One of the Premier League’s marquee fixtures take place on Wednesday when Manchester United run-out at Wembley against Tottenham – added spice provided by Alexis Sanchez making his Premier League debut versus his former club’s hated rivals.
Spurs will be eager to avenge the meek 1-0 loss at Old Trafford in the reverse fixture and stay well in the mix for Champions League-qualification. For United, they’ll be hoping for an instant return on the enormous investment made in their new Chile superstar.
Here, we compare the sides through their key assets using statistics from the 2017/18 top flight.
LEADING MARKSMEN
Harry Kane v Alexis Sanchez
Games: 23-19
Goals: 21-7
Assists: 4-3
Goals per minute: 93.2-215.4
After sulking away his final half season at Arsenal, all eyes will be on Sanchez tonight.
Stolen from Manchester City’s grasp to great fanfare, this is supposedly a signing to match the revitalising impact of the iconic Eric Cantona in November 1992.
United fans will dream of immediately seeing the swashbuckling forward who plundered 24 goals and 10 assists in the 2016/17 Premier League. If they get the man whose current campaign tally stands at seven goals and three assists, the disappointment will be palpable.
Sanchez has only two strikes in eight career games against Spurs. What a time to improve this record.
There can be no question marks about the expected involvement of Harry Kane this evening.
Europe’s top goal scorer in Europe for 2017 has continued in the same vein in 2018. The England man has six goals from six matches in all competitions, such lethal form seeing rumours strengthen about Real Madrid’s intentions to lead a summer revolution with his capture.
Kane’s importance to Spurs bears repeating. Of their 47 goals in 24 top-flight matches this term, his 21 equates to 44.6 per cent.
He is also making up for lost time against United, missing October’s 1-0 defeat with a hamstring strain.
NO-ONE SHALL PASS
Hugo Lloris v David De Gea
Games: 22-24
Goals conceded: 20-16
Clean sheets: 9-14
Saves: 45-80
Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino will be desperate for his goalkeeper to get the medical all-clear to feature in this fixture.
Lloris has missed Spurs’ last two matches, 1-1 draws against Southampton and Newport County, through illness. But he has returned to training this week.
The France No1 is more than a shot-stopper for his side, providing essential leadership as well as stunning reflexes.
For all understudy Michel Vorm’s qualities, it is no surprise goals have gone in both times under his watch.
For opposite number De Gea, is any one player more important to his club’s success?
United boast the joint-best defence in the Premier League, with 16 goals conceded alongside Chelsea. Yet the Spain superstar has been forced to pull off 80 saves.
To put this into perspective, this figure is only beaten by Swansea, Stoke and Everton. Chelsea’s goalkeepers have faced nearly half as many, with 48 saves recorded.
Against Spurs’ north London rivals Arsenal in December, De Gea made 14 saves – the joint-most in a Premier League game since statisticians Opta started collecting this data in 2003/04. He will hope for a quieter evening, but a similar 3-1 win would be most welcome.
MIDFIELD MACHINES
Dele Alli v Paul Pogba
Games: 23-14
Goals: 5-3
Assists: 7-9
Pass-accuracy percentage: 78.9-84.3
These are the types of huge matches Paul Pogba was brought back, at a princely sum, to decide.
The France centre midfielder was imperious for 74 minutes of United’s 3-1 victory at Arsenal last time they faced opposition from north London, laying on two glorious assists. But his two-footed lunge on Hector Bellerin and subsequent red card highlights a stunted season, in which bans and injuries have seen 10 Premier League fixtures missed.
Only the free-scoring Manchester City duo of Kevin De Bruyne and Leroy Sane can better his nine assists. United also haven’t tasted defeat since October 2016 with Pogba in their line-up.
There has been less positivity about the performances of Spurs attacking midfielder Dele Alli this term.
The England maverick is currently notching a Premier League goal or assist every 160.9 minutes. This is a noticeable drop from 2016/17’s 121.8 minutes and 2015/16’s debut 130.6 minutes.
Issues about focus and off-field distractions, such as the clamour to become his new agent, appear to have messed with his influence on the field.
At Old Trafford in October, he was also guilty of a glaring miss prior to Anthony Martial’s solitary strike. He cannot afford to be so generous, this time.
