Seven days on from their 6-0 humiliation at
Manchester City last weekend, Tottenham Hotspur
face another daunting assignment on Sunday when
improving Manchester United visit White Hart Lane.
Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas branded the
result at the Etihad Stadium "extremely
embarrassing" but if his side are to get back on
track, they will need to overcome United at home
for the first time in 12 years.
United were also left disappointed last Sunday after
conceding a stoppage-time equaliser in a 2-2
draw at Cardiff City but they responded in
masterful fashion in the Champions League.
Wednesday's 5-0 success at Bayer Leverkusen
took David Moyes's side into the last 16 and was
the club's biggest victory away from home in
Europe since the 1960s heyday of legendary
former manager Matt Busby.
It also extended the champions' unbeaten run to
11 games, but although United's recent record at
White Hart Lane suggests they have little reason to
approach Sunday's game with trepidation, Moyes
feels it is too early to write Tottenham off.
The north London club trail Moyes's side by only a
point in the Premier League standings -- with
United sixth and Tottenham ninth -- and the
former Everton manager says that they remain
dangerous opponents.
"Tottenham are not that far away," said the Scot.
"Sometimes people can get a little bit ahead of
themselves. Personally, I don't see him (Villas-
Boas) being under pressure, but maybe that is for
other people to say.
"No matter when you play Tottenham Hotspur, it
will always be a hard game.
The matches against
Manchester United have been good.
"After a result like they had last week, the reaction
can vary.
We are both coming off the back of
European games as well. The main thing for us is
to try and win the game."
The damaging loss to Spurs sparked speculation in
the British media that Villas-Boas's days at the
club could be numbered, but the Portuguese saw
his side respond in positive fashion with a 2-0
victory at Tromso in the Europa League on
Thursday.
Spurs are now guaranteed to finish top of Europa
League Group K and Villas-Boas believes the
victory will have helped his players to move on
from the traumatic loss at City.
"I am very happy for the players to have bounced
back from the defeat against Man City," he said.
"Obviously the opponent we have on Sunday is the
biggest that we can have. But to prepare for that
game, it was important to get back to winning
ways and we did it in a fashion where we looked
solid and created lots of chances."
Villas-Boas is expected to recall first-team players
such as Kyle Walker, Paulinho and Sandro, all of
whom were rested for the trip to Norway.
However, Emmanuel Adebayor, who made his first
appearance of the campaign at City, is doubtful
with a groin injury, while Danish playmaker
Christian Eriksen will not play due to an ankle
problem.
Marouane Fellaini is available for United after
serving a European suspension, while Moyes says
that Nemanja Vidic (concussion) and Robin van
Persie (groin) both "have a chance" of playing.
The United manager must also decide whether or
not to keep faith with Ryan Giggs, who turned in a
vintage performance against Leverkusen, two days
before his 40th birthday.
Giggs was a member of the last United side to lose
at Spurs -- a 3-1 defeat in May 2001 -- and with
10 goals, he is the top scorer in meetings between
the teams since the advent of the Premier League
in 1992.
In last season's corresponding fixture, Clint
Dempsey snatched a stoppage-time equaliser for
Spurs in a 1-1 draw, while Villas-Boas also saw
his side emerge from Old Trafford with a 3-2
victory.
His team have struggled for goals since the
departure of Gareth Bale during the close season,
however, and are at risk of going four league
games without scoring for the first time since
September 2006.
Comments
Post a Comment