Manchester United’s season has been like Groundhog Day. A seemingly interminable catalogue of toothless draws where the team in red dominates but fails to kill off the opposition.
Like a cat without claws Manchester United get the mouse exactly where they want it but can’t kill off the adversary.
And they were oh so close to having egg all over their chops once again on Thursday night in the Europa League second leg tie against Celta Vigo at Old Trafford.
In what was a generally low quality game Manchester United looked the better side but couldn’t put their opponent away with anything like the sort of ruthlessness that Sir Alex Ferguson sides of the past were routinely capable of.
But with Liverpool facing a tricky tie away at West Ham on Sunday Manchester United still have a chance to stake a late claim to a top four finish.
And with just four games left this season Manchester United shouldn’t be resting players. They need to go full throttle for four wins and a strong end to the campaign.
Manchester United have Ashley Young, Luke Shaw, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marcos Rojo all crocked but can still field a largely full strength XI. And TFF hopes that they do so to gauge where these two teams are at right now. It should be a fascinating tie.
So here is our eleven with bags of pace and service for Wayne Rooney to try to find some of the old magic at number nine in what could be his last few minutes for Manchester United.
United fans: would you play Rooney or Rashford through the middle?
TFF Prediction: Tottenham 1 – 2 Manchester United
Manchester United: De Gea, Darmian, Bailly, Jones, Valencia – Carrick, Mkhitaryan, Pogba – Martial, Rooney, Rashford
