Soccer-Man United try to salvage season against unpredictable Tottenham

By Peter Hall

(Reuters) - One week on from their mauling by arch-rivals Manchester City, Manchester United take on fellow top-four hopefuls Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday looking to salvage what is left of their season.

While they still have the Champions League to fight for, recent form has led to United staring at the prospect of another disappointing campaign, with interim coach Ralf Rangnick unable to inspire the stuttering giants.

The 13-times Premier League champions are fifth in the standings, one point behind Arsenal in the final Champions League qualification spot, but Rangnick's men have played three more games than Mikel Arteta's side.

United are winless in their last three matches in all competitions – they have not gone longer without a victory since a run of six games in September/October 2019.

Uncertainty over who the next permanent manager will be is reportedly causing unrest in the United dressing-room, but Rangnick remains focused on the task at hand.

"I'm still the manager of this team for another 10 games in the Premier League and hopefully a few more games in the Champions League," he said after the City loss.

"We don't always play against Manchester City, we have shown we are capable to win other games. This is my major job in the next two and a half months. Right now, I am happy with the players we have, this is clear."

What is not clear is the version of Tottenham which turns up at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Antonio Conte's side remain in the race for the top four, sitting seventh, two points behind United with two games in hand, but inconsistency has hampered their progress - Spurs have not won back-to-back games since December in all competitions.

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