A lot has changed since the last time Tottenham and Manchester United met, with Jose Mourinho masterminding a 6-1 win over his former club last October.
Spurs were flying in second place after that rout at Old Trafford while United were languishing in 14th and were off to an extremely slow start. Now, six months later, United have claimed second while Spurs are desperately chasing a top-four spot with only eight games left to play.
Here, Sportsmail picks a combined XI of players from both Tottenham and Manchester United. We’ve only included players who are fit to play on Sunday, so there will be no Anthony Martial or Eric Bailly for the Red Devils.
Harry Kane (left) and Bruno Fernandes (right) go head to head this afternoon in north London
FORMATION: 4-3-3
GOALKEEPER
Dean Henderson
There has been a lot of talk in recent weeks over who will come out on top for the No 1 shirt at Old Trafford.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is remaining coy on which one of his two keepers will get the nod on a week-to-week basis but Dean Henderson has started seven Premier League games in a row up until this point and is picked for this one.
Hugo Lloris pulled off a stunning double-save against Dwight Gayle in Spurs’ 2-2 draw with Newcastle last weekend but has been edged out by the Englishman, who has kept four clean sheets in his last five Premier League games.
Dean Henderson (pictured) gets the nod in goal ahead of David de Gea and Hugo Lloris
RIGHT BACK
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
There isn’t too much competition for Aaron Wan-Bissaka when it comes to selecting a player for the right back berth, with Serge Aurier and Matt Doherty not fit for purpose in a game like this.
Both Tottenham right backs have had to watch from the sidelines in recent weeks with Mourinho opting to play Japhet Tanganga there instead.
And this isn’t to take anything away from Wan-Bissaka. The England international is one of the league’s best in this position and fully deserves his spot in our combined XI.
Wan-Bissaka has missed just two Premier League games this season, and has been part of a team that has conceded 28 goals in 30 matches – keeping 12 clean sheets along the way.
Manchester United’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka (left) is one of the Premier League’s best right backs
CENTRE BACK
Harry Maguire
After what was a disastrous start to the season for the United skipper, Harry Maguire has regained his composure and helped the club push for Champions League football next season.
While there are arguably better leaders in the United dressing room, Maguire has been solid in defence and has played every minute of his side’s campaign so far.
There’s still plenty of room to improve for the world’s most expensive defender but he gets the nod ahead of Victor Lindelof for this one.
United skipper Harry Maguire is picked to marshall the defence ahead of Victor Lindelof
CENTRE BACK
Toby Alderweireld
Arguably Tottenham’s best defender, Toby Alderweireld hasn’t quite reached his usual levels since defensive partner Jan Vertonghen left the club last summer.
The Belgium international has found himself in and out of the team with Mourinho opting to go with the error-prone Davinson Sanchez in his place in recent weeks.
And while Alderweireld is currently embroiled in a bizarre feud with the Special One, who claimed he hadn’t trained for the Newcastle game despite club pictures showing he had, his quality remains undeniable.
Honourable mention goes to Joe Rodon who has stepped up for Spurs in a time where they’ve been defensively lacking – but it’s Alderweireld who edges it for a place next to Maguire.
Toby Alderweireld is arguably Tottenham’s best defender and partners Maguire in the backline
LEFT BACK
Luke Shaw
What a transformation for Luke Shaw. The England international has been one of United’s standout players this season, of that there is no doubt.
The marauding left back is not only defensively sound but he notched four assists in three games back in February and was nominated for March’s Player of the Month award following another run of brilliant performances.
The 25-year-old will be desperate to prove Mourinho wrong this Sunday when he lines up against Spurs, after the left back admitted he had a ‘very difficult time’ while playing under the Portuguese boss.
Shaw has in the past been accused of not having his full focus on his career and allowing it to drift but he is now a highly important player in the United set-up.
Left back Luke Shaw (right) has been one of United’s standout performers this season
CENTRE MIDFIELD
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
Arguably one of the signings of the summer last year, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has made a huge impact at Tottenham since arriving in a £15million deal from Southampton.
The 25-year-old has played every single minute in the league since his move in the summer, and he brings a level of control to the Tottenham midfield that Mourinho is not willing to play without.
His efforts haven’t gone unnoticed, either, and was recently named as Denmark’s Player of the Year following his stellar performances for club and country.
Hojbjerg is just the man to anchor this midfield while allowing the next two players to weave their magic further up the pitch.
Midfield enforcer Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was one of the signings of the summer last season
CENTRE MIDFIELD
Paul Pogba
And one of those players is Paul Pogba.
The Frenchman just edges it in midfield over his compatriot Tanguy Ndombele, who has enjoyed a fine season for Spurs.
Ndombele can also count himself unlucky given Pogba has only just returned from a hamstring injury, which saw him sit out 10 games through February and March.
However, the 28-year-old has been excellent when fit and marked his return with a decisive goal against AC Milan to send United into the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
He also picked up an assist in United’s most recent win against Brighton and is looking like the player that United fans have been pining for.
Paul Pogba (middle) pips Tanguy Ndombele to a place in the midfield for Sportsmail’s XI
CENTRE MIDFIELD
Bruno Fernandes
One of the easiest picks in this team – there is no way you can leave Bruno Fernandes out.
With a staggering 27 goal contributions in 30 Premier League games this campaign, the Portuguese playmaker is certainly in the running for Player of the Season.
His consistency since arriving mid-way through the 2019-20 season has been remarkable, with no player contributing towards more goals than his 42 (24 goals, 18 assists).
Fernandes has been the man to make United tick while the only criticism that has been levelled at him is that he fails to turn up in the big games.
Let’s see if he can break that trend this Sunday at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Bruno Fernandes has 27 goal contributions in 30 Premier League games so far this season
RIGHT WING
Son Heung-min
This is a slightly cheeky pick given that Son Heung-min predominantly plays on the left, but given how good he is with both feet, the South Korean would be able to do just as good a job out on the right.
While he has only just returned from a hamstring injury, Son’s telepathic link-up play with Harry Kane this season has seen him rise to new heights and now a contract renewal to keep him at Spurs for the foreseeable future is in the works.
Son experienced a drop off in form before picking up a hamstring issue against Arsenal, which ruled him out for Spurs’ 2-0 win over Aston Villa, but has since returned and will likely start against Solskjaer’s men.
His 18 goals and 16 assists in all competitions make him a surefire pick for this team in a front-three that boasts plenty of firepower.
Son Heung-min was clinical when the two sides met last October, which saw Spurs win 6-1
STRIKER
Harry Kane
Harry Kane is the second player who walks into this combined XI, along with Fernandes.
The England skipper currently tops the Premier League goalscoring charts with 19 goals, while his 13 assists – the most in the division – means he is one of the most lethal forwards in world football at the moment.
There is a lot wrong down at Tottenham right now but very little of that is down to Kane’s contributions. The striker was on target twice last Sunday with two typically clinical efforts against Newcastle but he was ultimately let down by some poor defending behind him.
A striker that almost guarantees goals, Kane is one of the first on the teamsheet.
Harry Kane currently tops the goalscoring charts in the Premier League and is a surefire pick
LEFT WING
Marcus Rashford
To Kane’s left is a familiar face in Marcus Rashford.
The two usually line up alongside each other when representing the Three Lions and it’s no different here for Sportsmail’s combined XI.
The 23-year-old is enjoying a fine campaign for the Red Devils, scoring 10 goals and getting nine assists in 30 Premier League games this season, making him one of Solskjaer’s go-to men up top.
He also scored a superb equaliser against Brighton last weekend before Mason Greenwood got the winning goal seven minutes from the end thanks to a Pogba assist.
Marcus Rashford (right) scored in Manchester United’s 2-1 win over Brighton last weekend
