Manchester United host Tottenham at Old Trafford on 13 March, hoping to return to winning ways in the Premier League after a disappointing 2-1 loss to Nottingham Forest to finish 8th in the standings at the end of 2023.
Meanwhile, Tottenham returned to winning ways after a dazzling 3-1 win over Bournemouth and moved to within 1 point of the top 4 places.
Both teams will go into Sunday’s Premier League game with a long list of absentees, either through fitness or international commitments; Son Heung-min, Cristian Romero, Yves Bissouma, Casemiro, Harry Maguire and Mason Mount are just a handful of the players who will be missing at Old Trafford.
Spurs did, however, get an important glimmer of hope, with key centre half Micky van de Ven declaring that he is “ready” to return to action after spending 10 weeks on the sidelines with a thigh muscle problem.
He was on the substitutes’ bench for last Friday’s FA Cup match against Burnley but was not used as the team won late on to qualify for the fourth round of the competition.
Tottenham Hotspur have loaned Tim Werner ahead of Sunday’s away game at Old Trafford.
Ironically, Manchester United were reportedly interested in the striker before Spurs thumbed their nose at RB Leipzig’s proposal ahead of the game.
Ange Postecoglou is in need of reinforcements in attack this month as he copes with the absence of club captain and successful striker Son Heung-Min, who is on international duty with South Korea at the Asian Cup.
Werner returns to England for a second tour:
Werner, 27, spent two years at Chelsea before returning to Leipzig in 2022. His time at Stamford Bridge was somewhat less successful, scoring just 23 goals in 89 appearances, but he came away with Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup wins.
Spurs will hope he has honed his finishing skills and is ready for the second half of the campaign and his club debut, which could come as early as this weekend against United in the Premier League decider.