For the most part, Manchester United fans had few complaints with Matt Le Tissier’s combined XI with Tottenham Hotspur.
Ahead of this weekend’s clash at Old Trafford, Le Tissier was tasked with picking the best starting team using players from both clubs.
The hardest call, presumably, was up front with both Harry Kane and Romelu Lukaku vying for Le Tissier’s affection.
The Southampton legend plumped for Kane, explaining it by saying: “I just think Kane’s form at the moment and over a longer period of time justifies him getting the nod.”
United supporters had far fewer problems with Lukaku’s absence than they had with the lack of Antonio Valencia at right back.
Le Tissier opted to utilise Kieran Trippier on the right hand side of all-Spurs defence and it was that particular selection that especially irked certain fans.
https://twitter.com/DMC_87/status/923616314228342784
https://twitter.com/Cswales23/status/923544838808784896
@mattletiss7 your combined Utd/Spurs 11 is bang on apart from Trippier over Valencia – that's just bonkers!
— Tim Johnson (@tj689908) October 26, 2017
@mattletiss7 putting trippier in over Valencia? Even for someone who don’t like United, how on earth can you honestly say that’s right?
— Mr P (@MrP_MUFC) October 26, 2017
“At right-back I’m going with Kieran Trippier for one reason and that is quality of delivery in the final third,” Le Tissier said.
“Antonio Valencia frustrates me with the way he thinks he can cross through people, smashing the ball with his head down.”
The Sky Sports pundit’s XI looks like this…
Valencia has been one of United’s most consistent players in recent seasons and, only earlier this year, manager Jose Mourinho praised him as world class.
“I just think he is the best right back you can have,” Mourinho told MUTV in January. “There is no better right back in football. It is just for us to keep the best. I don’t think it is a reward. It is a privilege for us to have such a good player and such a good man.”
