“The more I think about it, the less likely that seems” - Chris Sutton predicts winner of Manchester United vs Tottenham

BBC pundit Chris Sutton has predicted the winner of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, with both sides set to clash at Old Trafford on Sunday, September 29. The two English giants are languishing in midtable, with the hosts sitting in 11th and the visitors in 10th.

Chris Sutton discussed the two clubs before making his prediction. He questioned United's abilities, especially after the Red Devils struggled to beat Twente in front of their fans in the Europa League:

"My first thought was that I fancy Manchester United to win this but, the more I think about it, the less likely that seems. United made heavy weather of their Europa League draw with FC Twente on Wednesday, with a performance that was very uninspiring."

However, he questioned Tottenham's attacking output, handing the game to the Manchester-based club instead and writing:

"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."

He went on to claim that the game could be won or lost in the midfield, before predicting a 2-1 for Manchester United:

"I am not exactly confident they will beat Spurs though. What worries me most about tipping United is what happens in the centre of the park. Are United going to rely on Christian Eriksen again, against his former club. A great player, but does he have the legs?"

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Manchester United have struggled to make headway this season

The best result for Manchester United so far this season has come in the Carabao Cup third round, where they beat Barnsley 7-0. They were also commanding in the 3-0 win over Southampton at St. Mary's Stadium.

But aside from another 1-0 win to Fulham, they have failed to win any other game across competitions this season.

They will face Tottenham on the back of a 0-0 league draw against Crystal Palace and a 1-1 draw against FC Twente in the Europa League.