Manchester United will host Tottenham Hotspur for the 100th time in our history on Wednesday, when the Reds welcome Antonio Conte’s side to Old Trafford for a highly anticipated Premier League match-up.
United have hosted Spurs at Bank Street and Old Trafford, winning 65 and losing just 18 of the 99 fixtures to date.
This snippet from Wednesday’s edition of our matchday programme, United Review, breaks down some of the intriguing facts and figures between the sides...
SCORES ON THE DOORS
The smart money is on a 2-0 home win. That’s the most common scoreline, although the last time that happened was 2010/11. United have failed to score just 16 times and have kept 40 clean sheets – 33 of these resulting in victory.
GOALS, GOALS, GOALS #1
The biggest match aggregate is eight – and at the first time of asking. On 1 February 1899, United – still Newton Heath in those days – were seen off 5-3 at Bank Street in an FA Cup first-round replay by Spurs, themselves still in the Southern League.
GOALS, GOALS, GOALS #2
United’s 183 home goals – a further six have been contributed by the visitors – have been scored by 87 players. Denis Law tops the hotshots list with 11.
Here are the top-five of Reds to have scored more than once:
11: Denis Law
9: Bobby Charlton
8: Cristiano Ronaldo
6: Ryan Giggs
5: David Herd, David Beckham
BUNCH OF FIVES
Our biggest winning margin is the 5-0 romp in the first league meeting, at Bank Street on 22 January during 1909/10, with goals from Edward Connor, Arthur Hooper, Billy Meredith and two from Charlie Roberts.
It’s one of three occasions on which United have scored five.
The others were a 5-1 success on 18 December 1965 (Charlton, Law 2, Beal og, Herd) and the remarkable 5-2 triumph of 25 April in 2008/09, as the Reds overturned a 2-0 half-time deficit to remain three points clear of Liverpool, en route to that record-equalling 18th title.
Spurs were blown away by four goals in just 14 minutes, with two apiece for Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney. Ex-Spur Dimitar Berbatov rubbed salt in the wound, tapping in a fifth goal.
HISTORY BOYS
United and Spurs made football history in 1963/64 with the first meeting of English sides in European competition – and a memorable Old Trafford night a fortnight before Christmas.
Trailing 2-0 from the first leg and without the injured Denis Law, two apiece from Bobby Charlton and David Herd saw United win 4-1 on the night and 4-3 on aggregate.
The visitors battled gamely with 10 men after Dave Mackay’s early leg-break; Charlton’s second and United’s fourth came with just seven minutes left.
UNITED REVIEW
This extract is from the Tottenham Hotspur edition of our matchday programme, United Review, for Wednesday’s fixture.
Purchase your copy outside Old Trafford outside the stadium before kick-off, or you can order or subscribe online here.