UNEARTHS SOME WEEKEND STONKERS... AND STINKERS Goals not a shore thing at Brighton
DE GEA Lucky when Dele Alli missed form close range. Otherwise a quiet day BAILLY Back from injury. Added physicality and presence SMALLING Competent display staying calm and alert at the middle of United’s back three defence JONES No frills show from the England star who was full of defiance and stood up to be counted VALENCIA Booked United’s Ecuadorian machine was solid as a rock and a threat going forward HERRERA Plenty of bite, desire and energy from the Spaniard who was in the thick of the action MATIC Strong display from Serb who never stopped mopping up and protecting his defence YOUNG Grafted hard to check the forward runs of Serge Aurier and impressive going forward MKHITARYAN The Armenian showed poor judgement with passes which hampered United’s attacking threat. Later hooked LUKAKU Offered little until the game opened up but made the assist for Martial’s goal RASHFORD Played on the shoulder of Tottenham’s high line defence but short on decent service SUBS: LINGARD (for Mkhitaryan 65) MARTIAL (for Rashford 69) DARMIAN (for Young 92+2) LLORIS Lucky to escape when he spilled a Mkhitaryan shot, but no chance with the goal ALDERWEIRELD An outstanding performance at the heart of defence by the Belgian DIER Asked to operate at the heart of defence, he switched off once and paid the price VERTONGHEN Looked assured for 80 minutes but could have also done better for the goal AURIER Chosen for his defensive capabilities but poor going forward WINKS Faded after an impressive first hour and rarely wasted a pass ERIKSEN Produced one brilliant pass that should have brought a goal, but otherwise quiet DAVIES One of the visitors’ better performers, but didn’t get forward after the break SISSOKO Plenty of hard running from the Frenchman but little end product ALLI Should have put Spurs ahead but hardly given a sniff before or afterwards SON Too isolated and unable to make an impression on the United defence SUBS: LLORENTE (Son 62) DEMBELE (Sissoko 62) THE last time Brighton and Southampton met in the top flight it was 1983 and the permed mullet was still abundant on the South Coast. You rarely see one now. Gone the same way as the gigantic comb-over cod, shy titan of the deep. Shame really. There’s something a bit fishy about the form of Brighton’s astonishing 3-0 defeat of West Ham. Punters could be left pouting if they trust that one at face value.
Tight drawish angles look right today (1.30pm). No need to flounder – net a bit of the DRAW at 9/4 (Fred).
If you play at winkle-sized prices, the NO ’both teams to score’ bet is worth pinning down at 4/5 (Fred).
Combine the sides’ records and 15 of their 21 games have gone that way so far.
Claude Puel’s Saints’ reign ended with five blanks in six. He’s got more firepower at Leicester and has seemingly been gifted a soft start too, against ‘sickly’ Everton – but here alarm bells should be ringing for punters (4pm).
No one is suggesting that professional footballers might ever fail to ‘put it all in’ because they’d be happy to see a boss out the door...
But just in case, let’s focus on the wisdom that while form is only temporary, class is permanent.
Wayne Rooney’s a classy ‘anytime scorer’ candidate that shines through the fog.
Get on Roo ‘anytime’ at the 28/11 (Unibet, 888Sport).
Last week: WInner at 4/5