Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou responded strongly to recent criticism by leading his team to a dominant 5-0 victory over Southampton on Sunday night, with all goals scored before halftime. This win ended a frustrating five-match winless streak across all competitions (D3, L2) and set Spurs up for their upcoming Carabao Cup quarter-final clash with Manchester United.
Postecoglou, who won the Scottish equivalent of this trophy in both of his seasons at Celtic, is now aiming to secure Tottenham’s first silverware since 2008. Spurs’ impressive journey to the quarter-finals included a memorable win over Manchester City, but to advance against United, they will need to break a four-match winless streak at home (D2, L2)—their longest such run since, coincidentally, 2008.
United manager Ruben Amorim, also tasked with restoring the club’s former glory, faces a similar challenge. The Red Devils, who were both English and European champions in 2008, lifted this trophy in 2009 by defeating Tottenham on penalties. Amorim’s confidence grew after a thrilling 2-1 derby victory over Manchester City, which came after a bold decision to leave Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho out of the squad.
Unfazed by making tough decisions, Amorim will be hoping to emulate the success of former managers Jose Mourinho and Erik ten Hag, both of whom won the Carabao Cup in their first seasons at Old Trafford. However, the odds aren’t in his favor, as United have failed to win any of their last four encounters with Tottenham (D2, L2) and have yet to record three consecutive victories in all competitions this season.
Key players to watch include Tottenham’s James Maddison, who is in high spirits after scoring twice against Southampton. However, he has yet to score against United in 11 appearances. For United, Amad Diallo has been in sensational form, scoring the winning goal in the comeback against City. He has also directly contributed to eight goals in his last nine matches (3 goals, 5 assists).
