Paul Merson is again to preview the Tremendous Sunday conflict between Manchester United and Tottenham, stay on Sky Sports activities, and the Magic Man thinks defeat for United would crank the stress up on boss Erik ten Hag once more…
‘Enormous sport in top-four mini league’
Manchester United vs Tottenham is a large sport.
You have acquired your little leagues inside the Premier League. One league is Manchester Metropolis, Arsenal and Liverpool. Mainly, who’s going to complete prime of Premier League from these three sides.
You then go into the subsequent league and for me, you are Tottenham, Manchester United, Chelsea, Newcastle and Aston Villa. You’re looking at these 5 groups and pondering who’s going to get fourth place and qualify for the Champions League.
After that, you have a look at the underside and there is about 5 groups on the backside who’re in bother, and that is one other league.
United in opposition to Spurs is a top-of-the-table conflict within the league to succeed in the Champions League.
Neither aspect is successful the league, for my part. However the purpose is to qualify for the Champions League, and with that in thoughts this can be a actually essential soccer match.
‘Either side will need factors on the board quick’
It’s a big sport. There might be those that say there’s 30-odd video games left however I do not agree. You want factors now.
In basketball, why do they play the primary three quarters? As a result of you have to get the factors to go to the fourth quarter and have an opportunity of successful the sport.
Previously in England, look again at Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea workforce. Each time he received the league at Chelsea, he acquired off to a flyer. He simply blows everyone away early doorways after which that is it, there isn’t any likelihood for some other aspect to get better.
They by no means got here from behind to win their final 10 video games of the season. They simply went bang, crash and blew everybody away.
That is the place I feel some individuals miss a trick. Look again at Sunday and Manchester Metropolis vs Arsenal. That was one other large sport. if Arsenal had misplaced the sport they might have been 5 factors behind Manchester Metropolis. That may be a big hole, particularly to Metropolis, at any stage of the season.
Nonetheless, there would have been individuals flagging the quantity of video games left however to me it would not matter. You get the factors when you may no matter time within the season. You want the factors. The margins are so superb up and down the league.
These are huge soccer matches and should you do not go into it with that perspective, you will not get the place you should get. It is also the way you win league championships. That is the way you win Premier League. Each sport counts.
‘Strain won’t ever be distant for Ten Hag’
I do not assume Ange Postecoglou is underneath stress. In my opinion, he is doing okay at Spurs.
They don’t seem to be prime, I do know, however no disrespect, they don’t seem to be one of many greatest groups within the league.
Folks will say I am saying that simply due to my Arsenal connection however they don’t seem to be the largest membership on the planet.
Alternatively, Manchester United are one of many greatest golf equipment on the planet.
They need to be ending within the prime 4 on the very least with the heritage they’ve as a membership.
That’s the reason the stress is at all times seemingly on Erik ten Hag. He has to get within the prime 4, minimal, and that’s tough with doubtlessly just one place up for grabs with Manchester Metropolis, Arsenal and Liverpool.
That is why that is such an enormous match. Lose at dwelling to Tottenham and that stress will begin to crank up once more.
‘United want to seek out consistency’
Final season, should you undergo the Manchester United outcomes, they at all times had a pleasant sport on the proper time. They at all times appeared to have a sport at dwelling the place you thought they might get a outcome. And so they acquired these outcomes at simply the suitable time. A outcome to paper over the cracks.
In some way, Manchester United want to seek out some consistency.
Final weekend, they might have crushed Crystal Palace. That they had good probabilities to win the sport, however to be honest so did Palace.
If they’d have snuck a win, you begin to assume they may get on some kind of a roll. However that by no means appears to occur for this United workforce and Ten Hag. They are going to by no means go and win 5, six, seven video games on the trot.
They at all times appear to be up in opposition to it.
‘Man Utd greatest membership in world however not greatest workforce in world’
Manchester United are the largest membership on the planet, however they don’t seem to be one of many greatest groups on the planet. Removed from it. It isn’t even shut, and that is the place we neglect.
Being one of many greatest golf equipment on the planet is completely different from being one among greatest groups on the planet. We in all probability have to get used to that with Manchester United. I am nonetheless treating them like the nice United groups of the previous. They had been a championship aspect 12 months in, 12 months out. Not anymore. They’re fortunate if they’re a top-four workforce.
It does make you consider the place it has all gone mistaken at Outdated Trafford.
It isn’t like they’ve constructed a brand new stadium like Arsenal and Tottenham. They’re nonetheless in the identical stadium and it nonetheless has holes within the roof. Why has it gone so horribly mistaken on the membership? It is powerful to reply.
It would not actually matter if Ten Hag has the help of the followers. It would not actually matter if he has the help of all of the individuals behind the scenes at Manchester United now.
The gamers on the membership have gotten to be behind the supervisor.
If they’re, Ten Hag has each likelihood of succeeding. The gamers are an important factor.
‘Not a lot mistaken at Spurs’
In the event you take away the Arsenal sport, Spurs ought to have received each sport.
They had been bang unfortunate at Leicester on the opening day. in the event that they rating a second purpose it will have grow to be a rout.
They then go and slaughter Everton earlier than getting beat by Newcastle. I have no idea how they acquired beat at Newcastle.
It wasn’t nice in opposition to Arsenal, I do know. However on the finish of the day they solely misplaced to a set-piece purpose. Now we’re speaking about Arsenal as Manchester Metropolis’s nearest challenger so the defeat will not be the worst on the planet.
Brentford then get swept away comfortably. What I am getting at is there is not lots mistaken at Tottenham.
‘Downside for Spurs is being judged in opposition to Arsenal’
The issue at Spurs is they’re at all times being judged up in opposition to Arsenal.
It is a bit like Manchester United. if Manchester Metropolis weren’t the place they had been then it would not be so exhausting to swallow for United.
All I might say about Spurs is watch out what you want for.
Have a look at West Ham. I used to be ready to practise my dance on Strictly final Saturday and one of many ground managers got here as much as me and mentioned Chelsea had been 2-0 up. He was a West Ham fan. I requested him what was occurring and his reply was that they have not even acquired Europe to look again on.
That basically struck me. West Ham had some actually nice occasions underneath David Moyes however they acquired rid. Simply watch out.
With Tottenham, i discover individuals have brief reminiscences too.
It actually wasn’t good for a number of years at Tottenham. However now, I like watching Tottenham. I feel they are a good workforce.
I do not see Ange being in any bother. I actually like him.
‘United match-up for Spurs’
Towards United, I feel it’s a good match-up for Spurs.
I see there being loads of targets with Tottenham inflicting United loads of main issues. Spurs will press and constructing from the again will not be one among United’s sturdy factors.
Ange performs a method. He goes out on the entrance foot and will get his aspect enjoying to win soccer matches.
It would not matter if they’re enjoying a lower-league aspect within the cup or one of many prime sides within the Premier League, they are going to have a go.
That is what I like about him as effectively. He will not sit there and play 10 behind the ball. At Outdated Trafford, he’ll exit and put Manchester United underneath stress.
Watch Man Utd vs Spurs on Sunday stay on Sky Sports activities; kick-off 4.30pm