12 min: Kudus looks electric. He skins Cunha down the right and makes towards the box along the byline. Cunha sticks an arm on his shoulder and lightly tugs. If Kudus goes down, the ref has a decision to make. But he stays on his feet and cuts back to nobody. Cunha treading a fine line there.
10 min: Kudus and Bergvall combine down the right, the latter's cross blocked and deflected back to Lammens. Savio then nicks the ball of a dawdling Tielemans, but the whistle goes as he advances on the United box. There was contact, but not very much, and that's a generous award of a foul to get Tielemans out of trouble.
8 min: Lammens hesitates with the ball at his feet – admittedly having taken possession of an unwanted backpass from Martinez – and is nearly closed down. He clears just in time. Already a few concerned mutters from the home fans, who regroup and try to chant their heroes into waking up. Nearly 40 percent of this match has been played in United's final third.
7 min: Kudus dribbles down the right and is brought to a halt by a combination of Mainoo and Shaw. Nothing comes of the free kick, but Spurs come again through Kudus, who spins into space down the right and crosses for Solanke, who can't win a header six yards out. United clear their lines, but it's all Spurs in these opening exchanges.
6 min: Udogie has a chance to feed Solanke down the inside-left channel, but hesitates and the open channel is quickly closed. Spurs have started brightly. "If ever there was a good time to play Tottenham at home it's now," begins Dave Estherby. "Stone dead last and can't buy a goal. However, Utd's defence has been worryingly porous all season (whadda ya mean it's only game six?!) and after struggling to hit the proverbial barn door at Fulham Carrick's bum may be a tad squeaky at the prospect of this one. Not that he should worry too much - if he gets sacked before Xmas he can simply come back as interim in January, that'll work."
4 min: … and now Gallagher is booked for a needless tug on Maguire in midfield. He's got a lot of time left to tread on eggshells.
3 min: Spurs should be leading. Lammens plays a dreadful pass out from the box. It's intercepted by Bergvall, who feeds Solanke, one on one with the keeper! He should slot into the bottom right, but clanks his shot straight at the stopper, who sticks out a strong arm to make up for his mistake. What a chance.
2 min: Mbeumo spins Van Hecke and is clipped by Bergvall in the centre circle. Any later in the match and it could have been a booking. Should, maybe? It isn't, though. Cunha tries to take a quick free kick but the referee whistles to put a stop to the caper. And that's the end of all that.
Spurs get the ball rolling. They're kicking towards the Stretford End in this first half.
The teams are out. Manchester United in their famous red, white and black, Tottenham in second-choice dark blue with diagonal multi-coloured neon nonsense. Meanwhile here's the first line of a song ringing out from all four corners of Old Trafford: "You know what you are." No prizes for guessing the rest of the lyrics, or which club they're serenading. Don't look back in anger? Good luck with that! We'll be off in a minute.
Tottenham coach Roberto De Zerbi's turn to talk to Sky. "[Micky van de Ven does not start] because he plays four games in a row for 90 minutes … we have a squad good enough to change … Marcos Senesi is one of the first XI players no less than Micky or any other centre-back … when Lucas [Bergvall] has played this season he has done very well … [Sandro] Tonali did not play the last international game so I think he is fresh to play … both give quality."
Manchester United coach Michael Carrick speaks to Sky Sports. "We're obviously delighted [Amad Diallo is back] … he's a big part of the group … he offers us an awful lot … it's nice to have him back … he was looking really good pre-season … he's close to being back to his best … [Leny Yoro] is at the stage of his career to make the next step … he's made his debut for France … fully deserved … we look forward to seeing him play … we want to keep moving forward … keep improving … we've added a little bit … we've had to clean up and sharpen up a few other things … get the balance right … today's a good time to start."
The results of the 3pms are in. In the main, it's been a good afternoon for bottom-placed Spurs: Fulham, Bournemouth and Sunderland all lost, while Aston Villa failed to win, so should Roberto De Zerbi's men claim all three points this evening, they could catapult up the table as high (realistically) as 14th. Ipswich's late comeback at Fulham however means Manchester United can only climb as high as 10th with victory here. Sarah Rendell has all the details in today's Clockwatch.
This is, of course, a rerun of the 2025 Europa League final. (Bilbao's a lovely city, though the puppy outside the Guggenheim is a bit underwhelming.) History also offers us all of this …
…. plus one of great training-ground free-kick routines, right at the very start of this old-school classic. Another six-goal thriller, please, lads!
Amad Diallo isn't alone in making his first appearance for a while. Also starring at Old Trafford this afternoon, this City-baiting banner beloved of United fans back in the day …
… now updated for the post-guilty-verdict era. Opinions / interpretations / blood-pressure readings may vary, many of which can be sourced elsewhere on your super soaraway internet.
Manchester United make two changes to their starting XI following the 1-1 draw at Fulham three years weeks ago. Leny Yoro and Amad Diallo are in for Diogo Dalot and Marcus Rashford, who both drop to the bench. Diallo is making his first appearance of the season. Still no sign of Matthijs de Ligt.
Tottenham Hotspur switch out over half their team in the sepia-toned wake of the dim-and-distant 2-3 home defeat to Aston Villa. Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Destiny Udogie, Conor Gallagher, Marcos Senesi and Mohammed Kudus are recalled. Omar Marmoush, Mateus Fernandes, Rodrigo Bentancur and captain Micky van de Ven drop to the bench, while Pedro Porro and Andy Robertson are missing through injury.
Lammens, Yoro, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw, Tielemans, Mainoo, Diallo, Fernandes, Mbeumo, Cunha.
Subs: Darlow, Dalot, Mount, Rashford, Zirkzee, Santos, Baleba, Heaven, Lacey.
Kinsky, Gray, van Hecke, Senesi, Udogie, Bergvall, Tonali, Savio, Gallagher, Kudus, Solanke.
Subs: Dubravka, Adarabioyo, Maddison, Tel, Fernandes, Marmoush, Bentancur, Davies, van de Ven.
Stuart Attwell
VAR: Jarred Gillett
Two teams here who had some forward momentum going into the season with genuine hope of picking up speed; two teams who stalled on the starting line as the leading riders whistled off into the distance. Now then, it's way too early to be bandying about talk of crisis … but Tottenham Hotspur are bottom of the table after being schooled at home by Aston Villa, while Manchester United required a late equaliser at no-win Fulham to ensure the three-week international hiatus wasn't as much as a drag for their fans as it would have been without verdict. Problem is, another unsatisfactory result isn't going to help the off-stage mood music for any of these lads. So this is important. On offer tonight: a big momentum-shifter for both sides. Throw in the fact that this is one of glamour fixtures in English football, and a cold start to the campaign can't compromise the genuine sizzle when these two get together. The spark is lit at 5.30pm BST. It's on!