This is where it gets busy!
Midweek action of the Premier League returns to the fray, with the fans affirmed of intense footballing action across the globe. There are some big games lined up for the week as Manchester United welcome Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford, while Antonio Conte’s Inter host AS Roma to pile pressure on league leaders Juventus, who face Lazio on Sunday.
The Indian Super League, on the other hand, will enter matchday 7, with the likes of Bengaluru FC, FC Goa, Kerala Blasters and Chennaiyin FC all making a trip away from home. The midweek drama of the Premier League, meanwhile, will be carried forward to the weekend, thus expect fatigue to play its part when the players return to the field.
And if you’re having a conundrum regarding the selection, just keep an eye out on these two games for a safer approach.
Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur
Jose Mourinho will return to Old Trafford for the first time since being sacked by the Red Devils; this time though wearing a Tottenham Hotspur blazer. The Lilywhites have been in a devastating form since Mourinho’s arrival and have gone on to score 10 goals in just three games. Although they have conceded six in the process, it is safe to say the odds will be staked in their favour during the game.
Read | Predicting Jose Mourinho’s tactics as Tottenham manager
Manchester United taking on Tottenham has always been a fiery encounter, never a stalemate. Their last goalless draw at the venue in the Premier League, in fact, came way back in 2005. Since 2015 though, at least a goal has been scored and victories have come in close margins.
Manchester United, on their part, have failed to go big in the league against Tottenham. Since August 2015, they have only scored five goals in eight Premier League games against them, and have conceded 10.
Their last meeting at the venue came in August 2018 when Mourinho was still in charge of the Devils. Striker Harry Kane scored the opener before Lucas Moura scored a brace as Tottenham completed a 3-0 rout against United.
WATCH OUT FOR
Dele Alli: Alli, whose career has been rejuvenated under Mourinho, has always enjoyed a fruitful outing against Manchester United. Since being a part of the MK Dons team which defeated United 4-0 in 2014, Alli has scored twice as a Tottenham player against the record-holding English champions; one came in a victory, the other in a defeat.
Under Mourinho, the 23-year-old has either assisted or scored a goal in all of his last three appearances across competitions. Starting off with an assist against West Ham, the youngster scored a goal in Tottenham’s 4-2 win over Olympiacos before slotting a brace against Bournemouth on Saturday.
NorthEast United vs ATK
ATK are all set to make a trip to Guwahati on Saturday to face the unpredictable NorthEast United team at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium. The teams have always had a close encounter in the past, but it is ATK who have the upper hand in terms of the head to head count. The teams have met 10 times in the past, and ATK have emerged victorious in five of them. NorthEast United, on their part, have won thrice while two games have seen the stakes being shared.
Read | What went wrong for Mumbai City FC against ATK
ATK are currently the top scorers of the league, having scored 12 goals in just six games, while conceding five. NorthEast, on the other hand, are just one of the two teams alongside Bengaluru FC who are yet to lose a game so far. With the stakes set high, just expect this fixture to be a raging encounter.
WATCH OUT FOR
Roy Krishna: New signing Roy Krishna has been an absolute revelation for Antonio López Habas this season, and the Fiji international has duly returned the favour by scoring four goals in six games; including the injury-time equalizer against Mumbai City FC on Saturday. Deployed up front alongside David Williams, the 32-year-old plays a huge role in his team’s attacks and the fact that he averages 0.67 goals per game remains a perfect specimen of it.
Wondering what to do next? Head to Sportsbet.io to select your picks.
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Ben Stansall
