Tottenham vs. Manchester United

Tottenham vs. Manchester United
Premier League, White Hart Lane
September 12, 12.30 EST

United Projected Starting XI:
----------------Foster---------------
---Fabio----Vidic----Brown----Evra----
---Park---Scholes--Fletcher---Nani----
--------Rooney------Berbatov---------

Players to Watch:
Tottenham: Wilson Palacios - Palacios has been instrumental for Tottenham this season giving them the much needed grit in the midfield that they have been lacking for several years. Palacios however is coming back from a midweek game in Mexico and will be very tired. Without Modric in the line-up Spurs will be defending more than usual against United and may need to rely on a top performance from a tired Palacios.

Manchester United: Patrice Evra - In recent games against United Lennon has found himself with ample space down the right wing and has terrorized Patrice Evra. With Lennon on some of the best form of his life, Evra will have to be up to the task of containing the speedy winger.

Prediction:
Tottenham 1:1 Manchester United
Goals: Darren Fletcher, Sebastian Bassong

Games after a long, tiring international break are never easy for either team and they often result in sluggish affairs. United only managed a draw in their last two trips to White Hart Lane, and with Tottenham having such a dynamite start to the season it is hard to see United picking up the full three points here. However a draw at White Hart Lane would not be a bad result as we've already seen title challengers Liverpool drop points there.

Darren Fletcher hasn't put one in the back of the net for United in a long time, and the rationale behind picking him to score is down to the "he's due one" theory. It could be a very tight game with Tottenham trying to stack the midfield and frustrate United in the absence of Modric. With the leagues two top scorers competing in this match (Rooney and Defoe) both teams will look to man mark these two players out of the game.

Sebastian Bassong proved he is lethal in the air against Liverpool and he may strike against a weakened United defense tomorrow. Tottenham has looked dangerous from set pieces this season and they may have to rely on a set piece to find the breakthrough.

Expect a scrappy match tomorrow with United dominating posession but failing to find that next gear against a strong Tottenham team.