Tottenham v Manchester United: 5 key matchups including Pogba against Wanyama
5. Juan Mata v Ben Davies
Regular readers know I’m not a huge fan of the Spurs left back. I find his lack of athleticism to limit his ability to thrive under Pochettino. Fortunately, he’ll match up against another player who isn’t blessed with world-class pace in this matchup.
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Of course, that doesn’t mean that Juan Mata isn’t capable of burning the Welshman. He certainly has the guile and skill on the ball to trouble Tottenham’s second choice left back. You can be sure that Pochettino wishes Danny Rose were fit.
Manchester United need to be concerned about the reverse of the matchup as well. Tottenham tend to have more than their fair share of possession. That means Mata will have to put in a solid defensive shift against Davies.
If Davies can manage to cancel Mata out then Spurs will consider it a huge win. Mourinho will expect the talented Spaniard to put Davies to the sword. It’s a vital matchup where it’s important for Davies to avoid being torched.