Manchester United once again tripped up on their travels as they drew 1-1 with struggling Everton last weekend.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic had given the visitors the lead with an audacious lob over the stranded Maarten Stekelenburg. But a last-gasp penalty – given away by substitute and former Toffees man Marouane Fellaini – denied them all three points.
The Belgian was penalised for a foul on Idrissa Gueye only minutes after coming on for what was his 100th Manchester United appearance and made to pay as former team-mate Leighton Baines duly converted from 12 yards.
Manager Jose Mourinho will be hoping his side – who are now 13 points adrift of league leaders Chelsea – will be able to turn their hit-and-miss season around with a victory over visiting Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, who travel to the Theatre of Dreams in mixed form themselves.
Spurs hammered hapless Swansea 5-0 last weekend before beating CSKA Moscow 3-1 in Champions League action. Prior to that, however, they suffered their first league defeat of the season at Chelsea amid a seemingly endless struggle for consistency.
All is set for a thrilling encounter, but who will come out on top? Football FanCast think it could be Man United’s day… so long as they set up like this.
GK – David de Gea
Having sat out the cold night in Ukraine as Man United beat Zorya Luhansk 2-0, De Gea is a shoo-in to return to the XI for league action in place of Sergio Romero.
The Spaniard is, quite rightly, considered to be among the best stoppers on the planet and could well be called upon at Old Trafford with Harry Kane and Dele Alli firing for Spurs.
RB – Antonio Valencia
Having reinvented himself as a right-back, Valencia has been a mainstay since Mourinho’s arrival, with his energy a useful outlet on the right flank.
Only De Gea, Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic have played more minutes of Premier League football than the Ecuadorian this term, which tells you all you need to know about the likelihood of him being brought back into the XI for a huge game on Sunday.
Question marks still remain over his defensive abilities, but he certainly hasn’t let the Red Devils down so far.
CB – Eric Bailly
Having been ushered back in on Thursday night in the 2-0 win over Zorya Luhansk, Bailly looks to be fit once again after a nasty knee injury. The Ivorian has been excellent since his summer arrival from Villarreal and his awesome physicality will be needed against a Spurs side that are relentless in their pressing and clever with their movement around the box.
The full 90 minutes may be a stretch for the African ace, but Mourinho will want him on the pitch for as long as is possible.
CB – Phil Jones
Much-maligned in recent years, Jones hasn’t quite lived up to the billing his received in his formative days. The no-nonsense defender, however, is a very capable centre-back, has performed well when called upon this season and seems a good match physically for Harry Kane.
With the incredibly mobile Bailly alongside him, he might look more comfortable at the heart of United’s backline.
LB – Matteo Darmian
Left-back has been a problem position for Mourinho of late, and we reckon Darmian will once again get the nod. The Italian has been filling in while Luke Shaw has been injured and appears to be ahead of Daley Blind in the pecking order. With Bailly drafted into this rearguard, it would be wise to keep some stability in the form of Darmian retaining his place.
CM – Ander Herrera
He may not receive the headlines in the same way as his regular midfield partner but Ander Herrera has been arguably Manchester United’s best performer this season, covering a phenomenal amount of ground, putting his foot in when required and linking play well in the middle of the park.
Indeed, the Spaniard has subtly become one of the first names on Jose Mourinho’s team sheet and looks almost certain to start against Spurs on Sunday, when he’ll be competing with the likes of Mousa Dembele, Dele Alli and Victor Wanyama.
CM – Paul Pogba
Who else? Manchester United fans may be keen to see him in a more advanced role but the fact Paul Pogba can influence the match in both midfield positions shouldn’t be ignored.
The Frenchman is blessed with the necessary strength and power to duel with the aforementioned Dembele and Wanyama but has really shown his attacking flair in recent weeks, grabbing two assists in his last three appearances across all competitions.
And the other benefit of playing Pogba as a deep-lying midfielder is simple; it makes more room in the starting XI for United’s other attacking talents.
RW – Juan Mata
Jose Mourinho dropped Juan Mata for last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Everton but the United gaffer may feel more comfortable fielding the diminutive Spaniard at home and his creative instincts will probably be needed against a well-organised Spurs side.
Despite struggling to hold down a consistent role in the starting XI, Mata is United’s second-top scorer in the league and has also conjured up an impressive 1.8 key passes per match.
CAM – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Following a worrying start, Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s Manchester United career appears to have exploded into life. Starting all of the Red Devils’ last three fixtures and impressing throughout – most notably picking up two assists in a 4-1 demolition of West Ham and scoring past Zorya on Thursday night – he’s looking every inch the player that cost so much over the summer.
The Armenian assassin of his Borussia Dortmund days has seemingly arrived and he couldn’t come at a better time, with United looking to close a six-point gap between themselves and Sunday’s opponents.
LW – Anthony Martial
Another attacking force who’s struggled to prove it under Mourinho. Anthony Martial’s yet to hit the dizzying heights of last season and injuries have limited him to just six starts in the Premier League.
Nonetheless, the French forward now boasts four goals and one assist in his last seven appearances and was suspiciously left on the sidelines for the Europa League win over Zorya, suggesting the United gaffer may have been resting him with the Tottenham clash in mind.
The 21-year-old appears to be returning to somewhere near his best and is certainly capable of netting past Spurs.
ST – Marcus Rashford
A controversial selection, perhaps, considering Jose Mourinho has shown unreserved faith in Zlatan Ibrahimovic, which has seen the Swedish icon end a barren spell in front of goal with seven strikes in his last six games across all competitions.
Nonetheless, we’re now entering that hectic part of the season where the fixtures mount up and at the age of 35, United need to manage the former PSG star’s game-time delicately.
At the same time, Marcus Rashford must be chomping at the bit for a starting berth up top, having been forced to settle for cameo roles out wide for much of the campaign. Likewise, whilst Zlatan is plagued by ageing legs, Rashford has the youthful energy to stop Spurs building from the back by pressing high.