Manchester United came from behind to see off Tottenham Hotspur as goals from Alexis Sanchez and Ander Herrera proved to be decisive against the North Londoners. Jose Mourinho’s side yet again came up with the goods against one of the top six sides in recent months after having gone down early in the game only to come back and grab the win. United were comfortable throughout the game and deserved the win entirely, as they were in control of the match right from the early stages.

Lineups:

Made using TacticalPad

Manchester United (4-3-3) Manager: Jose Mourinho

De Gea; Valencia, Jones, Smalling, Young; Matic, Herrera, Pogba; Lingard, Lukaku, Alexis

Tottenham Hotspur (4-3-3/4-2-3-1) Manager: Mauricio Pochettinho

Vorm; Trippier, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Davies; Dier, Dembele, Eriksen; Alli, Son, Kane

Tactical Breakdown:

• United were brilliant against the Spurs press as they were able to make progress down the flanks thanks to some good off the ball movement by the likes of Lukaku, Sanchez and Pogba. Note- this was the scenario when United decided not to go long and play through Spurs instead

• While United are not generally known to be the side who press high up the pitch, their passive pressing prevented Spurs from having a clean buildup from the back. -focus on controlling space and preventing easy passing options nearby and force long balls/unstable rhythm in buildup

United surprisingly took the offensive to the contrary opinions that it might be a defensive setup by Jose Mourinho. United also made excellent use of pressing traps and coverage of space to ensure that Spurs did not have a stable buildup from the back. Instead, they were rushed into their game play and could not pry open the United defense. Matic and Herrera put in good shifts to ensure the space in midfield was congested so that Spurs could not play through them. Alexis Sanchez probably played his best game in a United shirt as he was involved in both the goals but put in great defensive work as well.

Conclusion:

Manchester United advanced to the final of the FA Cup as they comfortably saw off Tottenham Hotspur. It was a fantastic collective performance from United with some standout performers in Alexis and Herrera while Paul Pogba was fantastic as well from an offensive perspective. United now await the winners of the Chelsea Southampton match from tomorrow while Spurs make their eighth consecutive semi final exit in the FA Cup.