Why Man Utd vs Tottenham is more than just a battle of Premier League underachievers
When the moveable object meets the resistable force, something has to give. That could beManchester United's thought, but also Tottenham's.
A meeting of early-season underachievers may be a reminder of a dreadful Europa League final - not just in the football, but in the reality it was contested by two teams who finished 15th and 17th in their domestic division - and of opportunities missed, of the ones who got away. United hoped Mateus Fernandes would be in their midfield now; instead Spurs took them out of the equation to sign the Portuguese fromWest Hamby bidding £85m.
But rewind to February andThomas Frank's penultimate game was a 2-0 defeat atOld Trafford. It was part ofMichael Carrick's superb start and, when the Dane was sacked four days later, there was no former Spurs player ready to take over on an interim basis; United had got there first with Carrick, who spent spells in each of their midfields, whenRuben Amorimleft.
Spurs stumbled viaIgor TudortoRoberto de Zerbiinstead. If their winless beginning to the Premier League campaign has been more hubristic, United's initial difficulties could be as worrying.
They have five points from a fixture list that could have promised at least 10; only September's Manchester derby had appeared difficult in their first block of games. The next group feels far tougher.
Tottenham prop up the Premier League but their expenditure and talent positions them to do far better, which could render them dangerous opponents. United have a trio of daunting away trips thereafter, inAtletico Madrid,Leedsand Como.
Their other Champions League clash before the November international break is against Roma, currently the Serie A pacesetters. Their Premier League opponents include Chelsea atStamford BridgeandAston Villa, whose season may have been kickstarted by Spurs, at Old Trafford.
The risk for Carrick is that it gets worse before it gets better; that the upward trajectory that followed his return in January is followed by a downward turn he is unable to arrest. Carrick has rejected some of the pessimistic interpretations.
There are things that could lend themselves to optimism. Manchester United have made the joint-worst start to a Premier League season(PA) One lies in some of the statistics.