A spot in the EFL Cup semi-final will be on the line when Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday.
The curtains will fall on the quarter-finals of the 2024/25 EFL Cup on Thursday night. While Wednesday featured three games, Thursday will showcase the marquee fixture — Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Manchester United reached the EFL Cup quarter-finals by clinching two comfortable victories in the previous rounds, beating Barnsley and Leicester City. However, the Red Devils have blown hot and cold under the tutelage of Ruben Amorim, although they might have received a shot in their arm with their come-from-behind 2-1 win over Manchester City.
On the other hand, Tottenham Hotspur qualified for the EFL Cup quarter-finals by clinching 2-1 wins over Coventry City and Manchester City in the previous rounds. However, they have blown hot and cold in the last few weeks, although they ended a five-game winless run with a 5-0 victory against Southampton this past weekend.
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have already locked horns once this season, with Ange Postecoglou’s men cruising to a 3-0 win at Old Trafford. So, the home side will be out for revenge on Thursday, and The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Tottenham Hotspur
Ange Postecoglou has greeted a positive update on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Tottenham Hotspur manager will be bereft of the services of nine first-team players vs Manchester United on Thursday.
Yves Bissouma is available after serving a one-game ban. However, Destiny Udogie might miss out after sustaining a thigh injury this past weekend against Southampton. The Italian full-back has joined Guglielmo Vicario (ankle), Ben Davies (hamstring), Cristian Romero (thigh), Micky van de Ven (hamstring), Mikey Moore (illness), Wilson Odobert (thigh), and Richarlison (hamstring) on the sidelines.
Fraser Forster will deputise for Vicario between the sticks, with Tottenham Hotspur lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Manchester United on Thursday. The backline should feature Pedro Porro, Archie Gray, Radu Dragusin, and Djed Spence, with the latter filling in for Udogie.
As for the midfield unit, Yves Bissouma should return, lining up alongside Pape Matar Sarr in the double pivot, with Rodrigo Bentancur still serving a suspension. James Maddison will likely reprise the no. 10 role, with Dejan Kulusevski and Brennan Johnson being the two wide attackers. Finally, Son Heung-min will likely lead the line for Tottenham against Manchester United, with Dominic Solanke being an option on the bench.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Forster; Porro, Gray, Dragusin, Spence; Bissouma, Sarr; Kulusevski, Maddison, Johnson; Son
Manchester United
Like his counterpart in the Tottenham Hotspur dugout, Ruben Amorim has a new injury concern that is hampering his preparations ahead of the trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Manchester United manager will be without two first-team players on Thursday.
Mason Mount is the latest absentee, with the Englishman picking up a leg injury this past weekend against Manchester City. Luke Shaw is the only other absentee, although Noussair Mazraoui might not feature on Thursday, with Amorim likely to rest him.
Andre Onana is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Manchester United lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him vs Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday. The central defensive unit should feature Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire, and Lisandro Martinez. Diogo Dalot and Tyrell Malacia will start as the two wing-backs.
The two wide players will provide the width in the final third and don the creative hat from the flanks. As for the midfield unit, Kobbie Mainoo and Casemiro will return to the starting eleven, with the duo pairing up in the middle of the park.
Finally, Joshua Zirkzee will likely spearhead the Manchester United attack against Tottenham, with Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo completing the numbers in the offensive trifecta. Meanwhile, speculation around Marcus Rashford’s future has been growing like wildfire, but Amorim has placed his faith in the Englishman.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Onana; Yoro, Maguire, Martinez; Dalot, Mainoo, Casemiro, Malacia; Diallo, Bruno Fernandes; Zirkzee
Key Stats
- Manchester United are winless in their last four games vs Tottenham Hotspur, and they suffered a 3-0 loss to them in the Premier League earlier this season. However, they have not won consecutive games against the Red Devils since April 1990 (three successive victories).
- Tottenham Hotspur have progressed from their last four quarter-final ties in the EFL Cup.
- Only three Premier League teams have progressed from three consecutive rounds in a season under a different manager – Sunderland in 2013/14 (Paolo Di Canio, Kevin Ball and Gus Poyet), Southampton in 2022/23 (Ralph Hasenhüttl, Ruben Selles and Nathan Jones) and Wolves in 2022/23 (Bruno Lage, Steve Davis and Julen Lopetegui).
- No player has more assists (3) in the EFL Cup this season than Alejandro Garnacho, who has also scored another three times.
- Garnacho He is the first to manage 3+ for both goals and assists in an EFL Cup campaign since Kevin De Bruyne in 2015/16 (G5 A3) and the first to do so for Manchester United since Louis Saha in 2005/06 (G6 A3).
Player to Watch
Joshua Zirkzee
While Rasmus Hojlund has become the first-choice striker for Manchester United, Joshua Zirkzee might feel he can wrestle the spot back from the Danish international if he can produce some match-winning performances.
The Dutchman was exceptional in the recent 4-0 win over Everton, scoring a brace and showing signs of improvement. However, Zirkzee has gone off the boil since that showing and will hope to find that level when Manchester United face off vs Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday.
Prediction
Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Manchester United
Thursday’s match features two inconsistent teams that have blown hot and cold in recent weeks. However, they come into the EFL Cup tie on the back of morale-boosting victories that should buoy them to build a winning momentum.
Manchester United have been unstoppable in the EFL Cup, but they will play under a third manager in the competition when they take on Tottenham. While Tottenham beat Manchester United 3-0 in the Premier League a few weeks ago, a repeat act is not on the cards.
The resurgent Harry Maguire should keep the Tottenham attackers at bay, although the away side’s struggles in set-piece situations will hand Ange Postecoglou’s men the opportunity to beat Andre Onana. However, the Red Devils should eke a narrow victory, with The Hard Tackle predicting a 2-1 win for Ruben Amorim and his charges.