Manchester United will aim to continue the excellent start to life under Michael Carrick when they welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Old Trafford on Saturday.
Gameweek 25 of the 2025/26 Premier League season will continue on Saturday, which will be an action-packed day. The latest round of fixtures starts with the game between Leeds United and Nottingham Forest at Elland Road on Friday night, and the action on Saturday will start with Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.
The mood around Manchester United has changed since Michael Carrick took over as the new head coach a few weeks ago. The English tactician has won all three games since replacing Darren Fletcher, beating Manchester City, Arsenal, and Fulham. The Red Devils have thus risen to fourth in the Premier League standings, and a top-four finish may be on the cards.
On the other hand, Tottenham Hotspur’s struggles have shown no signs of slowing down in the Premier League. The Lilywhites have failed to win their last six top-flight games, and they are only nine points ahead of 18th-placed West Ham United. Additionally, Thomas Frank’s men are no longer in any cup competition, and only the UEFA Champions League can bring some respite for the Danish tactician.
The reverse fixture saw Manchester United and Tottenham come from a goal down to play a 2-2 draw, with Matthijs de Ligt scoring the late equaliser. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Manchester United
Michael Carrick has no new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Manchester United head coach will be bereft of the services of only three first-team players vs Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
Mason Mount was the latest absentee last weekend after sustaining a muscular injury. The English international accompanies Matthijs de Ligt (lower back) and Patrick Dorgu (hamstring) in the treatment room.
Senne Lammens is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Manchester United lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. The backline will feature Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, and Luke Shaw.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo in the double pivot, with Bruno Fernandes reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Bryan Mbeumo will continue to lead the line for Manchester United against Tottenham, with Matheus Cunha and Amad Diallo being the two wide attackers.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Amad, Bruno Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo
Tottenham Hotspur
Unlike his counterpart in the Manchester United dugout, Thomas Frank has received positive updates on the team news front ahead of the trip to Old Trafford. The Tottenham Hotspur head coach will be without nine first-team players on Saturday.
Cristian Romero (illness), Micky van de Ven (knock), Djed Spence (calf), and Dominic Solanke (muscular) are fit and available to take on Manchester United. However, Kevin Danso (toe), Pedro Porro (thigh), Ben Davies (ankle), Rodrigo Bentancur (hamstring), Lucas Bergvall (ankle), James Maddison (knee), Richarlison (hamstring), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), and Richarlison (thigh) remain in the treatment room.
Guglielmo Vicario is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Tottenham Hotspur lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Manchester United on Saturday. The backline will feature Djed Spence, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, and Destiny Udogie.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Archie Gray and Conor Gallagher. Xavi Simons will reprise the no. 10 role, with Randal Kolo Muani and Wilson Odobert being the two wide attackers. Finally, Dominic Solanke will spearhead the Tottenham attack against Manchester United on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Spence, Romero, van de Ven, Udogie; Gray, Gallagher; Odobert, Simons, Kolo Muani; Solanke
Key Stats
- Manchester United are winless in their last six Premier League games vs Tottenham Hotspur (D3 L3), their joint-longest run without a victory against them (also six between 1914 and 1921). The Lilywhites won the corresponding fixture 3-0 last season; only once have they won consecutive away games against Manchester United in the Premier League, doing so in January 2014.
- Manchester United are unbeaten in their last seven Premier League games (W4 D3), and they have won all three since Michael Carrick returned as head coach. The Red Devils last won four successive top-flight matches in February 2024 under Erik ten Hag, while they last had a longer run without defeat in February 2022 (8 under Ralf Rangnick).
- Tottenham are winless in six Premier League games (D4 L2), their longest run since their final seven matches of the 2024/25 season. However, five of Spurs’ seven league wins this term have come away from home.
- Manchester United are unbeaten in all nine Premier League games this season when they have less possession than their opponents (W7 D2), winning seven when having less than 45% possession. They have won just four of their 15 league matches when having over 50% of the ball (D6 L5).
- Only the bottom two sides, Burnley (23) and Wolves (21), have conceded more first-half goals than Tottenham Hotspur (18) in the Premier League this season. The Lilywhites are winless in all ten league games when behind at the break this term (D3 L7), and they are unbeaten in six when leading at half-time (W5 D1).
- Dominic Solanke, who scored twice against Manchester City, has scored five goals in his last five appearances against Manchester United in all competitions. He is averaging a goal every 88 minutes in all competitions this season, the best rate of any Tottenham player.
Player to Watch
Bruno Fernandes
While Matheus Cunha, Dominic Solanke, and Xavi Simons were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Bruno Fernandes as the Player to Watch for Saturday’s Premier League clash between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.
The Manchester United captain has more assists than any other Premier League player this term, with his 12 also his joint-best tally in a campaign (level with 2020/21). The last Manchester United player to provide more was Antonio Valencia in 2011/12 (13). With Bruno Fernandes in such an irresistible form, it is hardly surprising that he is a captaincy candidate in FPL for Gameweek 25.
Prediction
Manchester United 3-1 Tottenham Hotspur
With Tottenham struggling to beat any team in recent weeks, beating an in-form Manchester United is a tall order when the Red Devils have displayed league-leading form under Michael Carrick. While the Lilywhites can take heart from their excellent head-to-head record against United in the last few seasons, that may not count for much this weekend.
The hosts will continue their exceptional form under Michael Carrick, with Bruno Fernandes effortlessly pulling the strings and setting up Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha in another impressive showing. While Tottenham will not go down without a fight, they may only manage a consolation goal. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for Carrick and his charges.
