Josue Jamlang


What: English Premier League
Who: Manchester United (2nd; 76 points) vs Tottenham Hotspur (4th; 64 points)
When: Saturday 24th April, 2010, at 12:45 BST
Where: Old Trafford, Manchester, England

Time to Step Up

Manchester United clawed their way back into the Premier League title race last weekend, cutting Chelsea’s lead at the top of the standings to a single point, thanks to a very late winner from Paul Scholes. With only three matches remaining, the Red Devils can ill afford to drop any more points.

The reigning champions were far from their best against Manchester City last weekend, despite the favourable result. Although the team will undoubtedly be boosted by the late winner, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side need to rediscover the free-flowing form that saw the club register an impressive seven-game winning streak, before their dip in form at the end of March.

With Wayne Rooney looking far from 100% in terms of fitness, and opponents Spurs flying at the moment, Man Utd will definitely need players to step up and show their worth at a very crucial point in the season. As leaders Chelsea are expected to win when they host Stoke City at Stamford Bridge, the Red Devils need all the help they can get to stay within reach of The Blues.



Away Form Remedy

Tottenham Hotspur responded perfectly to their shock FA Cup semi-final exit at the hands of Portsmouth, beating Arsenal and Chelsea in quick succession to regain fourth spot in the Premier League. Harry Redknapp’s side not only showed they were capable of competing at the highest level, but also that they could dominate some of the biggest teams in Europe.

Spurs are currently just two points ahead of nearest rivals Manchester City, meaning anything but a win could send the North London club back out of the Champions League spots. In order to boost their chances of victory against Manchester United however, Tottenham have to improve their form away from home.

Spurs have managed just three wins in their last ten matches away from White Hart Lane, prompting criticism that they are not quite the same threat when they aren’t in the comforts of their home ground. With Old Trafford not an easy place to visit for any club, Redknapp’s side will have to overcome their away blues if they are to solidify their hold on fourth spot in the league.



Recent form

Manchester United:

Manchester United 3-2 Bayern Munich (07/04; Champions League)
Blackburn Rovers 0-0 Manchester United (11/04; Premier League)
Manchester City 0-1 Manchester United (18/04; Premier League)

Tottenham Hotspur:
Tottenham Hotspur 0-2 Portsmouth (11/04; FA Cup)
Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Arsenal (14/04; Premier League)
Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Chelsea (17/03; Premier League)

Key absences

Manchester United: Rio Ferdinand (doubt); Wes Brown (doubt); Owen Hargreaves; Michael Owen, Anderson

Tottenham Hotspur: Niko Kranjcar; Jermaine Jenas; Aaron Lennon (doubt); Jonathan Woodgate; Carlo Cudicini

Players to watch

Manchester United – Wayne Rooney: Although still showing signs of the effects of his ankle injury, Wayne Rooney remains Man Utd’s most dangerous threat in the opposition’s final third, and will need to be shackled by Spurs’ backline. It will surely be interesting to see how much the striker’s movement has improved, and the manner in which Tottenham deal with his tender ankle.

Tottenham Hotspur – Gareth Bale: Heaped with praise after his fantastic display against Chelsea at the weekend, the young Welshman, who was once a target of Man Utd, will be the decisive player for Spurs. Another similar display from the youngster could swing the match in Tottenham’s favour.

Match prediction

With the match taking place at Old Trafford, and the Premier League title potentially on the line, Manchester United will tough it out and continue to grind for a victory until the very end. Expect the game to be tight, although Spurs’ horrendous away form will be the key in this tie, with a 2-1 scoreline in favour of Man Utd, likely to be the result.

Fancy a bet on this exciting game? Remember, you can find and compare the prices of all major online bookmakers at tip-ex.com.

 


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