Pre-season bets on Tottenham versus Manchester United have taken a disastrous turn, as both clubs find themselves hurtling toward a potential relegation battle.
United manager Ruben Amorim openly admitted demotion is a “possibility,” calling his squad “maybe the worst” in the club’s history. Once highly regarded at Sporting, Amorim now faces mounting pressure to produce results.
Despite this, he remains committed to his back-three system and refuses to make tactical compromises for short-term success—a stance drawing comparisons to Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou.
Postecoglou has faced his own backlash for stubbornly adhering to his football philosophy. His experiment with a three-at-the-back setup against Everton ended in disaster, while sitting back against Wolves led to dropped points. For both managers, tactical rigidity is proving costly.
Compounding their woes are unfulfilled promises in the transfer window. While rival clubs strengthen their squads, Spurs and United have failed to make significant moves.
Spurs’ injury crisis deepened with Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson, and Yves Bissouma sidelined, leaving them vulnerable to crashing out of the FA Cup, Carabao Cup, and Europa League within weeks unless reinforcements arrive.
Despite their struggles, Spurs seem better positioned to finish higher than United in the Premier League, with key players returning from injury.
This week’s European fixtures offer further challenges. Spurs travel to Hoffenheim, a Bundesliga side also battling at the bottom of their table. Spurs are expected to scrape a draw, priced at 3/1 with William Hill.
United host Rangers, who trail far behind Celtic in Scotland but consistently perform well in European competition. A draw, valued at 19/5 with major bookmakers, seems the likeliest result.
Elsewhere, the Australian Open heats up. Paula Badosa shocked Coco Gauff to reach the semi-finals but faces a daunting challenge against defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, who is 3/1 to win 2-1. Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek is tipped at 8/13 to beat Madison Keys in straight sets and book her place in the final.
In the men’s draw, Novak Djokovic continues to defy the odds, outclassing Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals. Priced at 4/6, he’s the favorite to overcome Alexander Zverev and inch closer to an 11th Australian Open title.
For Saturday’s Football League action, QPR, Leyton Orient, Crewe, and Notts County form a promising accumulator bet.