Tottenham set for United double

 

Christian Crowther uses Opta's stats to preview Sunday's big televised clash at White Hart Lane, predicting victory for Tottenham...

 

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United (Sunday, 16:00, Sky Sports 1)

Spurs have lost just one of their last 10 Premier League matches (W7 D2 L1)

Despite the bitterly disappointing news that Sandro will now miss the rest of the season, Tottenham still represent one of the most in-form teams in the Premier League as they welcome Manchester United. It may have taken a wee while for Andre Villas-Boas to find consistency with his new side but ever since a heavy derby defeat to Arsenal, the Lilywhites have found their flow, emerging as genuine contenders for third spot in the league. Usually, a visit from old foes United would strike fear into Tottenham hearts, but after ending an agonising sequence of defeats at Old Trafford back in September, Spurs will fancy their chances of another positive result here. As we saw in the second half against Liverpool, United are most vulnerable when other teams get it forward quickly, and there is no finer-tuned attacking force than Spurs to trouble the visitors' backline.

 

The Red Devils have the best chance conversion (21%) and shooting accuracy (49%) of any team in this season's top flight

It's just as well Sir Alex Ferguson's side are able to find the back of the net with ease given the generosity afforded to their opponents at the other end this season. Thankfully for the league leaders though, they have a certain Robin van Persie, who is capable of striking at any moment. The Dutchman is a centre forward at the very height of his powers, as nine goals in his last nine league games testifies. Both these sides play fast attacking football, using the pace of their wide men to get behind teams and, as it was in the reverse fixture, this could turn out be a shootout once more. With the likes of Gareth Bale, Jermain Defoe, Wayne Rooney and Antonio Valencia on show, entertainment shouldn't be sparse. The last three encounters all produced at least three goals.

 

Spurs have scored the highest proportion of second-half goals in the top division this season (72%, 17/28)

AVB's side may have been held to a frustrating stalemate against QPR but, like United, they too are no strangers to finding the net of late, scoring 12 across four matches in all competitions prior to that dreary London derby. As the above bolded stat informs us, Spurs' tend to do most of their most destructive work after the half-time break; highlighted by Spurs winning every second half outright during the course of a quintet of latest Premier League wins. Interestingly, in the five games that their opponents in red have succumbed to defeat this season, they have disappeared into the dressing room level in four of those, only to lose the battle in the second 45.

 

Recommended Bets:

Back Tottenham to beat Manchester United @ 3.0

Back over 3.5 goals @ 2.62

Back the half-time draw/full-time Tottenham win @ 7.8

 

Bet HERE

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