4. Scott Parker vs. Michael Carrick
Scott Parker has missed a lot of football this season. The midfielder has made just six appearances this campaign, having been blighted with a long-term achilles problem. But with Sandro out for the remainder of the season following knee surgery, Parker will likely start the game for Tottenham. And whilst he may not bag many goals or assists from his, he more than makes up for it with his astonishing work-rate and defensive capabilities. American journalist William Saletan
had high praise for Parker's defensive skills after seeing him play a match in person against QPR at White Hart Lane. "Parker doesn't score or get credited with assists. He leaves that to the guys up front," he wrote.
What Parker does instead is win games. He does this not by punctuating the match but by controlling it. He smothers oncoming attacks. He forces opponents off the ball. He orchestrates distribution out of the back, setting in motion a Spurs onslaught that will culminate 60 yards downfield ... You can't watch the game up close without noticing Parker.
If United want to get anything from the match, they will have to win the battle in midfield, something they failed to do in the match at Old Trafford in September. And after making an impressive 21 league appearances so far this season, Michael Carrick will be looking to shine in midfield for the Red Devils. Carrick is very similar in terms of his playing style to Parker. By no means has a goal machine, the midfielder become known mainly for his tough-tackling and sound technical ability on the ball. When he was signed by United back in 2006, he was viewed more as a creative player, brought in for is inventive distribution of the ball along with his passing and crossing abilities. And that is something that Carrick has been showing a lot more this season, garnering praise from fans and pundits alike. If the 31-year-old is at his best on Sunday and is allowed to dictate the pace of the game from midfield, Tottenham may find it difficult to break United down.