Much is at stake when Manchester United and Tottenham play on Sunday afternoon at Old Trafford.
United should be fervent to return to the Champions League because this game might be crucial in determining the top four matchup at the end of the season.
To put it plainly, based on their performance thus far under Erik ten Hag, United does not appear to be a Champions League team for the 2024–2025 season.
In order for Manchester United to demonstrate to the football community that they are a force to be reckoned with, these three Red Devils players need to step up and make an impression. Even while playing away, Tottenham is a formidable foe and the favorite.
Rasmus Højlund, ST
Rasmus Højlund, a former standout for Atalanta, had exceptional promise for La Dea last season, but it was also his first successful campaign in the top division.
Højlund also had a raw appearance and seemed more like “one for the future.” Even for Atlanta, he was far from the finished article. Although Manchester United may have overpaid for him, the expense is not the problem.
A young, inexperienced striker who still needs to grasp the fundamentals of positioning and combination play has too much on his plate from United.
Højlund needs to play at his peak against a Tottenham defense that now has Radu Dragusin from the transfer market and Micky van de Ven back to full strength; else, United might record another goalless display.
Marcus Rashford, LW
When it comes to attackers who need to step up, Marcus Rashford is the one under the greatest pressure to succeed for Manchester United—a role that he is accustomed to playing.
The erratic attacker is incredibly talented technically, but he is incredibly unpredictable. Under ten Hag, it appeared that he had much improved by the middle of the 2022–2023 season, but he has performed horribly thus far this year.
Rashford has regressed in almost every area of his game. The 26-year-old should be a superstar right now, yet he is one of Manchester United’s least effective players in 2023/24 — even on a team packed with disappointments.
Rashford and United may be in peril if his performance and willingness to take charge don’t improve. The big game against Tottenham at Old Trafford is when he has to step up.
CB Raphaël Varane
Raphaël Varane, who joined the team prior to the 2021–2022 season after seeing his value at Real Madrid diminish due to an injury, is already the subject of transfer speculations.
Varane is beginning to appear quite mediocre in compared to Éder Militão, the player who took his place at the Bernabéu and is thought to be among the finest in the world at his position.
This season, Varane has suffered injuries and been neglected. He’s not terrible, but “not bad” doesn’t translate into a center back that should start for a team hoping to place in the top four of the Premier League.
With the addition of Timo Werner, Tottenham has one of the most exciting attacking teams in English football, even without James Maddison. Let’s see if Varane can cut the mustard on Sunday afternoon.
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