Manchester United vs Tottenham Football Betting Tips – FA Cup Semi Final Updated for September 2024

Updated: 17th September 2024

Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur – April 21, 2018 – The Wembley Stadium – 17:15 hrs – FA Cup semi-final preview

Tottenham Recent Form

This is the only chance left for both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur to lay their hands on some kind of silverware after having conceded the Premier League and EFL League titles to Manchester City. The ouster from the UEFA Champions League has further added to the feeling of desperation for these two. Spurs narrowly lost to Juventus while on their way out of the Champions League in a season where they have registered incredible wins over sides like Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool and Arsenal. But going into Saturday's FA Cup with Manchester United, Tottenham seemed to have lost their usual swagger that came from a run of numerous wins. A 1-3 loss to Manchester City on Saturday at the Wembley and a lackluster 1-1 away draw to Brighton & Hove has set their confidence back a bit.

Tottenham Player Form

Mauricio Pochettino rested Dele Alli and Davinson Sanchez for the Brighton match with an eye on the Saturday's FA Cup clash while Toby Alderweireld is expected to be back form a 6-month injury hiatus to man the Spurs defense. Kyle Walker-Peters and Danny Rose are also expected to be around to fill up the mid-field and defensive spaces. Pochettino will depend on Harry Kane who isn't in the best of form despite a goal in the Brighton game. In fact, Christian Eriksen has emerged as a prime scorer for the Spurs and along with Del Alli and Son Heung-min have formed a striking trio that gave the team numerous wins even during Kane's month-long absence from injury.

Manchester United Recent Form

Manchester United's return to form after their humiliating exit in the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Sevilla in their own backyard, Old Trafford, got somewhat punctured last Sunday by an unlikely defeat to bottom-placed West Bromwich. Five Premier league wins in a row that saw Romelu Lukakau and Paul Pogba find their touch with 3 and 2 goals respectively holds hope for the United attack heading into the Wembley clash. The talented Marcus Rashford is still being cold-shouldered by Jose Mourinho, being introduced very late in both of United's recent games against Manchester City and West Bromwich. The heavyweight import from Arsenal, Alexis Sanchez, has failed to work wonders at Old Trafford and the Chilean striker's measly count of just 2 goals from his 13 outings for the club is testimony to that.

Manchester Player Form

Mourinho fielded a full-strength defensive line-up in last weekend's 0-1 defeat to West Brom and the back four combination of Smalling-Valencia-Lindelof-Young could not prevent the Baggies from landing 4 shots on the goal (equal to what United achieved in the game). Against the likes of Kane, Eriksen & co. they will simply have their work cut out.

Manchester United vs Tottenham Verdict

Tottenham with their best chance to bag their first FA Cup title since 1991, will be expected to show a more profound desire to win than United who already have bagged the same on six occasions in the past three decades, the most recent one being for the 2015-16 season.

The Red Devils' last visit to Wembley had ended in 0-2 defeat to their Saturday rivals in a Premier league clash. For Mauricio Pochettino's men, an added advantage would be playing at a venue that has been their home-ground this season and against a side whose form has been erratic at the best despite their 2nd spot on the Premier League table. Which is why bookmakers are overwhelmingly wagering on a Spurs win on the evening of April 21st.

Score-lines of 3-1 or 2-1 seem realistic under the circumstances.

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