Now is the time for Louis van Gaal and his expensive squad of highly paid players to prove their worth to Manchester United as Tottenham Hotspur’s arrival for the late Sunday game starts the campaign’s crucial phase. United stand only three points ahead of Spurs in fourth place in the “rat race”, as Van Gaal continues to call it, for a Champions League berth. Next for United are Liverpool, at Anfield, before Manchester City and Chelsea are opponents in two of the following three matches. Jamie Jackson

Kick-off Sunday 4pm

Venue Old Trafford

Last season Man Utd 1 Tottenham 2

Live Sky Sports 1

Referee M Clattenburg

This season G18, Y73, R2, 4.16 cards per game

Odds H 10-11 A 10-3 D 14-5

Manchester United

Subs from Valdés, Lindegaard, Vermijl, Amos, Thorpe, Pereira, Blackett, Rojo, Valencia, Herrera, Lingard, Mata, McNair, Blind, Falcao

Doubtful Rojo (muscular)

Injured Van Persie (ankle, 11 Apr)

Suspended Evans (second of six), Di María (one match)

Form WDWLWW

Discipline Y55 R4

Leading scorer Rooney 10

Tottenham Hotspur

Subs from Vorm, Friedel, Yedlin, Chiriches, Fazio, Kaboul, Davies, Stambouli, Capoue, Dembélé, Paulinho, Lamela, Ceballos, Adebayor, Soldado

Doubtful None

Injured None

Suspended None

Form WWLDWW

Discipline Y58 R3

Leading scorer Kane 16