Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur: Three players to watch out for

The ongoing season of the English Premier League season has thrown surprises at fans with Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur battling relegation with more than half a season being played. Both teams are in the lower half of the table and sit just ten points above safety. Mathematically, both teams could be relegated and would want to avoid the scenario. Amidst these tumultuous times, both sides are set to square off in the weekend clash at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to improve their standings on the PL table. 

Manchester United, in their previous game, registered a late and controversial 2-1 win over Leicester City with Harry Maguire’s offside goal not being ruled out. On the other hand, Tottenham Hotspur lost the game 2-1 to Aston Villa despite their new signing Tel scoring a goal in the dying embers of the game. With a lot of things at stake, both sides are facing off in a battle to improve their final finish in the ongoing season. 

Both sides have had their fair share of bad luck and injuries throughout but their star players have still tried to stand out amidst the chaos. Despite not having their best season, some of the internationals are putting their best on the pitch to avoid embarrassment.

Here are the top three players to watch out for in the Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur fixture:

1. Bruno Fernandes 

Manchester United have 100 problems in the ongoing season, but Bruno Fernandes is not one. Despite having a struggling start to the season under Erik ten Hag, he came alive under Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ruben Amorim. Though there have been poor numbers compared to the rest of the seasons that he has played for Manchester United ever since he joined, Bruno Fernandes is still the creative outlet and midfield workforce for the club. 

In the English top flight, he has scored five goals and six assists, one of the highest amongst the team players from 23 games. In Europe, he has scored one goal and has two assists. While the change in formations has hurt his assist tally in the ongoing campaign, he is still one of the better progressors of the ball. The Portuguese international averages around 2 progressive carries and nine progressive passes per 90. While the player has approximately six final third passes per 90, the strikers have struggled to convert it. Against a high-line defense of Tottenham, he would be a lethal weapon of Amorim. 

2. Dejan Kulusevski

Tottenham Hotspur are reeling under constant pressure in the ongoing campaign due to their poor performance across all competitions, only to save their grace in the Europa League by finishing fourth on the table. Amidst these issues, Kulusevski has shone brightly for the side in a gloomy year. 

In the ongoing campaign, Kulusveski has been instrumental with his goal-scoring and creation on the right flank with his ability to play with both feet. With six goals and four assists for the side in 24 appearances, Kulusveski has been one of the instrumental attackers alongside Son and Brennan Johnson. He also has five assists and two goals across Europa League and cup competitions, helping his side reach the semifinals of the Carabao Cup. With everything at stake, Kulusevski will be instrumental against Manchester United, who have struggled in the midfield and defense (especially wingbacks) to score or create goals. 

3. Amad Diallo 

The seasons changed but the fate of Amad Diallo had not changed at the start of the 2024/25 season. It was Antony who started the games, it was Mazroui who played at No. 10 despite Amad being available. However, the Ivory Coast international was going strong with his practice with a belief that his day would come in the ongoing season. And the time came when Ruben Amorim took over the role at Old Trafford.

Ever since the arrival of the Portuguese, Amad Diallo has become the most loved player at the club. Playing as a right-side No. 10 or right wing-back, he has raked in six assists and six goals in 22 Premier League games. These numbers are again backed in the European and cup competitions. He has two goals and two G/A to his name. He will be a key creator for the side in the high-stakes game. 

Injury News for Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur

Manchester United injuries: Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Jonny Evans, Altay Bayindir 

Tottenham Hotspur injuries: Vicario, Brennan Johnson, Destiny Udogie, Wilson Odobert, and Timo Werner