Just three Manchester United players make cut in combined XI with Tottenham

With Tottenham preparing to face Manchester United this afternoon in a game billed as a potential audition for the permanent managerial role with the latter, it’s Mauricio Pochettino that boasts the stronger line-up heading into the Wembley showdown.

According to WhoScored.com ratings, just three of the visitors squad would make a combined XI between the two sides based on individual performances in the league this season.

Excluding injured and suspended players for this afternoon’s clash, only Ashley Young, Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford would warrant a spot in an ultimate lineup from the two sides.

The former would take the left-back spot ahead of both Danny Rose (6.86) and Ben Davies (6.79) with a modest score of 6.91 this season, with neither Spurs full-back able to cement a starting berth as their own thus far.

Pogba is a less surprising inclusion given his sparkling form of late and indeed has the highest rating (7.43) of any central midfielder from the two teams having now had a direct hand in more goals than any other United player in the league (seven goals, six assists).

Rashford (7.01) also makes the cut owing largely to the form he has shown since Solskjaer’s interim appointment, with four goals and three assists in his last six league appearances at least doubling his respective tallies for the season. The England international just pips the likes of Lucas Moura (7.00) and Erik Lamela (6.90) to take a place in the XI, but that ends United’s involvement in the side.

Hugo Lloris edges out David de Gea having enjoyed a solid season in the league - if one to forget elsewhere - keeping a clean sheet in eight of 17 appearances compared to just two in 21 for the Spaniard.

Trippier, Alderweireld and Sanchez complete the defensive unit in the absence of the injured Jan Vertonghen, who would otherwise qualify, while the appearance of Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli, Son Heung-Min and Harry Kane comes as little surprise.

Ander Herrera, meanwhile, is the highest rated United player to miss the cut (6.99), but if this season’s performances as a whole are anything to go by, Spurs should have too much for their visitors in today’s top match.