Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to ignite their stumbling starts to the new Premier League season when they meet on Sunday at Old Trafford.
Erik ten Hag watched his team produce a timid display in the Europa League on Wednesday night when they drew 1-1 with FC Twente.
This comes after their goalless draw at Crystal Palace at the weekend when they missed several glorious chances to win the game.
As a result, Manchester United are sitting 11th in the Premier League table, one place below Tottenham, who are on the same number of points (seven) and wins (two).
The possible advantage for ten Hag and his players is the fact that Tottenham are in Europa League action themselves on Thursday night.
Ange Postecoglou begins his European adventure with Tottenham when they welcome Azerbaijan side Qarabag FK to London.
You wonder what effect that will have on the team, but then again, both sides are in the same boat, so tiredness, or anything of that nature, can’t be used as an excuse.
Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher shared their predictions for the game and they were both in agreement about the result.
Despite Manchester United’s questionable start, Neville made it clear ‘they are winning that game’, even if he agreed that his former side ‘struggle to score goals’, as he told Stick to Football.
The FA Cup winners have scored five goals from five matches and have Rasmus Hojlund back in action after his injury lay-off.
Jamie Carragher backed a ‘3-1’ win for the home team, with the duo recording a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford last season.
Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher back Manchester United to beat Tottenham
“I think Man United are winning that game,” said Neville. “They struggle to score goals Man United, but I just think Sunday, it will be a good atmosphere and Tottenham is always a good game at Old Trafford. I will go 2-1 Man United.”
Carragher agreed and added: “2-1 Man United – when you start to say Man United played well away at Palace and they drew 0-0, it’s like ‘Oh my God’.”
Neville added: “Shall we raise them and go 3-1? (after Roy Keane and Ian Wright predicted that result) I think we will get a third goal late on.” Carragher added: “Yeah, let’s go for it.”
Dominic Solanke scores first Tottenham goal
Amid talk or worry about Man United’s lack of ruthless nature in the final third, Spurs are starting to show some life in front of goal.
After Tottenham’s defeat in the north London derby, they have scored five goals in two games, including Dominic Solanke scoring his first goal for the club when they beat Brentford at the weekend.