Manchester United’s weekend clash with Tottenham has been called off amid a postponement to all Premier League fixtures.
From a football perspective our momentum has certainly been halted, and we can only wonder how the clash with Tottenham would have played out.
The fixture was lining up in United’s favour. Spurs are low on confidence and United are flying.
Tottenham’s defence has been shipping goals uncharacteristically for a Jose Mourinho side. He does not know his best backline and Serge Aurier is a liability at right-back.
This would have provided United with the chance to lean into their weakness and go ‘all out attack’.
Fearsome trio
One way for United to have approached the game would have been to unleash Anthony Martial, Odion Ighalo and Mason Greenwood in the same attack.
While Martial has been playing as a central striker, he has plenty of experience playing out on the left and this will give him opportunity to link up with and play alongside Ighalo.
Ighalo’s hold up play has been excellent and it is wise to get Martial and Greenwood as close to him as possible.
Greenwood showed against LASK that he only needs one chance to score, netting with one of his only five touches during a brief substitute appearance.
Playing all three together with Martial on the left, Ighalo central and Mason Greenwood on the right, would have serious potential.
Martial has struck 16 goals this season, Greenwood 12, and Ighalo has four in three starts.
With Bruno Fernandes supplying the passes, this trio could really do some damage and probably would have been United’s best path to success at Spurs, especially with all of the players in form.
It still has potential
We can’t tell when United will resume the season, but this trio can thrive together against any opponent.
It could be complicated by the return of another attacking weapon, Marcus Rashford.
A delayed season rather than a voided one gives Rashford a chance of making a meaningful contribution if he returns from his back injury in time.
He is on 14 goals for the season in the league (19 in total) and just five off the lead in the Golden Boot race.
It’s not unthinkable that he could return and have a real go at catching up.
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