghen; 5 – Clint Dempsey.