Filed under: Manchester United, Tottenham, Premier League, Football, Match Previews
PREMIER LEAGUE: OLD TRAFFORD, MONDAY AUGUST 22, 2011. KICK-OFF: 2000 GMT.Having ground out a victory at West Brom in a tough opening game, Manchester United will look to demonstrate their championship potential against one of the contenders for a top-four spot.
There's no doubt Sir Alex Ferguson will be looking for home rule once again.
His side did not lose a single league game at Old Trafford last season and the Scot will demand the same this time.
Having fallen below their usual high standards on their travels, that home record proved crucial in their title success and the Manchester United manager will be keen to ensure Tottenham return down south unhappy again.
Tottenham, whose opening-game was postponed due to the riots, were boosted by scoring five against Hearts in the Europa League.
But this match-up will be somewhat different test as they look to end their miserable record against Manchester United.
They have a poor recent record against Ferguson's side, with their last win coming back in 2001.
But with the defending champions suffering a defensive injury crisis, Harry Redknapp will see this as a great opportunity to end the club's long hoodoo - and secure their first win at Old Trafford for 22 years.
Key Match-Up: Wayne Rooney v Michael Dawson: Rooney showed his class and clinical touch when opening his goal account at West Brom and already looks to be in the mood for a lot more this season. His England team-mate Dawson will have his hands full and, with fitness doubts over Rio Ferdinand, the defender gets the perfect chance to press his international claims for next month's internationals.
Form Guide: Manchester United opened their title defence with a battling win at West Brom while Spurs had their game with Everton postponed due to the London riots.
Odds: Man Utd 4/6, Spurs 11/4, Draw 9/2
MANCHESTER UNITED:
Ferguson will send out his young guns with no fears as he predicts they will be stars of today and not just tomorrow.
At 30, the fit-again Patrice Evra is likely to be the most senior player in the hosts' starting line up at Old Trafford.
Injuries to Nemanja Vidic and Ferdinand mean the Red Devils will have a new centre-back pairing of Phil Jones and Jonny Evans with Chris Smalling and 20-year-old goalkeeper David De Gea making up the inexperienced backline.
But Ferguson said: "I'm not worried about the young players filling in at the back.
"Evans has ample experience and has been at the club since he was 12.
"He's played plenty of first-team games. Jones has the experience of playing for Blackburn last season in the Premier League.
"I thought he and Smalling were the stars for the England Under-21s in the summer. Chris had a fantastic first season with us, and he's continued his progress this year.
"So I have absolutely no issues whatsoever with playing those guys.
"De Gea will learn from the experience of the games he has had so far. There's Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck too and it's a very young team at the moment, but a team full of energy and a team with great ability.
"I'm enjoying watching them at the moment."
Ferguson hopes to enjoy watching more of his rising rookies in the future as he shapes a new-look side following the retirement of Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Edwin van der Sar.
He added: "We were always aware we had players who were coming to the end of their careers. That has been on the horizon for us for quite a few years.
"We knew it was going to happen, you don't want it to, but it does and there's nothing you can do about it. Age catches up with us all.
"So we've replaced the players who have left us, and we've still players at the club in their 30s, which is a lot of experience.
"At some point when the young players may hit a pocket there will be enough experience to augment the challenge we're after this year."
Ferguson may have had the wood over the north Londoners in recent years, but he insists the visitors have the quality to end their barren run.
Ferguson said: "They had too much class for Hearts. Class tells no matter the fitness of teams.
"Tottenham did fantastic last year, got to the quarter final of the Champions League and maybe the thing that caught them in the Premier League was that they got as far as they did in the Champions League.
"Maybe it drained their resources in terms of size of the squad. But they've got a terrific squad and it will be a hard game."
Strategy: Ferguson likes the energy and exuberance of his young side, but with Vidic and Ferdinand absent in defence, he may turn to Michael Carrick for some experience and a steadying influence in midfield against his former club, or maybe the guile of Ryan Giggs. Cleverley is likely to make way despite the promising start to his United career and Welbeck also faces competition up front from another ex-Spur Dimitar Berbatov. But it is the wings where the game could be won or lost as United will hope Nani and Ashley Young can outshine the Spurs pair of Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon.
Injury Update: United have three of their first-choice defenders missing with Vidic (calf) and Ferdinand (hamstring) out and Rafael facing 10 weeks on the sidelines after undergoing surgery to repair a dislocated shoulder. Darren Fletcher (virus), Antonio Valencia (ankle) and Javier Hernandez (concussion) are all closing in on a return while Michael Owen is troubled by a back problem.
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