Spurs v United - preview panel
Micky Hazard and BBC's Simon Stone preview a huge game at Wembley
Tue 30 January 2018, 19:22|
Tottenham Hotspur
Joining the preview panel ahead of the huge clash against Manchester United at Wembley - legendary midfielder Micky Hazard and BBC Sport's Simon Stone.
The legend - Micky Hazard
Legendary former midfielder and fans' favourite Micky made 170 appearances for us in two spells between 1980-1994, lifting the FA Cup in 1982 and UEFA Cup in 1984. He's a popular host on matchdays.
"I think the key will be who controls the midfield and particularly how Dele, Heung-Min Son and Christian Eriksen perform in behind Harry Kane. I think we have the ammunition to get at United with the creativity, flair and movement of those three. They can cause any team problems. Harry's been, well, Harry! He's been incredible and those three have such an influence. So for me, it's about Dele, Sonny and Christian and how United cope with them. We know Jose Mourinho will be well-prepared and have his team organised. He will have plans and it's how we deal with that."
If Dele, Sonny and Christian perform as they can, I'll be confident we can win this game
The pundit - Simon Stone
BBC Sport's Simon Stone, previously Chief Football Writer at the Press Association, knows the Manchester football scene inside-out.
"In big games, away from Old Trafford, Manchester United tend to work off a template of containment, then counter-attack at pace. This worked magnificently at Arsenal, but at Liverpool, when the hosts failed to push forward in the numbers anticipated, it reduced the contest to a sterile stalemate. It can be safely assumed Tottenham will not abandon their whole philosophy, which suggests United will have spaces to exploit. That may result in a thriller. Kane, Dele and Eriksen against Lukaku, Sanchez and Martial."
Simon Stone on Spurs v United
"It would be naïve to think Jose Mourinho will just tell his team to attack. To this end, the most crucial players on the pitch from a visiting perspective may end up being the full-backs; Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young. Both are wingers by instinct, both still like to get forward.
"But if Manchester United are to have a base from which they can win at Wembley, both need to temper their attacking instincts so the gaps that Tottenham’s attacking stars hope to exploit fail to appear. If they get it wrong, David de Gea is in for a long night."
