Tottenham manager Thomas Frank speaks about expectations from Manchester United ahead of Saturday clash
Tottenham were heavily criticized for their poor performance in their 1-0 defeat against Chelsea in the Premier League last weekend. It was a disappointing display from the Lilywhites, who failed to create chances and only registered a single attempt on goal. They recorded an expected goals (xG) figure of just 0.05, the lowest since the Premier League began tracking such stats.
After the dismal defeat, Spurs bounced back in the Champions League, as they beat Danish side Copenhagen 4-0. However, they now have a serious challenge awaiting them, as they face Manchester United in the EPL tomorrow. Spurs are hoping to extend their seven-game unbeaten run against the Red Devils. Last season, Tottenham completed the Premier League double against their rivals and also beat them in the Europa League final to end their 17-year trophy drought.
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Ahead of tomorrow’s game, Thomas Frank has been vocal about what he expects from United on Saturday. The Red Devils are currently tied on 17 points with Spurs in the league table. Both teams will hope to potentially break into the top four with a win tomorrow. During the pre-match press conference, Thomas Frank shared his thoughts on his upcoming opponents and praised Rubin Amorin for his work. He told the local media (h/t tottenhamhotspur.com.)):
“I think, first and foremost, you can see it’s a Man Utd team that got more confidence, definitely. I think Ruben and his coaching staff have done a very good job. It’s clearly been a tough year for them and for him. I admire him a lot for that, to go through a very tricky spell with a lot of setbacks.”
“Right now, they are in a moment where they have more or less every key player available and found his team. They played more or less the same team in the last four or five games, so we know exactly what to expect from them. I think they have an incredibly dangerous front three.”
“They’re starting to get more up to pace and we need to close them down. On the flip side, make sure they run a little bit more backwards because we’re attacking.”
Frank was also asked about Bryan Mbeumo’s success at Manchester United. The Tottenham coach managed Mbeumo for a lengthy period during his time at Brentford. After moving to United, Mbeumo has been a massive hit at the club, winning over the fans with his consistent goalscoring threat, pace, and ability to run in behind defences.
Mbeumo has been excellent in front of goal this season, scoring 5 goals and providing one assist in 11 appearances. When asked if he was surprised by Mbeumo’s success at Manchester United, Frank said:
“No, I’m not surprised. Of course, I’ll step out of my role at Tottenham! When you work with a player for six years, you get a close relationship. To see him develop from being a young man, 19 years old when he moved to London and Brentford and left six years later, going into one of the biggest clubs in the world with all that focus and the way he stepped up.”
“For me, looking from the outside, maybe a little bit biased, I think he’s been their best offensive player. He can create, he can score, he works hard, he’s a team player. He’s the perfect example, in my opinion, for a player what I call about attitude, confident but humble. He’s a top player. I think he will have fantastic success. I hope that for him, not tomorrow, but in general I hope and wish him all the best.”
Thomas Frank has acknowledged the threat posed by Manchester United’s attackers. Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero will have their hands full dealing with Bryan Mbuemo, Benjamin Sesko, Bruno Fernandes, and Matheus Cunha on the night. Tottenham will need to apply intense off-the-ball pressure to prevent United from building momentum.
Frank has been open about his expectations for Saturday’s match, but after the recent defeat to Chelsea, the Danish manager faces the challenge of making necessary changes to get his team back in the win column.