Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur prediction, odds and betting tips

Two members of the Premier League’s big six will go head-to-head at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.

Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur best offer

Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur odds

Find the latest match odds for Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur. All odds are provided by our best-reviewed football betting sites. Odds are subject to change.

Quick Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur betting tips

• Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals – 4/6 with bet365
• Tottenham to score first – 6/5 with bet365
• Bruno Fernandes to score any time – 5/2 with bet365

Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur predictions

The Premier League returns with five fixtures this weekend, with half of the division’s teams taking their winter break.

That gives both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur the chance to make up ground on the teams above them, at least temporarily.

For United, a victory here would see them close the gap to the top four to six points. For Tottenham, a triumph at Old Trafford would see them climb into the Champions League qualification spots – above their arch-rivals Arsenal, no less.

There is plenty to play for, then, and that is before you even consider the ongoing debate over Erik ten Hag’s future.

United had a dismal first half of the season, suffering premature exits from the Champions League and the EFL Cup, as well as lagging behind in the Premier League.

They simply cannot afford to lose too many more matches between now and the end of the campaign if they are to finish in the top four.

Fifth place might be enough to book a spot in the Champions League this time around, but the Red Devils are eight points adrift of that target.

Ten Hag’s team have won only half of their 20 top-flight fixtures to date. They have a negative goal difference and have scored just 22 goals – only Burnley and Sheffield United have put the ball in the back of the net less often.

There are plenty of issues at Old Trafford, but the arrival of Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS – which holds a 25 percent stake but will take control of football operations – has made many supporters more optimistic about what lies ahead.

In the short term, can United get the better of Tottenham in this crunch clash on Sunday? 

Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur betting tips

This promises to be an entertaining encounter at Old Trafford, as two top-four contenders do battle.

Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals – 4/6 (bet365)

Manchester United’s last home game was on Boxing Day. It showcased the best and worst of them under Ten Hag this season.

The Red Devils found themselves 2-0 down to Aston Villa at half-time. The players were booed off the pitch as they headed down the tunnel.

They came out after the break re-energised, however, scoring three goals to turn the game on its head. It was a reminder that United can still play good football when they want to.

The problem is, Ten Hag’s side seem incapable of doing so on a consistent basis. Moreover, they struggle to align productive attacking play with defensive solidity. 

When United score goals, such as in the 3-2 victories over Villa and Nottingham Forest, they tend to concede them too. When they keep a clean sheet, they are often laboured going forward, such as in the 0-0 draw with Liverpool or forgettable 1-0 defeats of Fulham and Luton Town.

Tottenham Hotspur should give United plenty to think about in this one, and it is hard to see the attack-minded visitors failing to score.

United will have to fight fire with fire, potentially leading to an entertaining, high-scoring encounter.

Back both teams to score and over 2.5 goals at 4/6 with bet365

Tottenham to score first – 6/5 (bet365)

Manchester United have a habit for starting games slowly, especially at Old Trafford. In fact, they have the worst record in the Premier League in the first half of home games.

United have conceded the opening goal in seven of their 10 matches in front of their own fans. That bodes ill for the visit of Tottenham Hotspur, who have the reverse record: they have broken the deadlock in seven of their 10 away games.

It would be wrong to say that Ange Postecoglou never takes the opposition into account when it comes to game preparation. Yet it is definitely the case that Tottenham look to play front-footed football whenever they can.

They will be without Son Heung-min this weekend, with the South Korea international getting ready to face Bahrain at the Asian Cup on Monday.

But Spurs will still be able to create chances against United and they could draw first blood at Old Trafford.

Choose Tottenham to score first at 6/5 with bet365

Bruno Fernandes to score any time – 5/2 (bet365)

There are two reasons why Manchester United have struggled to score goals this season.

The first – and most concerning – is that they rarely put together the sort of collective, coherent moves that suggest the team has been working on attacking patterns on the training pitch.

The second is that they do not have a reliable individual scorer. Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho are still finding their feet at this level. Marcus Rashford has gone off the boil. Anthony Martial is not good enough.

Bruno Fernandes is their most reliable performer in the final third and often the man United look to for inspiration. He looks like good value to find the net this weekend.

Tip Bruno Fernandes to score any time at 5/2 with bet365

How to watch Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur

• Location: Old Trafford, Manchester, England.
• Date and time: Sunday 14 January 2024, 4.30pm.
• How to watch: Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football.

Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org

Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chase their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org

Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.

For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.