Key events
12 min: Oof, Eriksen almost plays in Hojlund and Spurs panic, only for the striker to lose his bearings.
10 min: Yoro to Porro, via Eriksen, and a United corner. It loops up, Bissouma’s header and Martinez gives it the garryowen/Peter Kay. Goal kick.
9 min: Yoro is closed down by Solanke, and Spurs look to be closing down the press on Yoro.
7 min: Sarr and Kulusevski almost link, but the ball cleared before Son can get to it. Christian Eriksen is being booed, when he was a great servant for Spurs.
5 min: Spurs play a weird offside thing that you may recall from their Chelsea defeat last season. United yet to string any passes together. They’re running around a bit, which is something.
4 min: Djed Spence, forgotten man, takes on Yoro but loses out to the youngster.
3 min: Then comes another Bayindir shank. Look out for those. The Spurs fans are singing songs about Daniel Levy. Spurs the more comfortable here.
2 min: Nice movement from Leny Yoro but Tottenham press hard, and they force an effort, Anthony caught out, before Eriksen robs Son. A classically speedy Spurs attack.
Away we go at the Tottenham Stadium
1 min: Bayindir, supposedly good with his feet, shanks a ball. Spurs choose to maintain control. Both fans making plenty of noise.
Ok, the teams are in the tunnel, and Ruben Amorim is ingratiating himself.
“Let’s go, boys, go.” So says Son-heung Min. The teams head out into the arena.
Oliver Dungey gets in touch: “When Luke Shaw plays 30+ games in a season, Rashford creates a goal every game and a half; when Shaw spends most of the season on the physio’s table, Rashford’s goal contribution drops to one every 3 or 4 games (or worse…). Sacking 250 employees, hiking the cost of tickets, fixating on the players’ table manners and dress sense is all well and good (if you’re into that sort of thing, which I’m not) but I wonder if they might concentrate a bit more on which players play well together on the pitch?”
Tom: “Organising the Christmas nativity proved impossible this year with 19 donkeys and no wise men.”
Open festive season on Big Sir Jim’s merry men.
United made five changes from the side which beat Man City . Mason Mount replaced by Christian Eriksen. Altay Bayindir plays in place of Andre Onana, Victor Lindelof and Leny Yoro come into central defence. Antony replaces derby hero Amad Diallo.
Tottenham, just two changes from St Mary’s. Pedro Porro back on the right with Djed Spence left, after being so good against Southampton. Yves Bissouma replaces Lucas Bergvall after completing a suspension.
Ruben Amorim spoke to Sky on omitting Rashford and putting Garnacho on the bench: “It’s selection. The players I feel are ready to cope with the demands of playing a strong game. I try to visualise that all week and then make my selection.
“It’s always the same, with every player – not just Marcus. In the end, I have to make a selection and I did that.”
On Garnacho: “He’s been good, like the others. He’s prepared to play the game, I really liked the way he trained. It’s one more option in attack. He’s really fast and good in one-v-ones. We need this kind of ability, and he’s ready to help us.”
Justin Kavanagh is in: “In the week before Christmas, United play a team with a Portuguese ham, Fernandes, and a Turkey goalkeeper, Bayindir. Meanwhile, the supposed wise men have knocked the stuffing out of the club by sacking about 250 employees. “He’s behind you!” And he’s carrying your P45. Season’s greetings from Manchester, one and all.”
Wrote this piece a year ago, hmm.
Being United manager surely more difficult than Spurs, right? No Rashford tonight.
Rick Harris weighs in: “What is being lost sight of in the case of Marcus Rashford is that his numbers are actually pretty good for a winger. Not as good as Mo Salah obviously, but streets ahead of Jack Grealish, Anthony Gordon, and better than Bukayo Saka.”
Even Keir Starmer’s bagman has weighed in: “It’s always difficult for Spurs, isn’t it? I think the Prime Minister’s focus every day is on getting up, delivering the plan for change, delivering on the priorities of the British people, and delivering on the mandate that he was elected to deliver.”
Some quotes via the BBC, that show a backlash to Ange’s comments on his job being harder than anyone’s.
Andy Prendergast, GMB national secretary, said: “When we have members working 12-hour shifts of back-breaking labour who struggle to put food on the table, the idea that managing a football team for millions a year is somehow more difficult just underlines how out of touch these people are. They need to understand the world in which their fans who pay their wages actually live in.”
Unison head of social care Gavin Edwards: “Managing a Premier League team is an exceptionally stressful job. But the salary is massive and managers know what they’re letting themselves in for. Health workers and care staff do equally stressful work, but without the huge wages, bonuses or pay-offs associated with Premier League football. That’s why both sectors are struggling to keep hold of their staff and vacancy rates remain stubbornly high, to the detriment of us all and the wider economy.”
The teams
Tottenham Hotspur: Forster, Porro, Dragusin, Gray, Spence, Sarr, Bissouma, Kulusevski, Maddison, Son, Solanke. Subs: Austin, Whiteman, Reguilon, Dorrington, Hardy, Bergvall, Olusesi, Johnson, Lankshear.
Man Utd: Bayindir, Yoro, Lindelof, Martinez, Mazraoui, Eriksen, Ugarte, Dalot, Antony, Fernandes, Hojlund. Subs: Onana, Evans, Maguire, Malacia, Casemiro, Mainoo, Diallo, Garnacho, Zirkzee.
Referee: John Brooks (Leicestershire)
Last time out for these two:
The pre-match press conferences are here.
Preamble
Both clubs need a trophy. Ange Postecoglou always wins one in his second season, Ruben Amorim is looking to make an early mark. Though as Postecoglou pointed out on Wednesday, and as Erik ten Hag discovered, a trophy is not nearly enough in isolation.
What else to consider? There’s the Marcus Rashford factor. Will he? Won’t he? Does anyone care anymore? Ange has asked for a big atmosphere, and judging by Southampton last weekend, that will involve Spurs fans taking Daniel Levy’s name in vain. As for United, there’s the win over City to rejoice in, and new hero Amad Diallo.
They’re up for the cup. Kick-off is at 8pm GMT. Join me.
