Manchester United vs Tottenham: What to expect from Jose Mourinho's Old Trafford return

The festive period may not be upon us just yet, but it is certainly nothing less than a festival for Premier League fans across the globe. The ongoing week sees Premier League clubs feature in mid-week fixtures in addition to the fixtures over the weekend. However, while Premier League managers will bemoan the fixture pile-up, Matchday 15 of the Premier League has thrown up one of the most awaited clashes of the season - Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur. 

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The 'Special One' returns to Old Trafford

The past couple of weeks have seen one manager dominate the headlines - Jose Mourinho. Ever since taking over the managerial reins at Tottenham, Jose Mourinho has breathed new life into a side that was languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table under former manager Mauricio Pochettino. Spurs have registered three consecutive wins under Jose Mourinho so far. However, both their Premier League games under the Portuguese have been tight 3-2 finishes. 

Meanwhile, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has endured a tough couple of weeks at Manchester United. Back-to-back draws against promoted sides Sheffield United and Aston Villa sees Manchester United sit at the 10th position on the Premier League table, 22 points behind league leaders Liverpool. Interestingly, when Jose Mourinho was sacked as Manchester United manager, the Red Devils had 26 points from 17 games in December. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side currently have just 18 points from 14 games. 

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Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur: What to expect

In the last meeting between the two sides, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer led Manchester United to a 1-0 victory over Tottenham in January earlier this year. However, with Anthony Martial out injured and Paul Pogba a major doubt for this game, the Red Devils will be without considerable firepower. Manchester United's midfield options have dwindled of late, courtesy of injuries to Scott McTominay, Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba. 

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Jose Mourinho's Tottenham Hotspur have taken a 3-0 lead in their last two Premier League outings, only to concede two goals late in the second half. However, Tottenham have a lot more firepower on their hands, with Dele Alli particularly impressing in his last two Premier League outings. The likes of Heung-Min Son, Lucas Moura and Harry Kane have also come to the fore under Jose Mourinho. With the added flavour of Jose Mourinho returning to Old Trafford, the Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur game is likely to be a keenly contested one.

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