'Man Utd and Spurs should be embarrassed by mid-table clash'
- Published
Manchester United's match at Tottenham will retain some of its usual stature because of their status - but a glance at the Premier League table means it should also be an embarrassment to both clubs.
A fixture that is usually fought out near the top has been reduced to a lower mid-table clash that is a graphic illustration of the struggles both have had.
United head coach Ruben Amorim acknowledged they got a huge slice of luck when Harry Maguire's clearly offside goal gave them victory in the FA Cup fourth round against Leicester City at Old Trafford.
Amorim, with the brutal honesty that has become his trademark, admitted United were "poor", even in advancing to the next round, where they will host Fulham.
He will be hoping to take advantage of Spurs' own woes, but first United must deal with their own difficulties since Amorim arrived.
These include a struggle to adapt to his preferred three-man defensive system and such a chronic lack of quality up front that he preferred to use teenage midfielder Kobbie Mainoo there in preference to expensive strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee in United's last league game, a 2-0 home defeat by Crystal Palace.