WHAT MANCHESTER UNITED COULD DO TO WIN TOTTENHAM

Manchester United Could Unleash New Centre Back Vs Tottenham

Mourinho to unleash central defensive solution?

As Jose Mourinho sullenly prepared to start the season without Toby Alderweireldor Harry Maguire, he identified a possible defensive reinforcement from within. United have five recognisable central defenders in their 26-man squad yet Mourinho is believes they are so unreliable he is prepared to move Nemanja Matic back there.

Matic, 30, returned to full training before the Brighton fixture and could be back in the line-up against Tottenham tonight. He has not played in exactly two months, when Serbia were beaten by Brazil in their final World Cup group game, and Matic underwent abdominal surgery in Philadelphia in July, yet he feels essential after Andreas Pereira resembled the auxiliary holding midfielder that he is at Brighton.

Playing Matic in a back three or a deeper midfield role would be a steadier method of easing the Serbian back into the fold against one of the Premier League's most intense sides. Spurs only started with one central midfielder against Fulham in their previous fixture, although Eric Dier was flanked by Moussa Sissoko in their opener away at Newcastle. Mourinho also has to be mindful of not overloading his midfield when Harry Kane has been supported by four attackers in Spurs' two Premier League wins so far.

How many changes?

Pereira, Juan Mata and Anthony Martial were all hooked at Brighton and are all expected to be dropped for Spurs' visit. Antonio Valencia could replace Ashley Young or Luke Shaw and it seems inconceivable that Mourinho will retain Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly as a partnership. Still, five or six changes could be excessive as United strive for continuity and a formation tweak is also possible. United fielded a back three against Spurs in their rain-drenched 1-0 victory 10 months ago after a recently-promoted team defeated them.

Matic, Valencia, Chris Smalling, Alexis Sanchez and Jesse Lingard have favourable chances of earning a recall.

Which Pogba will turn up?

United's matches this term are Paul Pogba in a microcosm; ranging from phenomenal to feckless within a week. "I’ll always give my best to the fans and my teammates no matter what’s going on," he tweeted on August 10. "The attitude that we had was not like we wanted to beat them. My attitude wasn't right enough," Pogba admitted nine days later.

Against the team who sparked his 'issues' back in January, Pogba owes his manager and the United supporters a performance.

Will Sanchez be fit?

"Let's go together," Alexis Sanchez posted on Sunday. Sanchez needs some positive coverage after he also irked United fans in the wake of the Brighton debacle without even playing. Sanchez's decision to plug some underwear the day after the defeat sparked such a backlash he deleted the tweet and the next Sanchez day stuck to a short clip from the Carrington dressing room.

Sanchez was superb against Tottenham in the FA Cup semi-final win in April and has plundered three goals against them for United and Arsenal. For all Sanchez's shortcomings, United are better off with him.