Username
Password
Manchester United Versus Tottenham Hotspur preview
By MattoftheSpurs
August 24 2007
To round off a highly traumatic week at White Hart Lane Spurs and their supporters travel to Old Trafford, the home of the Champions. Manchester United, like Spurs, have got off to an uneven start to the season. Both clubs will be desperate for all three points but for possibly different reasons.

Manchester United
Versus
Tottenham Hotspur.

26th August 2007

Old Trafford

Kick Off 4.00 pm

Live on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports HD.



     To round off a highly traumatic week at White Hart Lane Spurs and their supporters travel to Old Trafford, the home of the Champions. Manchester United, like Spurs, have got off to an uneven start to the season. In their opening game of the season United could not break down a resolute Reading and the game finished in a 0-0 draw. United then travelled to Fratton Park for a midweek fixture with Portsmouth and despite taking the lead through a fine Paul Scholes goal they were pegged back through an equalising header from Mwaruwari. To make matters worse for United Ronaldo was then sent off late in the match for violent conduct and misses Sunday's match against Tottenham. Last time out United travelled the short distance across Manchester to take on their rivals City. Despite having the majority of the ball and chances United were beaten 1-0 by a resurgent City team newly inspired by Sven Goran Erkisson.

     So despite league tables being fairly meaningless at this stage of the season Alex Ferguson and the United support will not enjoy seeing them in 16th position with only two points, 1 point behind Spurs who are in 12th, and will be desperate for all three points to get their season underway.

     Last season United were also the opponents in Tottenham's fourth game of the season. The match was played at Old Trafford with a 5.15pm kick off and was watched by a then record Premier league crowd of 75,453 spectators. In that match United took an early lead through a Ryan Giggs header after Paul Robinson had failed to hold Ronaldo's long range free kick after 9 minutes. The Welsh winger reacted quickest to Robinson's parry and headed the ball into the goal via the underside of the crossbar. Many then expected Spurs to wilt but it was the North Londoners who had the better of the remaining chances with Mido and Defoe spurning headers from six yards out late in the game.

     Martin Jol has taken a Spurs team to Old Trafford on 3 previous occasions. It was his first visit there as coach which proved to be the most controversial. That match took place on the 3rd of January and was televised live. With time running out in the match a long ball was played forward by Spurs. Roy Carrol in the United goal raced from his area and cleared the ball up field. His clearance fell to Pedro Mendes just inside the United half on the right hand side of the pitch. Mendes took a touch to control the ball and then launched a spectacular shot. Carrol raced back towards his goal line and appeared to have the danger covered. As he caught the ball at chest height it squirmed away from the United keeper and dropped over his shoulder and into the goal. Carrol desperately clawed the ball out of the United goal and despite the ball being a clear metre over the line the Referee's assistant failed to spot the goal and waved play on. The game finished two minutes later with the score at 0-0.

     Martin Jol next took his team to Old Trafford on the 22nd October 2006. Spurs fell behind to a Silvestre goal in the seventh minute. Once again Spurs battled to get back into the match and were rewarded when in the 72nd minute Jemaine Jenas executed the perfect free kick from 25 yards scoring via the underside of the crossbar to earn a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw.

     Tottenham Hotspur's record at Old Trafford makes for depressing reading. Tottenham's first away encounter with United ended in a 0-5 win for the Manchurians on the 22nd January 1910. Tottenham's last win there was on the 16th December 1989 when a solitary Gary Lineker goal won the game for Spurs. In the same year Spurs also beat United 3-0 in the League cup at Old Trafford.  Tottenham's full record against Manchester United away from White Hart Lane reads; Played 70, won 10, drawn 14, lost 46. Spurs have scored 63 goals whilst United have racked up 132. In that time Spurs have also lost two FA Cup semi finals at Old Trafford, to Newcastle United in 1999 and to Arsenal in 2001. Old Trafford is also were a famous Spurs goal was scored by Pat Jennings in 1967. United were taking on Spurs for the Charity Shield that year when Pat Jennings scored with a clearance from his own penalty which travelled the length of the field before bouncing over the United keeper Stepney and into the goal.



     Tottenham's results and goal scorers since the inception of the Premier League are listed below;

09/09/06  Manchester United 1 - 0  Tottenham Hotspur
22/10/05  Manchester United 1 - 1  Tottenham Hotspur (Jenas)
03/01/05  Manchester United 0 - 0  Tottenham Hotspur
20/03/04  Manchester United 3 - 0  Tottenham Hotspur
21/09/02  Manchester United 1 - 0  Tottenham Hotspur
06/03/02  Manchester United 4 - 0  Tottenham Hotspur
02/12/00  Manchester United 2 - 0  Tottenham Hotspur
06/05/00  Manchester United 3 - 1 Tottenham Hotspur (Armstrong)
16/05/99  Manchester United 2 - 1  Tottenham Hotspur (Ferdinand)
10/01/98  Manchester United 2 - 0  Tottenham Hotspur
29/09/96  Manchester United 2 - 0  Tottenham Hotspur
24/03/96  Manchester United 1 - 0  Tottenham Hotspur
15/03/95  Manchester United 0 - 0  Tottenham Hotspur
16/10/93  Manchester United 2 - 1  Tottenham Hotspur (Caskey)
09/01/93  Manchester United 4 - 1  Tottenham Hotspur (Barmby)
02/05/92  Manchester United 3 - 1  Tottenham Hotspur (Lineker)

     So as you can see Tottenham's record at Old Trafford is less than impressive. Spurs go into Sunday's match missing some major players. Club Captain Ledley King is still sidelined. Michael Dawson may make the match whilst Bulgarian front man Dimitar Berbatov is doing his best to shake off a groin injury. Aaron Lennon is also not expected to take part whilst Darren Bent stepped down from the England squad in midweek through injury but hopes to be fit for Sunday. United will be missing Ronaldo through suspension. Rooney is out through injury whilst late fitness tests are expected on Rio Ferdinand and Edwin Van Der Saar.

     With Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur not starting the season well both clubs will be desperate for all three points. Martin Jol is the coach most under pressure after the shenanigans of the past week whilst Alex Ferguson knows anything less than three points and his defence of the Championship will be in danger at even this early stage of the season. It promises to be an interesting match.

Enjoy the game.

Audere Est Facere.    


You can comment of this article on the message board .

If you are not aready a member you can register here. registration is free


View a Printer Friendly version of this Story.

Bookmark or share this story with: