GIVEMESPORT

Ange Postecoglou has added three fresh faces to his Tottenham Hotspur squad for their Europa League clash with Ferencvaros, with talented youngsters Alfie Dorrington, Dante Cassanova, and Damola Ajayi all in the mix for minutes against the Hungarian champions on Thursday night.

The Australian tactician could make significant changes to his matchday squad, with usual academy players Mikey Moore and Will Lankshear also travelling with the team, according to football.london journalist Alasdair Gold.

The trio of Dorrington, Cassanova, and Ajayi have been added to the Europa League B list for youngsters and will all be hoping to be included among the 12 substitutes on the bench for the game.

Moore and Lankshear both got the nod in the 3-0 victory against Qarabag last week, while Moore also made an appearance off the bench, coming on for Dominic Solanke in the 85th minute.

Tyrese Hall and Luca Gunter were also added to the squad list for the game against the Armenian champions, but Postecoglou opted for only 10 substitutes last Thursday.

Spurs Seek Second Victory in Europe

Take on Ferencvaros in Hungary

Spurs will be looking for their fifth win in a row across all competitions when they travel to the Groupama Arena in Budapest, with Ferencvaros now standing in Postecoglou side’s way.

Since suffering back-to-back Premier League defeats against Newcastle and Arsenal, Tottenham have turned the corner with an emphatic run, topped off with a 3-0 rout of Manchester United on Sunday.

The win at Old Trafford saw Spurs climb the league table, sitting eighth after six rounds of matches, with 10 points collected from a possible 18.

A clash in Hungary will potentially offer Postecoglou a chance to field a more rotated squad ahead of another tough Premier League encounter at Brighton on Saturday, which will be their final test before the October international break.

This will be the first time Spurs have played Ferencvaros in their history, while Postecoglou himself has faced the Hungarian side in his managerial career, leading former club Celtic to two victories in the 2021/22 Europa League group stage.

Radu Dragusin is suspended for the fixture on Thursday, while Richarlison and Wilson Odobert remain sidelined with injuries.

Werner Poised to Start on Thursday

A confidence boost for the German

Timo Werner is expected to retain his place in Postecoglou’s starting line-up on Thursday to face Ferencvaros, after getting the nod against Manchester United on Sunday, GIVEMESPORT journalist Dean Jones has revealed.

The German international was an unexpected inclusion for the Premier League clash four days ago when Heung-min Son was ruled out with an injury, and he is now anticipated to start in the midweek Europa League fixture.

Werner has played a total of 208 minutes across six matches this season and is yet to record a goal or assist, having missed a couple of good opportunities during the 3-0 win at Old Trafford.

Tottenham Hotspur will look to continue their fine form as they travel to Hungary to take on Ferencvaros in their second Europa League clash of the season on Thursday evening. Ange Postecoglou's side made it four consecutive wins in all competitions at the weekend as they dominated Manchester United at Old Trafford, following on from their 3-0 win over Qarabag last week in their opening European fixture. Ferencvaros on the other hand claimed a 3-0 win over Puskas Academy at the weekend to bounce back from a 2-1 loss to Anderlecht in the Europa League last week.

Spurs battled to defeat Qarabag last week despite having defender Radu Dragusin sent off inside the opening ten minutes, and their forwards are coming into this game in fine form after consecutive wins over Coventry, Brentford, Qarabag and Man United. But with a busy schedule, the manager could look to make some changes to his team and this is how GIVEMESPORT sees both teams lining up.

Ferencvaros Team News

Full strength team to choose from

The Hungarian champions have got a clean bill of health coming into this major clash against Spurs, and manager Pascal Jansen is expected to name his strongest possible starting lineup after resting players during the weekend league game.

Adama Traore netted the club's goal in their defeat to Anderlecht last week and should keep his place in the side, while Matheus Saldanha could earn a place in the starting lineup after netting a hat-trick at the weekend having come off the substitutes bench.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Wednesday, Jansen confirmed the health status of his squad ahead of the big Europa League clash.

"Everybody is eager to play tomorrow's game. This is one of the biggest home matches we'll have. This excitement is motivation for us. They could easily be in the Champions League. This is the level they are at. They are one of the teams that have a chance to reach the final. They're definitely among the top teams we've faced."

Ferencvaros Predicted XI

Saldanha to start after hat-trick

Ferencvaros' Predicted XI: Dibusz; Botka, Cisse, Szalai, Ramirez; Abu Fani, Rommens; Kady, Zachariassen, Traore; Saldanha.

Ferencvaros' Predicted Substitutes: Radnoti (GK), Varga (GK), Gartenmann (DEF), Civic (DEF), Kajan (DEF), Toth (DEF), Maiga (MID), Romdhane (MID), Gruber (FWD), Misidjan (FWD), Pesic (FWD), Saldanha (FWD), Varga (FWD).

After making several changes to the team at the weekend, Jansen looks likely to recall a host of players back into his lineup including Botka, Szalai and Ramirez in the defensive line. He could also reward Saldanha with a rare start as the number nine, following his weekend hat-trick against Puskas Academia.

That would see Barnabas Varga heading to the bench to provide firepower later off the bench, while Philippe Rommens is set to return in midfield ahead of Habib Maiga.

Tottenham Team News

Heung-Min Son likely to miss out

After a huge performance at the weekend without influential captain Heung-Min Son, Ange Postecoglou is unlikely to risk the South Korea star even if he is available for the clash on Thursday night.

Son was forced off with a problem against Qarabag and missed the win over Man United, and it seems unlikely that he will recover in time for this game. He is likely to stay on the sidelines alongside fellow forwards Wilson Odobert and Richarlison who are long-term absentees currently. Romania international Dragusin is also suspended following his red card last time out.

The manager may see this as an opportunity to give some fringe players some serious minutes too, with the likes of Archie Gray, Ben Davies and Timo Werner looking to add some game time into their legs ahead of the weekend clash against Brighton. Sergio Reguilon in ineligible after being left out of the club's Europa League squad.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Wednesday, Postecoglou offered an update on the health status of his squad ahead of the game.

"Destiny [Udogie] hasn't travelled. Nothing significant, but didn't makes sense to bring him if he wasn't going to play.

"Radu [Dragusin] is suspended and Sonny is back in London doing rehab.

"Sergio [Reguilon] is a Tottenham player, that's why he's here. We like to have 20 players for training, we've also brought some young players. They had a game last night and we didn't want to disrupt them too much." ​

Tottenham's Predicted XI

Johnson to continue in the team

Tottenham's Predicted XI: Forster; Spence, Romero, Gray, Davies; Bissouma, Sarr, Bergvall; Johnson, Solanke, Werner.

Tottenham's Predicted Substitutes: Vicario (GK), Austin (GK), Van de Ven (DEF), Porro (DEF), Bentancur (MID), Maddison (MID), Kulusevski (MID), Lankshear (FWD), Moore (FWD).

With a trip across Europe to come, Postecoglou is likely to make several changes to the side. Fraser Forster, Gray, Ben Davies and Djed Spence should get the nod in defence alongside Cristian Romero with Micky Van de Ven likely to be rested.

Tottenham Hotspur are among the top European clubs showing an interest in Benfica sensation Tomas Araujo ahead of the January transfer window, according to Caught Offside.

The Lilywhites strengthened their squad in the summer window with the addition of Dominic Solanke, Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Wilson Odobert but lost a host of defensive options in Joe Rodon, Emerson Royal, Ryan Sessegnon and Japhet Tanganga which has left them a bit short in that area of the pitch.

Ange Postecoglou is now looking to strengthen further in the winter window and young Portuguese centre-back Araujo has emerged as a target for the north London club, with the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain also said to be interested in his signature.

Tottenham Eye Tomas Araujo

Scouts have watched him several times

Despite having strong options in the heart of defence with World Cup winner Cristian Romero, Micky Van de Ven and Radu Dragusin, Araujo is someone the club believe can further strengthen the squad and they are interested in a deal for the 22-year-old.

Araujo, who has been described as "elite", was a target for Crystal Palace in the summer too, as they had an official bid turned down when they were looking for potential replacements for Marc Guehi, but a deal never materialised. He has also been linked with a move to the Premier League with fellow London clubs Chelsea and Arsenal, while French champions Paris Saint-Germain also have an interest.

But it's Spurs who have made their initial move by sending scouts to take a closer look during at least three appearances during the current season, with positive reports coming back about his defensive skills, composure and potential to excel in the Premier League.

It's currently unclear if Benfica would be open to his sale in mid-season, with Araujo currently competing with Antonio Silva and Nicolas Otamendi for a starting spot at the Estadio De Luz. But, Benfica would want in excess of €20million to even consider a deal, which CaughtOffside sources believe represents great value for money for Tottenham.

Should a deal in January fail to materialise it's possible that Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs and PSG could all look to make their move in the summer although it's likely they would have to pay a premium at that stage should he continue to develop positively.

Shearer: Brennan Johnson 'Undroppable'

Wales international has 5 goals in four games

With the Spurs side currently flying on the back of four consecutive victories in all competitions, winger Brennan Johnson has emerged as "undroppable" for the team according to Alan Shearer.

The Wales star has netted five goals in his last four appearances for the team, including the opening strike in the 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford this past weekend.

That performance was the latest in a strong run of games since Johnson was criticised by fans and abused to the point where he deleted his social media accounts, and Shearer told the official Premier League website that he is now one of the first names on the teamsheet for Postecoglou.

Tottenham Hotspur star Timo Werner will get the chance to give himself a confidence boost as he is expected to retain his place in the starting line-up when Ange Postecoglou's side face Hungarian side Ferencvaros in the Europa League on Thursday.

The Germany international struggled against Coventry City in the Carabao Cup last month, so he was an unexpected starter at Manchester United on Sunday when Heung-min Son was ruled out with an injury.

However, his inclusion allowed Spurs to play as close as possible to the system they had been planning to employ for the fixture, and he had been hoping for the chance to turn around his tough start to the season.

Werner Remains Important Squad Member

German set for chance to open goalscoring account for season

Werner joined Tottenham on a season-long loan from RB Leipzig during the summer, and the north Londoners have the option to sign him permanently for less than £9million at the end of that period.

That seems unlikely right now, but sources are indicating that the 28-year-old remains an important player for the squad and that there is still strong belief in him fulfilling a vital role this season.

Tottenham boss Postecoglou has always viewed Werner as a squad player rather than a standout option for the best XI, and it remains the case that he trusts him.

A couple of missed opportunities during the convincing 3-0 win at Old Trafford took the gloss off an otherwise good performance from Werner, but now it is expected he will get another run out against Ferencvaros and a chance to open his goalscoring account for the season.

He has played a total of 208 minutes across six matches this season and is yet to record a goal or assist, but the trip to Hungary is seen as an opportunity to help him break through for the 2024/25 season.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Timo Werner boasted 71 per cent pass accuracy, registered two shots and completed as many dribbles during Tottenham Hotspur's win against Manchester United last weekend

Werner Retains Trust of Spurs Teammates

Solanke also in contention to keep starting berth on Thursday

From a team perspective, Werner has the trust of his Lilywhites teammates, sources indicate, but there is now a drive for him to work on his confidence to return to his old goalscoring ways.

Hungarian side Ferencvaros provide a good opportunity for Postecoglou to field him again and further appearances will then depend on the return to fitness of Son but also how he is performing and improving.

Postecoglou may also be tempted to field Dominic Solanke again in the Europa League as he bids to keep up his sharpness. The former Bournemouth man has found the net in successive Premier League games for Spurs and also scored in their opening Europa League match against Qarabag.

Sources believe he is likely to start but would then be substituted early in the second half if possible, to help him rest before the clash with Brighton & Hove Albion.

Solanke is a crucial figure for Tottenham in setting the tone of their attack and is even more important in terms of a goalscoring presence if Son misses more game time.

Tottenham Hotspur ran riot against an out-of-sorts Manchester United team on Sunday afternoon at Old Trafford, easing past Erik ten Hag's men, but manager Ange Postecoglou was left fuming with teenager Lucas Bergvall for two incidents late on in the match.

An exceptional run from Micky Van de Ven saw Brennan Johnson tap home for the travelling team inside the first five minutes before Bruno Fernandes was given his marching orders for a reckless tackle on James Maddison on the stroke of half-time. Spurs capitalised on their man advantage in the second period, with a smart finish from Dejan Kulusesvski and a poacher's effort from Dominic Solanke sealing an emphatic 3-0 victory at the Theatre of Dreams.

Despite the convincing nature of his team's performance, Postecoglou was left ruing several missed opportunities to make the goal deficit greater, with substitute Bergvall guilty of two particularly wasteful moments in the latter stages of the encounter.

Postecoglou 'Furious' With Bergvall

The Swede was wasteful in the final third

With Tottenham ending the game having taken 24 shots, and having accumulated 4.59 expected goals, there were certainly chances on offer for the Lillywhites to embarrass United by winning by a much greater margin than they ultimately did. Postecoglou was reportedly disappointed with his side's inability to batter this United team and make the scoreline even more comfortable.

The Aussie introduced 18-year-old Lucas Bergvall in the 77th minute, replacing goalscorer Johnson, for what was his seventh appearance in a Spurs shirt. There had been calls for the Swedish starlet to start the game ahead of Maddison in the build-up, but ultimately, the youngster may have demonstrated why he's not being granted regular minutes as of yet.

According to Football.London, Postecoglou bellowed 'Lucas' across the pitch on two separate occasions in the closing stages at Old Trafford. In the first incident, Bergvall opted to shoot from distance rather than finding a pass to his left to an unmarked Mikey Moore, who would've had an excellent opportunity to score.

"Even Postecoglou was raging twice with 18-year-old Lucas Bergvall in the final 10 minutes, first for taking a shot from distance rather than passing the ball to the unmarked Mikey Moore and then later when the Swede attempted to find his fellow teenager rather than playing the ball to the right to two unmarked team-mates. The Australian bellowed 'Lucas' across the pitch and angrily showed him where the ball should have gone."

Attempting to atone for not feeding Moore, Bergvall then found his fellow teenager when there were better options available on his right, with two unmarked teammates queuing up to tuck the ball home. Postecoglou's anguish at Bergvall's decision-making certainly reflects a coach eager for his team to consistently put their opponents to the sword.

The Sweden international will have to improve this aspect of his game if he wants to begin starting games regularly for Tottenham.

Bentancur Praised For United Display

The midfielder was described as a 'boss'

One man who Postecoglou certainly wasn't bemoaning in Manchester was Rodrigo Bentancur, who produced a stellar display in the middle of the park. Journalist Alasdair Gold was blown away by the Uruguayan's outing against the Red Devils, describing the midfielder as a 'boss'.

Bentancur dictated the game from deep for Spurs, completing 96% of his passes and managing eight passes into the final third. The 27-year-old also did his fair share of defensive work, making two interceptions and eight ball recoveries in what was an excellent all-round performance.

The number eight made 25 appearances for Tottenham last season, and has begun to establish himself as one of Postecoglou's most important midfielders.

Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot has come under a lot of criticism for his 'lazy' role in Tottenham Hotspur's opener at Old Trafford on Sunday - in a goal that saw the Lilywhites take the lead inside four minutes at the Theatre of Dreams.

A United counter-attack was thwarted by Tottenham centre-back Micky van de Ven, and the rapid Dutch defender was allowed the freedom to drive at the heart of the United defence, fending off pressure from Matthijs de Ligt to cross for Brennan Johnson, who was left unmarked at the back post to turn home under no pressure whatsoever. Dalot had left him unmarked, and that prompted poor feedback from Jamie Redknapp, who labelled the Portuguese man as 'lazy' for failing to track his man.

Redknapp: Man Utd Star Dalot 'Bad' in Tottenham Opener

The defender didn't track his man and gave Tottenham the foundation to win

Speaking on Sky Sports' Premier League coverage of the crunch clash at Old Trafford, the former Tottenham man berated Dalot by labelling him as 'so bad' in tracking Johnson - who had the freedom of Manchester to turn home and put the side from the capital ahead. Redknapp said:

"It's so bad from Dalot. You see him there, you would think as left-back just get back and match the run - he doesn't. He's jogging, that is so bad from his persepective. There have been collective mistakes from United all through that first half.

"Spurs have been excellent but from United's point of view, they've been so abject. There's no confidence or identity, they're sitting back. They're like the away team, it's been so poor from them."

That was compounded just before the end of the half with Bruno Fernandes receiving his first red card in his 242 games for the Red Devils - but even before his dismissal, Tottenham had been by far the better team and Ange Postecoglou would have been ruing his side not going 2-0 up.

However, that was counter-acted by Dejan Kulusevski's first goal of the season just two minutes into the second half that put real daylight between the away side and the beleaguered Red Devils.

Ten Hag Could Be Pushed to Man Utd Exit

The Dutchman has overseen poor results this season

Erik ten Hag was already beginning to feel pressure at Old Trafford having only won two of his opening five league games to begin the season, and a home Europa League draw in midweek against Dutch side FC Twente did little to quell that. The first-half performance from the Red Devils was way below the standard expected, and against a side who will also be gunning for European football, it's seen United slip further behind in the race for continental football.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Diogo Dalot has made 166 appearances for Manchester United, scoring 6 goals.

Ten Hag now has huge pressure on his back, and he won't be helped by a lack of commitment from his players. Adding to that, Fernandes' red card means that he is without his main creative spark for the next three domestic games and that will further hinder United, who seldom looked to be creating anything in his absence, albeit with ten men.

Tough clashes against Aston Villa, Brentford and West Ham United are to follow amid tough ties away at Porto and Fenerbahce in the Europa League - and without Fernandes in the Premier League games, it could spell the end of Ten Hag's time at Old Trafford.

Tottenham Hotspur have been criticised for signing striker Timo Werner on loan after another subpar performance in the Premier League.

Ange Postecoglou’s side did, however, secure a crucial 3-0 win away from home against Manchester United. Brennan Johnson opened the scoring inside the opening five minutes at Old Trafford following a fantastic run from defender Micky van de Ven.

United midfielder Bruno Fernandes was sent off for a poor challenge before half time, and Dejan Kulusevski doubled Spurs’ advantage early in the second half. Dominic Solanke then made it three with a little over 10 minutes left to play of the 90.

‘No Justification’ for Timo Werner Loan

The forward had another poor performance

One player that didn’t have a good afternoon was Werner. Before half time, he was played through on goal, and was one-on-one with Andre Onana, but the United goalkeeper was able to make a crucial save.

The same thing happened early in the second half when Onana once again made the save to deny Werner in a one-on-one situation. Werner was substituted soon after as he made way for 18-year-old Lucas Bergvall.

In what was otherwise a fantastic performance from Postecoglou’s side, fans were left scratching their heads as to how Werner was awarded a start. Speaking on social media platform X, TheSecretScout claimed there’s no justification for having the player on loan as there are better players in the youth set-up at the club.

"There’s no justification for having Werner on loan. There’s better players in the u21s."

Werner was once one of the shining lights in German football during his first spell with RB Leipzig, but a horrid two-year stint at Chelsea set back his career. He returned to Leipzig back in 2022, and then joined Spurs on a short-term loan at the end of last season.

That was extended this summer as he rejoined the North London club for the 2024/25 campaign. They have the option to make the move permanent at the end of this season for a fee the BBC claim to be £8.5million.

Tottenham Defender Praised for Assist at Old Trafford

Van de Ven set up Johnson for their opening goal v United

Elsewhere, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville was full of praise for Spurs defender Van de Ven after what he did in the build-up to the opening goal against United. With three minutes gone on the clock, he pushed forward with the ball from his own half, and crossed it into the path of Johnson, who tapped home from close range.

Despite Neville’s United allegiances, as he spent his entire professional career with the club, he was blown away by Van de Ven’s run given he’s a central defender. Speaking on commentary after the goal, he said:

“Absolutely brilliant from Van de Ven. One of the best runs I've ever seen from a centre-back. He drives through four Manchester United players. It's amazing. Brilliant.”

Spurs are now eighth in the Premier League standings after six games. They have 10 points following three wins, one draw and two defeats. Postecoglou’s side are five points off Liverpool in top spot.

Tottenham Hotspur have learned a huge blow just hours ahead of their trip to Manchester United in the Premier League - with reports suggesting that 'world-class star' forward Son Heung-min is set to miss out on the crunch clash with injury.

Son was taken off against Azerbaijani side Qarabag in the Europa League on Thursday with a potential hamstring issue, as Ange Postecoglou's side won 3-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium despite only having ten men thanks to Radu Dragusin's early red card - but reports have stated that he won't be featuring against the Red Devils with the game coming too soon for him to take part.

Son 'To Miss' Tottenham Clash vs Man Utd

The winger will not feature after picking up an injury

The report from the Daily Mail states that Tottenham captain Son will miss their Premier League clash away to United on Sunday afternoon thanks to a hamstring injury.

Postecoglou had said earlier in the week that Son was aiming to train with the squad on Saturday ahead of the Red Devils' visit, but the trip up north has come a little too soon for him - as the Daily Mail have 'learned' that Son will miss out on what will be a huge blow to their chances of winning.

Tottenham have a plethora of attackers at the club, but with Wilson Odobert out injured also, it will likely be Timo Werner to star on the left-flank ahead of the South Korean legend, whilst Dominic Solanke is likely to start up front and one of Brennan Johnson or Dejan Kulusevski on the right.

Son has two goals in five Premier League games to start the campaign, but he's rarely out injured and today will be much more of a struggle with his absence and ability to breach back-lines on the counter attack with his speed.

Tottenham And Man Utd Have Had Poor Season Starts

Both would have expected to fare better at this stage

Tottenham have had an indifferent start to the campaign after dropping points where they should have won against Leicester City and Newcastle United, but with a win over Brentford last weekend and Qarabag in midweek, they're in a decent run of form to take United on.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Tottenham Hotspur won 8 of their first 10 league games under Postecoglou last season but have only won 2 from 5 so far this time around.

United, meanwhile, have suffered a similar fate. Only escaping their game vs Fulham with a late winner from Joshua Zirkzee, the Red Devils have not been at their best in the Premier League and barring a win over Southampton, have failed to properly get going - typified by a 1-1 draw to FC Twente in the Europa League.

United are generally better at home and that can be an advantage to them, but they are leaky at the back against the better teams in the division - and if Tottenham can exploit that, they'll certainly have a fighting chance of winning with Erik ten Hag beginning to wobble in terms of his long-term future at Old Trafford.

A win for either side will take them eighth in the Premier League as we enter October, and they will both be looking to kick-on from there, though a loss could see both managers come under pressure for their less-than-desirable starts to the new campaign.

Tottenham Hotspur take on Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday aftermppm, and Ange Postecoglou has a big call to make in terms of team selection with captain Son Heung-Min a doubt through an injury, potentially opening up a starting birth for 18-year-old midfielder Lucas Bergvall.

The Lillywhites have experienced a mixed start to the new Premier League season, accumulating seven points from their first five matches. Rampant home victories over the likes of Everton and Brentford have been overshadowed by defeats to Newcastle and Arsenal, in what has been a turbulent period for Postecoglou's men.

A trip to the north-west to face an out-of-sorts Red Devils team represents a perfect opportunity to claim a big three points and boost the morale around the north London club. However, the Australian manager may be without talisman Son, and thus ought to make the brave decision to deploy Bergvall in the starting eleven, and drop a struggling James Maddison - who Spurs have had private concerns about.

Postecoglou Should Drop Maddison

Bergvall has merited an opportunity

With United lingering just one place below Spurs in the league table, level on points, tomorrow's encounter at the Theatre of Dreams could be dubbed a European 'six-pointer' at this early stage of the season. A game of such importance will require immaculate decision-making in the team selection process for Postecoglou, with the set of options at his disposal presenting a considerable headache for the tactician.

The goalkeeper and back four is likely undisputed, with Vicario, Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky Van de Ven and Destiny Udogie expected to start. In front of them, Yves Bissouma is likely to be deployed with Pape Sarr as the north Londoners look to sure things up in the middle of the park, and provide the team's high line with extra protection from United's transition-heavy attack.

In forward areas, selections get more tricky. Maddison produced an encouraging display for Spurs last time out against Brentford, although he went 0/6 with his cross attempts, but United away is a different kettle of fish. The former Leicester City man has struggled to influence proceedings on a consistent basis in big games, and thus Postecoglou should look elsewhere.

With Timo Werner out of form, Dejan Kulusevski may well be shifted out wide, to form a front three alongside Brennan Johnson and Dominic Solanke. This subsequently leaves the final midfield slot up for grabs, and with Maddison dropping to the bench, a role that could be filled by promising talent Bergvall, whose opportunity in midweek was cut short after 12 minutes out of necessity.

The young Swede, who has been described as "incredible", would offer similar ability on the ball with his passing but would also be less naturally inclined to burst forward and that could help to keep a rare clean sheet. With Man United's problems in front of goal well documented this season, that could be the key to victory, and bringing Maddison off the bench against tired legs and minds could help open up the game later on if needs be.

It would no doubt be a baptism of fire, but Bergvall is more than deserving of an opportunity and the situation currently demands that Postecoglou changes something to turn the club's fortunes around.

Spurs Fans Will Turn On Levy

Collymore believes the fanbase will lose patience in the Chairman

While Spurs prepare for crucial activity on the pitch, murmurings of discontent are starting to build off it. Ex-Liverpool striker and now pundit Stan Collymore believes the Tottenham faithful will turn on chairman Daniel Levy, with the executive not demonstrating enough ambition to push the club towards major silverware.

Writing in his column for CaughtOffside, Collymore said that Levy treats Spurs fans like consumers, and that this will eventually result in the Lillywhite supporters venting their frustrations. Since moving to the club's new state-of-the-art stadium, Tottenham have finished in the top four just once, and are yet to win a major trophy.

Manchester United and Spurs clash at Old Trafford after uninspiring starts to their Premier League campaign. United and Spurs both see themselves on seven points after their first five league games, with both sides having won two, drawn one and lost two.

The Red Devils, having started poorly in the Premier League, were also held to a surprising draw in their opening Europa League game against FC Twente at Old Trafford, leaving pressure building on manager Erik ten Hag coming into Sunday's big Premier League clash. There are currently similar feelings around the Lilywhites, as Ange Postecoglou is also under growing pressure in the dugout due to Spurs' start to the league season which saw them take just four points from their opening four games before getting back to winning ways with a 3-1 home win to Brentford on matchday five and winning their first European game of the season against Qarabag. Here is the latest team news and starting XI information you need to know ahead of the clash between the two Premier League giants on Sunday.

Manchester United Team News

Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Dutch side FC Twente on Wednesday evening, a result which has not gone down well among United fans and manager Erik ten Hag. Despite having played four games in the last 11 days, United seem to have come through their busy fixture schedule unscathed which will be a big boost for them coming into a huge Premier League tie which could have big implications on ten Hag's future.

Coming into this game, United are dealing with four injuries and they are all defensive ones, as new signing Leny Yoro, Luke Shaw, Victor Lindelof and Tyrell Malacia are all working their way back to fitness, with the latter duo of Lindelof and Malacia having returned to different stages of training but still have work to do.

Ten Hag revealed that his squad will be the same as the one that face FC Twente in the Europa League on Wednesday at Old Trafford and believes the Spurs match will be intense. Ten Hag also defended the selection of Bruno Fernandes despite claims the captain looked tired against the Dutch opponents.

t will be the same squad as yesterday [Wednesday].

"I think it will be a very intense game. It always is against Tottenham and I think it is also our style as well. So I think it is going to be a very dynamic, attractive game.

"I think the team brings him [Bruno Fernandes] in a situation. I think he is capable and he has proven already, so many times in the Premier League, he can create many chances.

"I am convinced he will not do differently. He will come on this point, he will find his form. He is already creating chances but he will make final passes, he will score goals. One hundred per cent and it is just a matter of time."

Manchester United Predicted Starting XI

Ugarte could make his first Premier League start

Erik ten Hag went bold at Selhurst Park last weekend, going with a midfield partnership of Christian Eriksen and Kobbie Mainoo which did work well at times, however, the game against Spurs could be very different for Manchester United as they could see themselves with a lot less of the ball which could be better suited to the attributes of summer signing Manuel Ugarte. The Uruguayan is more likely to replace Eriksen than Mainoo as the Dane is more of a luxury player who performs at his best when his side dominates the ball as they did at Selhurst Park, whereas Ugarte is a midfield engine and will give the Reds a bite and intensity in midfield.

Joshua Zirkzee has netted just once in his first seven games in a Manchester United shirt which would typically point a manager towards trying a different striker up front, however, Rasmus Hojlund is still working his way back to full fitness and has only been given 25 minutes of game time so far this season so is probably not ready to start yet.

Predicted Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Onana, Mazraoui, de Ligt, Martinez, Dalot, Ugarte, Mainoo, Fernandes, Garnacho, Diallo, Zirkzee

Predicted Substitutes Bench: Bayindir, Maguire, Evans, Casemiro, Eriksen, Mount, Rashford, Antony, Hojlund

Spurs Team News

Attacking duo sidelines and Son's fitness worry

The only injury concerns for Spurs coming into this big league clash against Man United are that attacking duo Richarlison and Wilson Odobert remain sidelined. The Lilywhites made it through their first Europa League match unscathed and there are no fresh injury concerns.

Spurs started the season with some key injuries to key players such as new signing Dominic Solanke, but those injury concerns have now cooled and Ange Postecoglou's side have mostly a fit squad outside of the two attacking absentees as mentioned.

Postecoglou addresses Son injury concerns

During Spurs' 3-0 win over Qarabag, captain Heung-Min Son received treatment, prompting fears he could miss the Old Trafford showdown. But the Australian manager was hopeful his skipper would be fit.

"It's still early days from last night. Fair to say the boys that put in a shift are fairly tired.

"Apart from Sonny, everyone's ok, but I don't think it's too bad [with Sonny]. He wants to train tomorrow so we'll see how he goes at training and make a decision from there. We have another day up our sleeve to give him every chance."

Spurs Predicted Starting XI

A change in midfield could be made

In Spurs' 3-1 victory over Brentford last weekend, Ange Postecoglou made a very bold move by starting Dejan Kulusevski in a midfield trio alongside Rodrigo Bentancur and James Maddison which worked out very well, however, in a game this big against Manchester United, the intensity is likely to be a lot higher and it may not suit Kulusevski playing in midfield. Because of this, the Spurs manager may opt for a more steady option in midfield as opposed to the creative brilliance of Kulusevski.

Predicted Starting XI (4-3-3): Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie, Bentancur, Sarr, Maddison, Son, Johnson, Solanke

Predicted Substitutes Bench: Forster, Dragusin, Spence, Gray, Bergvall, Bissouma, Kulusevski, Moore, Werner