Thursday night is a mouth-watering tie as the race for a semi-final berth in the EFL Cup hots up when Tottenham Hotspur welcomes Manchester United to North London. Both teams go into this last eight encounter full of beans after vital victories in the Premier League last weekend. Spurs thrashed Southampton with an emphatic 5-0 victory while the Red Devils won a pulsating Manchester derby comeback.
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Tottenham Hotspur’s Recent Form
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou faced criticism after a rough patch of one win in eight games across all competitions (D3 L4). However, Tottenham silenced critics with an emphatic 5-0 win over Southampton on Sunday, with James Maddison netting twice alongside goals from Son Heung-min, Dejan Kulusevski, and Pape Matar Sarr.
Tottenham currently sit 10th in the Premier League table, having scored 36 goals in 16 games – a figure only bettered by Chelsea’s 37. Although they are mid-table, they lie only five points off the top four.
Spurs have a difficult run-in, with league games against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, but more immediately have the opportunity to halt their four-match winless home streak to reach a semifinal. Notably, Tottenham last claimed silverware in 2008 when they lifted the EFL Cup, coincidentally the same year as their previous prolonged winless home streak.
Manchester United’s Turnaround
Under the new head coach Ruben Amorim, Manchester United have revived their form after successive Premier League defeats to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest. The recent 2-1 away wins over Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League and Manchester City in the league have brought back belief in the squad.
Their dramatic win at the Etihad saw late goals from Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo turn the tide. Despite sitting 13th in the Premier League, the Red Devils lie only six points off the top four and have shown resilience in crucial moments.
Man United have the best EFL Cup away record, winning six on the trot by an aggregate score of 14-1. They have already scored 12 goals in this season’s competition, thrashing Barnsley 7-0 and Leicester City 5-2.
Team News and Predicted Lineups
Tottenham Hotspur
Injury has clearly not finished with the North London side: Rodrigo Bentancur serves the last of his three-game suspension while Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Richarlison, Ben Davies and Wilson Odobert all are with hamstring issues. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario makes his with an ankle problem while youngster Mikey Moore is sick.
Destiny Udogie is doubtful with a thigh problem, which means Djed Spence might have to come into an unfamiliar left-back position. Yves Bissouma is available after suspension and Brennan Johnson could go straight into the starting XI, possibly at the expense of Dominic Solanke, who has not found form in recent matches.
Predicted Tottenham XI:
Forster; Porro, Gray, Dragusin, Spence; Bissouma, Sarr; Kulusevski, Maddison, Johnson; Son
Manchester United
The Red Devils have fitness issues regarding Mason Mount (leg), Noussair Mazraoui (knock), while Luke Shaw (hamstring), and Jonny Evans are ruled out. Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho, who dropped to the bench last weekend, may return to the starting XI, although the latter is most unlikely.
Amorim could look at changes, with a raft of changes across the pitch for Yoro, Tyrell Malacia, Casemiro, Antony, Joshua Zirkzee.
How Manchester United could line-up in Spain:Onana; Yoro, Maguire, Martinez; Dalot, Mainoo, Casemiro, Malacia; Diallo, Fernandes; Zirkzee
Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Manchester United (Man Utd to Win on Pens)
Tottenham dominated them in September, but an inconsistent Spurs side makes this harder to call. With United going strong in the EFL Cup away from home and most recently showing resilience, they might pip it in the penalty shootout after a lively draw.
