Erik ten Hag reveals Manchester United tactic hint vs Tottenham, it’s music to one star’s hears

Erik ten Hag has hinted at a tactic he will use against Tottenham Hotspur as Manchester United welcome them to Old Trafford in the Premier League.

After a disappointing 1-1 draw with FC Twente in the Europa League, Manchester United are eager to shift their attention back to the Premier League, where they will host Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.

Erik ten Hag‘s side has had a rocky start to the season, with only two wins from their first five fixtures and a total of just five goals scored.

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Tottenham have faced their own challenges, managing two victories in their opening five matches as well. Both teams are currently level on seven points, but Tottenham holds a slight edge thanks to a superior goal difference.

Ten Hag has managed against Tottenham four times for United, and across these four games, the two sides have scored 12 goals, with none of these ending in 0-0 draws.

When asked if he feels it’s an exciting fixture, Ten Hag hinted that he will be looking to exploit spaces that Spurs leave in defence due to their attacking nature.

“I think both teams will be [thinking] about attacking, and therefore, there are always spaces which you leave then,” he told club media.

“That counts for both teams, but of course, we want to take control of the game, and we will do everything to get this done. Of course, this is a big challenge against Tottenham with their philosophy of the game. We are looking forward to finding the right solutions.”

This will be music to Marcus Rashford’s ears. The winger is in fine form after scoring in his last few appearances and playing well against Twente, and he’s at his best when exploiting space left in behind by opponents.

In 16 appearances against Spurs, he has scored six times and provided one assist the North London outfit, and will be looking to add to this tally on Sunday afternoon.

Ten Hag was also questioned if he sees the two teams as rivals who are fighting for spots in the Premier League’s top four.

“[We are] definitely rivals,” he said in reply. “I think this is good because it is [going to be] a very attacking game, a very open game, a very intense game.

“I think it has big history, United against Tottenham.”

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