Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville has claimed that the visit of Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night could be exactly what Jose Mourinho's side need.
The early stages of the 2018-19 campaign have been beset by reports of unrest behind the scenes at Old Trafford, and their troubles were compounded by a 3-2 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend.
The Red Devils now face their first top-six challenge of the season, but Neville believes that their favourable record against Spurs in recent years could make them the perfect opponent to get back on track against.
"The noise at the moment surrounding United is what everyone's concentrating on, but just looking at it as a match and Spurs' history coming to Manchester United - they haven't turned up in the last two or three years. United cannot be anywhere near where they were at Brighton on Sunday," he said on the Gary Neville podcast.
"I think this is what they need, they need a big game, they need a big opponent and Tottenham have been friendly opponents at Old Trafford in the last few years. I suppose everyone will be queuing up to watch the game in the hope Man United lose, in the hope they can put another nail in the coffin. That's the sort of sense of feeling around the club at the moment, not being helped at times by the performances.
"You can talk about Jose's press conferences, the mistakes the team has made, but the only thing that will put it right is to win. The players have that in their hands on Monday. Tottenham have to turn up, and if they do it'll be a very difficult game for Manchester United.
"I think what he'll be asking is - of course sorting the tactics and set pieces - but the biggest question he will be asking his players is whether they have the mentality, whether they can go out there and play like Spurs can, and have in the last two or three years, or whether they will wilt again which they have done, there's no doubt about that. It's the same players as last season, they'll have the same memories of last season, but they will have to do it very differently."
United have won 21 of their 26 home Premier League games against Spurs, including each of the last four without conceding a goal.
Barney Corkhill
