The headline fixture in gameweek two of the 2023-24 Premier League season sees Tottenham Hotspur welcome Manchester United to their North London headquarters on Saturday evening.
Ange Postecoglou’s side began their new campaign with a 2-2 draw away to London rivals Brentford last weekend, while the Red Devils scraped a controversial 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Team News
Tottenham Hotspur
- Just a couple of minutes after opening Tottenham’s Premier League account for the campaign, Argentine centre-back Romero was taken off with a head injury. Regardless, Postecoglou has passed the ex-Juventus man fit for the weekend.
- On the other hand, all of Bryan Gil (groin), Rodrigo Bentancur (knee), Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring), Fraser Forster (back) and Alfie Whiteman (ankle) are on the sidelines. Meanwhile, Tanguy Ndombele was nowhere to be seen last week either, but there may have been a tactical element to his absence.
- With Romero good to go, the 25-year-old is poised to rejoin Micky van de Ven in the backline, as the likes of Eric Dier and Japhet Tanganga try to force their way back into the matchday squad.
Manchester United
- Speaking of defensive injury concerns, Man United lost Romero’s compatriot Lisandro Martinez to a minor ankle injury against Wolves. Although, his centre-back partner Varane played down the severity of his colleague’s issue after the match.
- The Argentine is expected to be available, but Victor Lindelof is on standby in case Martinez is not given the green light, as is Harry Maguire, who will seemingly be staying at Old Trafford for the 2023-24 campaign after a proposed £30m transfer to West Ham United collapsed.
- Rasmus Hojlund (back), Kobbie Mainoo (ankle), Tyrell Malacia (knee), Amad Diallo (knee) and Tom Heaton (calf) make up a quintet of known absentees for Ten Hag, who should consider a recall for ex-Tottenham man Christian Eriksen in the centre of the field.
Possible Lineup
Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario; Emerson, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bissouma, Skipp, Maddison; Kulusevski, Richarlison, Son
Manchester United: Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Shaw; Fernandes, Casemiro, Eriksen; Antony, Rashford, Sancho
Prediction Analysis
While another new centre-back would not go amiss in North London, the early attacking indications for Tottenham under Postecoglou are promising, and James Maddison in particular ought to have been licking his lips while watching Wolves create chance after chance on Monday night.
Not one of Man United’s attackers did themselves justice on the opening matchweek either, and while the permeable Spurs backline is still unlikely to emerge unscathed, we have faith in Postecoglou to mastermind a noteworthy win in his first Premier League home contest.
Our prediction is Tottenham 1-1 Manchester United