Tribalfootball.com's tactics expert Connor Holden breaks down a young Tottenham team's exciting victory over Manchester United on Saturday.

Tottenham vs Manchester United was an interesting game, which highlighted the key aspects of Ange Postecoglou's system, as well as Manchester United's disorganised midfield.

The game finished with Tottenham winning 2-0, with Spurs achieving the result thanks to winning the midfield battle.

TOTTENHAM AND BISSOUMA BRILLIANCE:

Yves Bissouma was at the heart of everything for Postecoglou's side, and he has shown over the first few weeks of the Premier league how important he is for Tottenham's new style.

Postecoglou looks to build up in a 2-3 shape, formed with his two centre backs at the base (creating the 2), and his deepest midfielder, along with the two fullbacks inverting to create the 3. Bissouma is at the heart of these build up passages, and what he does so well, is differentiate between keeping the ball moving with quick passes, and progressing the ball at times through his press resistance and ball carrying

Bissouma was able to easily bypass the Manchester United press with his press resistance, and drive the ball forwards once it had been evaded. This then allowed Spurs to break with Bissouma's midfield partner Pape Matar Sarr occupying the right half space, left behind by Pedro Porro who inverted centrally during build up for Spurs.

United also struggled to progress the ball centrally, due to the defensive actions of Bissouma for Tottenham. Bissouma made 15 ground duels, 3 clearances, 1 block, 1 interception and 5 tackles in the middle of the park for Spurs.

UNITED MIDFIELD DISORGANISTION:

Manchester United set up in a familiar 4-2-3-1, with Mason Mount playing a deeper role in midfield next to Casemiro. However the average positions in the game showed that United's midfield was pinned back, with Bruno Fernandes making it a midfield three.

The organisation of United's midfield was lacking in key moments, especially leading to Tottenham's first goal. Sarr was able to drift in between Fernandes and Mount, with neither player taking responsibility for him.

Sarr ghosted into the box unmarked, and reacted fast to the ball. This could have easily been avoided with better organisation amongst the midfielders, picking up their men.

Overall the organisation throughout was disjointed, with Bruno pressing high on Bissouma, Casemiro following James Maddison (which created a large gap in midfield between the two), which then left Mount with the responsibility of pressing Porro in buildup, whilst also tracking Sarr once the ball broke from the press.

Whether this was a managerial error, or a lack of communication between the midfield trio, it cost United in key moments of the game, and allowed Spurs far too much control once bypassing the initial press set by United.

The other issue for United in the midfield battle was their physicality and ability to win their duels. Spurs out contested United in the middle of the park, and this was also the case for United against Wolves.

United only won a total of 8 ground duels out of 20 between the midfield three, compared to 12 ground duels won out of 19 between Tottenham's midfield two.

UNITED NOT CLINICAL:

With all the negatives for United in this game, they still created some very good chances, and should have scored multiple goals.

United were good in offensive transitions when winning the ball back in the middle of the park. They were able to break quickly and get at Tottenham before they could reassemble their shape.

This allowed United to get the ball to their danger men (Marcus Rashford, Bruno and Alejandro Garnacho) with fewer actions, and allowed them to attack a disjointed Spurs defence, which created some BIG chances, and should have produced goals.

United finished the game with an xG of 2.01, more than Tottenham's 1.58 xG, however Spurs proved to be the more clinical side.

CONCLUSION:

To conclude this game's review, United rued their missed chances in the first half, which allowed Tottenham to grow into the match.

The midfield brilliance of Bissouma and Sarr for Tottenham had great balance in all aspects of play, allowing them to bypass the United press during build up, and create opportunities once doing so (as seen with Sarr's goal arriving in the box).