Tottenham fear losing Kudus ahead of the big match against Man Utd.

Tottenham entered their Premier League clash against Manchester United with a major question mark over Mohammed Kudus. The £55 million signing from West Ham had just missed the Champions League win against FC Copenhagen due to a minor injury and his return was uncertain, leaving manager Thomas Frank with a difficult attacking dilemma given his already thin squad.

Kudus and the 1v1 leverage in Tottenham's attacking system.

Since joining Tottenham, Kudus has quickly become a bright spot in manager Thomas Frank's game. According to WhoScored, the Ghanaian leads the Premier League in average successful dribbles per game. He has contributed five goals and assists this season, demonstrating his ability to make a difference in one-on-one situations, retain possession, and maneuver in tight spaces.

The influence of the player born in 2000 extends beyond the numbers. He's described as the Mousa Dembele of Tottenham, due to his ability to balance play: stretching the opponent's pressing structure while helping Tottenham break deadlocks in big matches. In three encounters with Man Utd, Kudus scored one goal and provided one assist – a clear indication of how he finds gaps in the opposing defense.

If Kudus is absent: A structural challenge for manager Thomas Frank.

The absence of Kudus means Tottenham lose both a key attacking threat in one-on-one situations and a crucial element in escaping pressure in the attacking half. His ball control, tempo setting, and quick turns helped the attack maintain balance, thereby creating space for his teammates to penetrate. Without him, Spurs risk having to compensate by increasing off-ball movement and sharing creative responsibility across multiple positions – a difficult task given their growing injury list.

Nevertheless, fans received positive news. After the match against Copenhagen, Kudus appeared in the stands and told Standard Sport: "I'm recovering well." He's still racing against time, but that statement at least offered hope for Tottenham ahead of the crucial game.

Match context: Tottenham's unbeaten run and the home paradox.

The upcoming match marks the first time the two teams have met since the Europa League final in May – where Spurs won their first major trophy since 2008. In head-to-head encounters, Tottenham are unbeaten in their last seven meetings with Man Utd, winning five and drawing two. If they win again, they will become the first Spurs team to win three consecutive domestic league matches against Man Utd since the 1959–1960 season.

However, their poor home form presents a paradox: in 2025, the London club lost nine home games – the highest number in the league. Meanwhile, Man Utd are gradually stabilizing with three wins in their last four Premier League matches.

Squad crisis: The injury list grows longer.

According to Premier Injuries, Tottenham will be without a number of key players until at least the end of the month: Dejan Kulusevski, Radu Dragusin, Ben Davies, Yves Bissouma, and Dominic Solanke. Now, Mohammed Kudus is also at risk of missing the big match – another crucial player that manager Thomas Frank will have to consider.

Impact: A Window of Opportunity and a Test of Character

Manchester United have rediscovered their rhythm, while Tottenham have enjoyed a favorable run of form but have faltered at home. In this contradictory picture, Kudus's condition could be the deciding factor. If he recovers in time, Spurs will have an additional attacking threat to consolidate their top position and continue their title pursuit. Conversely, their attacking options will become more difficult to overcome as their ability to create decisive moments is limited.

Once again, this match presents Tottenham with a test of both tactics and psychology: optimizing what they have left, capitalizing on their unbeaten run against Man Utd, and finding a way to break the home-game jinx – all revolving around a single question: is Kudus fit enough to play?

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