Unlike Spurs, chaotic United have no style

IT'S impossible to talk about United and Tottenham without indulging in the topic of 'style of play! Erik ten Hag is supposedly the manager without a clear ethos and identity, while Ange Postecoglou receives huge praise for sticking to a clear style, even if it is not always the most logical approach to adopt.

- RICHARD FAY

Even without many of their key players, Tottenham were not going to change their tactics against United yesterday. It enabled everything good they did but exposed their shortcomings too.

Ten Hag would still like his side to have a better grip on games and be able to dominate possession for longer periods of play, but he isn't the type of manager who wants the ball just for the sake of it.

Ultimately, it depends on what you do when you have the ball and the performance against Tottenham was a reminder that they are at their best when time is actually at a premium.

Kobbie Mainoo and Christian Eriksen started in a midfield that was set up to try and calmly control proceedings, yet United threatened the most amid the moments of chaos that left space to exploit against a stretched opposition defence. undermined It was a mistake that their entire approach.