EPL ~ Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United - Jan 16

zocoss SG

Sunday, 16 January 2011

Time: 12:10 am - (Live) (Mon)

Mio Channel 102 / 110

EPL Game 21

Manchester United :

Van der Sar, Brown, Rio, Rafael, Smalling, Vidic, Evans, O'Shea, Fabio, Evra, Carrick, Fletcher, Berbatov, Nani, Scholes, Hernandez, Anderson, Giggs, Rooney, Obertan, Owen, Bebe.

zocoss SG

On paper, I think this could be United's touchest match... Spurs are really on a high and would love nothing more than to end United's unbeaten run...

Spurs are usually very hard to beat at home... Even Chelsea and Arsenal suffer defeats there I think... So United could actually lose this one too... And without Park, who Fergie usually turns to in this kind of fixtures... United will be short of players willing to run and run for the whole match...

Just a pity Park is not available for this... cos the guy normally comes up with winners or important goals during this type of games...

Honestly, I would be very pleased if United gets a draw at White Heart Lane... Cos one point is better than nothing right... lol.

zocoss SG

It is a long time since this fixture had an aura of rivalry about it. Tottenham last beat Manchester United in May 2001 and have lost 15 of 19 subsequent meetings with Sir Alex Ferguson's side. Harry Redknapp's men have taken great strides to reach the last 16 of the Champions League, but this squad could do better on the domestic front. Although the visitors are unbeaten in the Premier League, their away form has still been rather drab and Tottenham should have a real prospect of distressing United for a change. Kevin McCarra

Venue White Hart Lane, Sunday 12.10pm

Tickets Sold out

Last season Tottenham 1 Manchester Utd 3

Referee Mike Dean

This season's matches 18 Y66, R1, 3.72 cards per game

Odds Tottenham 2-1 Manchester Utd 13-8 Draw 12-5

Subs from Cudicini, Pletikosa, Corluka, Kaboul, Bassong, Pavlyuchenko, Palacios, Giovani, Crouch, Kranjcar, Keane, Sandro

Doubtful None

Injured O'Hara (back, 29 Jan), Huddlestone (ankle, Feb), King (groin, unknown), Woodgate (match fitness, unknown)

Suspended None

Form guide LWWWDD

Disciplinary record Y31 R2

Leading scorer Van der Vaart 9

Subs from Kuszczak, Lindgaard, Neville, Smalling, Anderson, Brown, Fábio, Bébé, Gibson, Owen, O'Shea, Evans, Scholes, Obertan

Doubtful Lindegaard (illness), Rooney (ankle), Scholes (groin), Van der Sar (illness), Vidic (unknown)

Injured Hargreaves (hamstring, 29 Jan), Valencia (broken leg, Mar)

Suspended None

Unavailable Park (international duty)

Form guide WWDWWW

Disciplinary record Y30 R0

Leading scorer Berbatov 14

• Tottenham have recouped more points from losing positions (16) than any other team in the division

• United are one of only two sides to have scored more than once in a Premier League game at Spurs during the Harry Redknapp era (45 games)

• Peter Crouch has assisted six of Rafael van der Vaart's 11 goals in all competitions

• United have conceded the most headed goals (13) in the top flight

• Willem Korsten scored twice for Spurs the last time they beat United in what turned out to be the final match of his career

divingutd SG

Dive......

divingutd SG

Dive again......

divingutd SG

Cheebye...... how many times these ManU player gonna dive?

First 12 mins dive non-stop liao!

funniegal SG

wa so many yellow cards...crouch no yellow.. GIGGSS too HONEST liao. and too silky...weak pass...cross...

carrick...playing for home team huh!!..

CKeer SG

Sub Standard refereeing today by Mike Dean. Has no control over the match whatsoever and trigger-happy card-wise. I'm not being bias towards any side but some decisions are really stupid.

Captain Nemanja was the hero today. Nothing went past him throughout the match. He and Rio kept Van Der Vaart and Crouch in their pockets.

Rafael is unlucky, really really unlucky. But from the way he plays, it's no doubt that the referee will brandish the card at him at some point in the match.

It's a good match for the neutrals but in truth, it was a below-par performance by United.

I'm still pissed by Van der Sar insistance in launching long balls when almost 90% of the time will be won by Spurs at 11 men apiece and he still insisted on long balls when United played with 10. United would have kept better possession and reduce the number of Spurs chances with short balls.

zocoss SG

Well... As i have said before the match. So I am happy with a draw especially playing with 10 men in the last 20 odd mins... Mr. Green

zocoss SG

Sub Standard refereeing today by Mike Dean. Has no control over the match whatsoever and trigger-happy card-wise. I'm not being bias towards any side but some decisions are really stupid.

Captain Nemanja was the hero today. Nothing went past him throughout the match. He and Rio kept Van Der Vaart and Crouch in their pockets.

Rafael is unlucky, really really unlucky. But from the way he plays, it's no doubt that the referee will brandish the card at him at some point in the match.

It's a good match for the neutrals but in truth, it was a below-par performance by United.

I think there could be a reason for that sometimes... Cos he can't hold on to the ball for like more than 6 seconds and when the team is defending, and Spurs attacking... He had little option as few players are up-front and quite a number of Spurs players are in United's half very close to their defenders... so dangerous for him to short throw to one of them i think...

zocoss SG

Flashpoint: an angry Rafael confronts Mike Dean after his red card

Flashpoint: an angry Rafael confronts Mike Dean after his red card

Sir Alex Ferguson's long-running feud with referee Mike Dean erupted again on Sunday following Rafael Da Silva's dismissal during Manchester United's goalless draw at White Hart Lane.

United returned to the top of the Barclays Premier League but had to play the last 16 minutes against Tottenham with 10 men after full back Rafael was given a second yellow card for tangling legs with Benoit Assou-Ekotto.

'It's not worth discussing because everyone can see that,' said Ferguson. 'It's out of my bounds now. Thank God.'

Ferguson's history with Dean includes being handed a two-match touchline ban and a £10,000 fine after confronting the referee at the end of the victory against Hull in 2008.

He was also infuriated by Dean last season after Chelsea's victory at Old Trafford included a disputed goal by Didier Drogba, admitting afterwards 'when I saw Mike Dean I did worry'.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp described yesterday's sending off as harsh, adding: 'It was like Mary Decker and Zola Budd.

Making his point: Ferguson was disappointed with Rafael's dismissal

'He was just running and clipped his heels trying to get out of the way. He hasn't tripped him. What can you do about that? His foot has caught the boy's leg and that's it.'

Rafael could now be in trouble with the Football Association if Dean reports the Brazilian's language as he left the pitch, or his kick at a television microphone before heading down the tunnel.

Spurs were unable to take advantage of Rafael's departure to inflict a first defeat of the season on United, but Redknapp believes it would be a 'miracle' for them to go through the season unbeaten.

He added: 'I personally can't see it. I think it would be a miracle if Alex got them through the season unbeaten.

'I am not knocking them. They are top of the league and above where we are and want to be. But you can't be as good a team as you were a year or two ago when you haven't got (Cristiano) Ronaldo and (Carlos) Tevez.'

Stalemate: despite Crouch's best efforts, United left White Hart Lane with their unbeaten record intact

Redknapp also insisted his own team are still in the title race despite being eight points behind United, who have two games in hand on second-placed Manchester City.

Ferguson agreed with Redknapp, adding: 'I think there are five teams all contesting it. All have chances and it makes it interesting for neutrals. We have to win the two games in hand. We have to go to Chelsea and that will be a massive game and we have to go to Blackpool who are in great form at the moment.'

Ferguson paid tribute to his defenders: 'They were particularly good,' he said. 'It's about keeping your nerve and, defensively, we kept our nerve.'

iceFatboy SG

did not watch the match but read some comments..

is rafael progressing the way he should? given GVN is over the hill and brown is surely on his way out, this player offers a lot in his pace, getting up to support, crosses, but seemingly, his inexperience is a weakness whenever he is played. and can MUFC afford this when they are handling impt games?(example, last season, vs BayerMunich).

also, my feel when i see the lineup was, SAF is relying on nani, giggs to provide creativity and rooney/berba to link up to put the ball away, while keeping carrick/fletcher to be deep to protect the back. is scholes a better option to giggs or his injury is really holding him back?

just as bale is impt to spurs (50% as per harry), nani seems to be the creator.. i think I echo some in that, MUFC may have benefited if they secure a quality AM like modric in near future.

CKeer SG

did not watch the match but read some comments..

just as bale is impt to spurs (50% as per harry), nani seems to be the creator.. i think I echo some in that, MUFC may have benefited if they secure a quality AM like modric in near future.

Rafael did alright and like I've mentioned before, he just needs to concentrate on decision-making, which he was really bad at. The first yellow was a result of over-zealous attempt at winning back the ball AT THE CENTRE OF THE FIELD. Now why is he doing there in the first place?

The second yellow is a joke. Mike Dean really has some issues with Fergie/United. Some decisions were really stupid.

Modric did a super dive when Carrick wasn't anywhere near taking him down and Modric went flying over as if he was shot and yet he escaped with no card.

However, I must comment on Rafael's dribbling ability. He waltz his way through Spurs' defence so many times and I think Spurs must be glad that he was off the field before any damage was done.

Rock^Star SG

You all noticed that fletcher lost the ball at least four times in midfield last night? Man, like I've said before...this guy is above average....not the outstanding kind of player someone in his midfield shoes should be.

Nani looked short on confidence last night too. He didn't do his magic. And when that happened, the only creative force was giggs.

Rooney seriously looks a shadow of himself........

How come man utd still top of the table? LOL

zocoss SG

United miss Park in this match... Cos he is the type of player that does well in this kind of all running, all action game... Too bad he is across the other side of the world helping his country...

Anyway, on the bright side... United have got Spurs out of the way in the league for this season... City and Chelsea still have to host them sometime later and gunners still need to go to White Hart Lane...

Rock^Star SG

It really is a point gained rather than two lost for utd. Spurs have a good home record and utd has only won twice on the road. A draw is a good result.

iceFatboy SG

The second yellow is a joke. Mike Dean really has some issues with Fergie/United. Some decisions were really stupid.

Modric did a super dive when Carrick wasn't anywhere near taking him down and Modric went flying over as if he was shot and yet he escaped with no card.

However, I must comment on Rafael's dribbling ability. He waltz his way through Spurs' defence so many times and I think Spurs must be glad that he was off the field before any damage was done.

agree with you, he just needs some games under his belt. surely, he can be put under mentorship of GNeville.

btw, sadly, his bro is not progressing as fast, else we can have their left/right, and confuse the opponents.

iceFatboy SG

It really is a point gained rather than two lost for utd. Spurs have a good home record and utd has only won twice on the road. A draw is a good result.

actually, a draw is good, but u would expect MUFC to win, but spurs has come a long way..

btw, for those who watched the game, would modric "take" the place of scholes? cause I was reading guardian, and Holt remarked that MUFC would have a hand on the title, if this fella is wearing the red jersey.