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Spurs Odyssey Preview - Spurs v Manchester United, 27.04.23

· Last season's game - Spurs 0 Man Utd 3, 30.10.21
· This season's away game - Man Utd 2 Spurs 0, 19.10.22
· Premier League Matchday 33 - last year
·
See the current injury list for all Premier League Teams
· All the Spurs Stats you could hope for here! THFC6061 Sports Stats

Full League Record of Spurs v Man Utd


Prem          Pl   W   D   L   For-Ag  Pts
Home          30   6   9  15   34 -47  27
Away          31   4   3  24   25 -59  15
=========================================
Total (Prem)  61  10  12  39   59 -106 42  0.69 Pts per game
=========================================
Football Lge
Home (Div 1)  51  20  19  12   89 -64  63
Away (Div 1)  51   9   9  33   55 -101 28
=========================================
Total(Div 1) 102  29  28  45  144 -165 91
=========================================
Football Lge
Home (Div 2)   4   2   1   1   10 - 3   5
Away (Div 2)   4   1   2   1    3 - 3   4
=========================================
Total(Div 2)   8   3   3   2   13 - 6   9
=========================================
Total (Prem)  61  10  12  39   59 -106 42
Total (Div 1) 102 29  28  45  144 -165 91
Total (Div 2)  8   3   3   2   13 - 6   9
=========================================
Grand Total   171 42  43  86  216 -277 142
=========================================

Last Six Premier League results:-

Spurs      -    WDDWLL
           
Spurs      3-1    Nottm Fst
S'hampton  3-3    Spurs
Everton    1-1    Spurs
Spurs      2-1    Brighton
Spurs      2-3    B'mouth
Newcastle  6-1    Spurs

Man Utd    -    LDLWWW

Liverpool  7-0    Man Utd
Man Utd    0-0    S'hampton
Newcastle  2-2    Man Utd
Man Utd    1-0    Brentford
Man Utd    2-0    Everton
Nottm Fst  0-2    Man Utd

Pos           P  W  D  L   F-A   GD  Pts
4. Man Utd   30 18  5  7  46-37   9   59 
7. Spurs     32 16  5 11  58-51   7   53  

Mason’s call to arms

The Spurs Odyssey Flag

"The great fallacy is that the game is first and last about winning. It's nothing of the kind. The game is about glory. It is about doing things in style, with a flourish, about going out to beat the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom." - Danny Blanchflower

You don’t need me to remind you of all the woe and depression surrounding Tottenham Hotspur at the moment. After Sunday’s debacle at Newcastle, Cristian Stellini’s services were disposed of, but not as quickly as most fans would have liked. With Antonio Conte’s former deputy went the rest of the coaching team, so once again we find ourselves approaching the back end of the season with 31-year-old former player Ryan Mason at the helm on an interim basis.

Ryan was put into a similar position almost to the day two years ago, when he led the team out at an almost deserted Wembley for a Covid-affected Carabao Cup Final against the other Manchester side. We lost 1-0.

Ryan has been on the coaching staff since that time and knows the players well, so there is at least a degree of continuity in this appointment. Cliff Jones’ grandson Matt Wells, who worked with Scott Parker at Fulham and Bournemouth, and who like Ryan was a Spurs Academy player has also joined the coaching team.

Before Sunday’s disastrous performance, Spurs could still be counted as contenders to qualify for another Champions League campaign, but that seems highly unlikely now, although an also unlikely victory over Manchester United tonight would maintain that mathematical possibility. However, Aston Villa climbed above us on Tuesday night with their win over Fulham, and after Liverpool beat West Ham last night, we find ourselves in seventh place which is as low as we have been all season. A win tonight would put us back in fifth place and three points behind United.

Many Spurs fans have described this time as the lowest they have ever seen regarding the club, but I could list many events such as losing a league cup semi-final at home to Arsenal in 1969; losing at home to them when they won the double; losing in 1974 in Rotterdam; relegation; the FA Cup Final in 1987; semi-final defeats over the last 30 years, and our Champions League Final defeat. There is a long list of low points.

Another low point began with a 2-0 home defeat by Manchester United 20 years ago today. Following that defeat we lost our last two games of the season by four-goal margins Those were a 5-1 at Middlesbrough, and a 4-0 at home to Blackburn when fans threw their season ticket books onto the pitch, which was really an empty gesture. Our manager was the legendary Glenn Hoddle who lasted just six games at the start of the next season.

Both clubs have suffered massive defeats in recent league games. United’s six-game form guide began with a horrible 7-0 defeat at Anfield (our next port of call). However United have already won the League Cup Final and have now reached the first all-Manchester FA Cup Final. They were knocked out of the Europa League quarter-final by Sevilla who included former Spur Erik Lamela, who was substituted by our loan player Bryan Gil.

Erik Ten Hag will be without his first choice centre-backs for this game. Lisandro Martinez was carried off in United's home game against Sevilla. Raphael Varane went off injured in the same game and will also miss this game. Varane could be fit for the Cup Final on June 3rd. Harry Maguire, who has had a hapless Premier League season, came off the bench in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final game against Sevilla at Old Trafford and scored an added time own goal, thus giving the visitors a 2-2 draw. Maguire was at fault for one of Sevilla's three second leg goals which put United out of the competition. United are also without McTominay, Garnacho and Van der Beek. Bruno Fernandes could be a doubt after rolling his ankle in Sunday’s semi-final.

Newcastle recalled goalkeeper Martin Dubravka from his loan with Manchester United in January. Dubravka made two League Cup appearances for the Old Trafford side. United replaced Dubravka with Crystal Palace's Jack Butland. United signed Burnley striker Wout Weghorst (on loan) in January after he had been on loan with Besiktas. Weghorst has yet to score a league goal in eleven appearances.

After Christian Eriksen suffered an ankle injury which looked like keeping him out till the end of April, United completed the loan signing of Austrian midfielder Marcel Sabitzer from Bayern Munich. Sabitzer, who is now 29, played for Leipzig against Spurs in our 2020 Champions League Round of 16 encounter. Eriksen made his return (from the bench) against Everton on 8th April. Christian played for an hour on Sunday and will surely get a good welcome from Spurs fans tonight.

Harry Kane has failed to score in 13 of his 17 appearances against Manchester United in the Premier League, more than against any other opponent in the competition. Spurs’ Premier League record against this club is the worst of all – even including Chelsea.

Hugo Lloris may yet be available after his injury at Newcastle (somehow, I doubt it) while Ben Davies and Clement Lenglet are having late assessments. Lucas Moura is available after suspension but has yet to start a league games this season. As usual we have to go without Emerson, Sessegnon, Bentancur and Bissouma. Bentancur has been missed massively since his injury on 11th February.

Ryan Mason has said the following:-

"My immediate focus is Thursday. The most important thing is a reaction and Sunday was obviously very disappointing for us and I would hope and expect there is a reaction from the players from everyone in this building.

"Another important thing is getting energy and positivity back into the group and the fans as well.

"We have to be realistic. With three training sessions before two games, it is hard to change a big deal, but I would hope before the end of season people would see my stamp on the group."

A great deal of toxicity is anticipated from the home crowd tonight, particularly directed at Chairman Daniel Levy. Those fans need to get behind the team in an effort to urge them towards a precious morale-boosting win. Could Spurs do it? I’ll be there to find out!

Anthony Taylor will be our match referee for the 42nd time. Recognised by the FA, UEFA and FIFA as a senior official, this will be Mr. Taylor’s fourth Spurs game this season. In his first three games we drew at Chelsea, lost at Arsenal and scraped a win at Bournemouth in October.

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