- Odds: Man United are the bookies' favourites to win this Saturday's Premier League game at 1.72, making Tottenham underdogs at 4.2 and the draw at 4.0.
- Home form: Man United have won 1, drawn 0 and lost 1 of their 2 home Premier League 2026/2027 games so far this season.
Spurs on a tough road to Old Trafford
Tactical battle
Manchester United are the favorites to win on Saturday because Michael Carrick has made the Red Devils harder to beat and more dangerous in the final third since he took charge on 13 January 2026, while Roberto De Zerbi has made Spurs less predictable. There is nothing muddled about the tactical battle that will take place at Old Trafford on Saturday and both managers have clear ideas about how they want their teams to play.
Formation and approach
Carrick's Man United usually line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, but they will often turn into a narrow 4-2-4 shape. His side will look to build up short and hit teams vertically from their half-space, then play with a front-foot pressing system that is designed to force turnovers in the oppositions' half and create good chances from the resulting attacks.
Risks and recent results
When it works, it creates havoc and bags them points, but when they get it wrong, it can result in defeats such as the 2-3 home defeat to Brighton in the EFL Cup, or the 1-1 draw at Fulham in their last Premier League away game.
Fernandes will be the difference
Tottenham, by contrast, are much more likely to play a 4-3-3 system that is built on positional play, sharp transitions and pressing in the half spaces and the midfield lines. The Spurs are a much more cohesive unit and can do more damage on the counter-attack, but their last two results tell their own story about how badly things have been going for them recently.
The last time these two sides met in the Premier League seven months ago, Man United won 2-0, and the fact they are unbeaten in the last 2 head-to-head matchups (Won 1, Drawn 1) suggests they should have the edge at Old Trafford. However, given Spurs' struggles of late, we feel a home win with both teams to score is the best play.
- Tottenham have lost 3 of their last 5 matches in all competitions, drawing the other two, and are currently 20th with just two points from five matches.
- The Red Devils are in 12th place with five points.
Both teams to net and over 2.5 goals the play
Both sides look susceptible to conceding goals, which is one reason why the odds are so low on both of those markets in this game. Both to score is at 1.5 and over 2.5 is at 1.5, but that doesn't stop us backing those markets.
Manchester United have conceded 3 goals in their 2 home games, so De Zerbi's side will think they can get at the backline while the Red Devils will fancy their chances against the Spurs defence that has shipped 1.50 goals per road game in the Premier League.
The goals will flow in this clash, but Bruno Fernandes will make all the difference for the hosts as he is United's leading scorer in the Premier League 2026/2027 with three goals from five games. But he is also their top creator and the man they will look to when the game gets tight, while Spurs have an extra delivery line from deep in the shape of Andrew Robertson, who has provided 1 assist in his five league appearances so far.
