SPURS host Manchester United in what promises to be a fiery fixture at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium today.
With both sides locked on 17 points and sitting sixth and eighth in the standings respectively, each will be eager to climb the table at the other’s expense.
Man United appear to have slightly more momentum. Yet, with so little separating them, home advantage could tilt the odds in favour of Thomas Frank’s charges.
Spurs’ 4-0 hammering of Copenhagen in the Champions League in midweek will have been a major morale booster. The Londoners lost two of their last three league games and will be keen to address the inconsistency.
Amorim has had reason recently to be pleased. He’ll be hoping for another good result at Spurs. — Reuters
The upheaval surrounding their defeat to Chelsea last weekend and the match itself, in which they created so little, was put behind them with that Copenhagen result.
Now Frank, who is beginning to discover the realities of life at Tottenham after a bright start to his tenure, must build on that momentum and position Spurs as a top four side – a class they believe they belong in, and one their fans are desperate to boast about.
Top four ambitions are shared by United, who have struggled to meet expectations in recent seasons. They finished eighth under Erik ten Hag in 2023-24 and slumped to 15th under Ruben Amorim last season.
There have been signs – however slight – of improvement at Old Trafford, particularly in the run of three straight wins prior to last weekend’s draw with Nottingham Forest.
Still, not everyone is convinced Amorim’s players have fully grasped his three-at-the-back system. For this reason, and United’s history of falling over themselves too easily, some believe Spurs could edge this one – even if United, who are absent from European competition this season, are the better-rested side.
Meanwhile, Arsenal’s impressive form looks set to continue as they visit Sunderland today.
The Gunners lead the league standings by six points from second-placed Manchester City, having conceded just three goals in their first 10 league games – a defensive solidity that’s proving decisive.
Sunderland’s challenge will be to breach that fortress-like back line, but few expect them to succeed.
Still, in the EPL, which has proven so unpredictable, one just never knows.
