Pundit backs United to overcome Spurs after contrasting European results

Football pundit Chris Sutton has backed Manchester United to pick up a valuable win over Tottenham Hotspur this weekend.

The two teams go head-to-head in the Premier League on Sunday off the back of contrasting fortunes in the Europa League during the week. United were held to a 1-1 draw against FC Twente, while a 10-man Tottenham side put three past Qarabag.

That said, neither side has looked convincing at the start of the new league campaign and they will both be looking to add three points to the table when they face off this weekend.

The aim for both teams will be to qualify for the Champions League next season and the only way to do that is by winning football matches.

Spurs have taken just one point from their last three Premier League visits to Old Trafford since their 6-1 win over United back in October 2020. Last season they came from behind twice to draw 2-2, after beating United 2-0 at home earlier in the campaign.

Sutton still believes that United will come out on top on Sunday to take all three points.

“My first thought was that I fancy Manchester United to win this but, the more I think about it, the less likely that seems,” Sutton wrote in his Premier League predictions column for BBC Sport.

“United made heavy weather of their Europa League draw with FC Twente on Wednesday, with a performance that was very uninspiring.

“Mind you, we need to see more from Spurs in the final third too, so I am going to stick with my instincts and go for a United win. Let me explain why.

“In my opinion, United cannot beat Spurs by going toe-to-toe with them, but there is an argument that Tottenham’s playing style will suit Erik ten Hag, because it is in these sort of games where Ten Hag’s counter-attack football works best.”

United can’t afford to be losing ground in the table to teams they’re likely to be competing with at the end of the season. We need a big result this weekend and I hope Sutton is right with his prediction.

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