Manchester United vs. Tottenham Hotspur odds, pick, prediction
Manchester United may have opened their 2023-24 season with a win, but the Red Devils would be kidding themselves if they said their performance was up to par. United edged Wolverhampton, 1-0, under the lights at Old Trafford, but it was relegation-threatened Wolves that controlled the pace of the match and if the visitors were a little more clinical — Wolverhampton created 2.2 expected goals — they could have pulled a famous upset at the Theatre of Dreams.
You can’t make sweeping conclusions from just one match, so perhaps Manchester United will click into gear with each passing game, but what is worrisome for the Red Devils is that the team’s defensive flaws from last season were on full display against a team that struggles to create scoring chances.
You can get away with a bend-don’t-break performance against Wolverhampton, but it’s a much more difficult task to do so against a dangerous side like Tottenham Hotspur.
Nonetheless, United is a slight favorite on the road against Spurs on Saturday afternoon (12:30 p.m. ET).
Manchester United vs. Tottenham Hotspur prediction: Analysis
While Manchester United is expected to make a linear step forward in 2023-24, there are a lot more questions about what to expect from Tottenham Hotspur in their first season under new manager Ange Postecoglou. The Australian had plenty of success in charge of Celtic in the Scottish Premier League, but this is the 57-year-old’s first Premier League gig.
Postecoglou represents a shift in attitude and philosophy for Spurs after playing under more pragmatic managers Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte, but Postecoglou has the roster needed to execute his forward-thinking tactics. His side wants the ball and with playmakers like James Maddison, Heung-min Son, Richarlison, Dejan Kulusevski and Yves Bissouma in his ranks, he should have Spurs buzzing as an offensive unit.
You can certainly poke holes in Tottenham’s defense, especially with the style of play we expect out of them this season, but I’ll bet on Spurs being able to outscore their issues in a matchup against a team that had its hands full with a much worse opponent at home in its opener.
Making Manchester United a road favorite in this matchup seems wrong, so I’ll take the value on Spurs in Saturday’s headliner.
Manchester United vs. Tottenham Hotspur prediction: Pick
Tottenham Hotspur +185 (FanDuel)
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