Who: Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur
What: English Premier League
Where: Old Trafford, Manchester, UK
When: Saturday at 12:30pm (12:30 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 10:00 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.
A rejuvenated Manchester United will look to extend interim coach Michael Carrick’s perfect start and make it four wins out of four against a troubled and injury-ravaged Spurs side.
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Carrick’s United followed up statement wins over Manchester City and league leaders Arsenal with a battling 3-2 victory over Fulham on Sunday, leaving the Red Devils in fourth place in the table with 41 points.
While Spurs are languishing in 14th place on 29 points and are without a win in six Premier League games, they are also unbeaten in their last four games, including an impressive comeback from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Manchester City on Sunday.
And while Tottenham’s dire home form has hobbled their season, five of their seven league victories this season have come on the road, with only Arsenal and Aston Villa winning more away points than Spurs so far.
Tottenham have also recently become a bit of a bogey team for United, who have not beaten Spurs in their last eight encounters.
Carrick stresses importance of Munich air disaster to United’s history
United’s players must “understand the history” of the Munich air disaster, Carrick says, as the club prepare to mark the 68th anniversary of the tragedy.
The United team were on their way back from a European Cup draw with Red Star Belgrade on February 6, 1958, when their plane crashed in Munich, after a stop to refuel, causing 23 deaths, including 11 players and staff of the English giants.
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Carrick made the comments at Thursday’s pre-match news conference ahead of the clash against Tottenham, moved forward a day so as not to coincide with Friday’s service at Old Trafford to mark the disaster.
“Munich is probably the biggest part of the history of this club in terms of the tragedy itself, how the team and the football club bounced back from it and then went on to success, and everything from there was carried on,” said Carrick, who has served United as a player, coach and manager.
Tottenham ‘certainly bring a challenge’
Looking ahead to Saturday’s game, Carrick said Spurs would pose a tough test for his side.
“They’ve got really good attackers who look to stretch the backline and play forward and attack the box an awful lot. It’s something we’ve got to be aware of,” he said.
“A slightly different game to maybe what we have played over recent weeks in some ways, but we’re looking forward to it. We’re in a good place, the boys have worked well again this week.”
He added that while “the three wins have been fantastic in different ways” United need to keep their “feet on the ground, let’s not get carried away with what has gone on.
“It’s about what’s next. A big challenge ahead but we’re looking forward to it.”
Spurs boss says Romero outburst ‘dealt with internally’
Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank said Cristian Romero’s outspoken social media comments about the club’s transfer policy had been “dealt with internally” as he refused to confirm whether the Spurs skipper had been disciplined.
Romero made headlines on Monday when he revealed on Instagram that he played with an illness in Sunday’s 2-2 draw against City and called it “disgraceful” that the squad were left with only 11 fit players.
It was a view which resonated with many Tottenham fans, given the north London club’s lack of transfer activity since the signing of Conor Gallagher on January 14, especially as Spurs have lost nine players to injuries since the start of 2026.
But Frank, speaking ahead of Saturday’s trip to United, said: “If you want to know what he meant, you of course need to ask him.”
Frank added: “[Romero] is a very passionate character and player. He wants to leave everything on the pitch and he is very ambitious and wants to win every time.
“Sometimes when you are like that, sometimes there can be an outburst, which happened this time. It is something we have dealt with and dealt with internally.”
‘We are getting closer and closer’
Tottenham’s poor season has put Frank’s position in peril, but the Spurs boss said he saw signs of improvement in recent games and pleaded for patience.
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“I think there has been, I said it for a while, I think the performances are more competitive and consistent. Are they perfect? No, but we are getting closer and closer,” he said.
He acknowledged that while some recent second-half performances were encouraging, ” I think we can also add up more in the first half. [But] I think we are in a place where we can look forward.”
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have faced each other 206 times, with United winning 96 of those encounters, Spurs winning 58, and 52 ending as draws.
Spurs are unbeaten in their last eight games with United, winning five and drawing three – with the most consequential win being the 1-0 Europa League final victory in May.
United’s team news
Patrick Dorgu remains out with a hamstring injury he picked up after scoring in the 3-2 win at Arsenal, while Carrick said Matthijs de Ligt and Mason Mount are nearing a return to action but will miss the Tottenham game.
Predicted lineup:
Lammens (GK); Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Diallo, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo
Tottenham’s team news
Frank has to contend with a lengthy injury list, as Kevin Danso, Richarlison, Pedro Porro, Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Ben Davies, Dejan Kulusevski, and James Maddison are all ruled out.
Dominic Solanke starred with two goals against City last weekend after returning from a lengthy injury layoff, however, he is again a worry for Spurs after he limped off in the second half of Sunday’s game.
Defender Micky van de Ven has returned to training and is available for selection. Romero and Djed Spence are also both expected to be declared fit to play after recovering from illness and a calf problem.
Predicted lineup:
Vicario (GK); Spence, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bissouma, Gallagher; Odobert, Simons, Kolo Muani; Solanke