Manchester United should learn from reverse Tottenham fixture and go for the kill
Cast your minds back to the start of the season, and specifically the third game.
Manchester United played host to Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford, having lost their first game of the season to Crystal Palace before beating Brighton thanks to a penalty awarded, bizarrely, after the full-time whistle.
As for Spurs, they had overcome an opening day defeat of their own against Everton by thumping Southampton 5-2, inspired by the magnificence of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min.
When the game between the two sides started, United were gifted a penalty inside the opening minute. Bruno Fernandes converted to give the Red Devils the lead, but what followed was an afternoon of pure punishment from Jose Mourinho's side.
Tanguy Ndombele and Son scored to make it 2-1 to Spurs inside seven minutes before Anthony Martial was sent off for raising his hands into Erik Lamela's face. After that it was a footballing equivalent of a massacre, with Kane and Son getting a brace and Serge Aurier getting in on the act too.
It was, and remains, the worst defeat of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's reign as Manchester United manager, but following that game both teams have spiralled off on completely different trajectories.
Spurs pushed on an ended up top of the Premier League in November, also cruising into the knockout stages of the Europa League. Now though, they find themselves in sixth place, three points behind surprise package West Ham in fourth.
United, meanwhile, are up in second, likely assured - barring a monumental collapse - of qualification for Champions League football next season.
Since that 6-1 defeat, Solskjaer's side have lost just twice more in the Premier League and although they crashed out of the Champions League, they now find themselves with one foot in the Europa League semi-finals - a tournament Mourinho's men were dumped out of in humiliating fashion at the last 16 stage.
When the two teams meet again this weekend, with their top four aspirations on the line, Solskjaer and Manchester United should take a leaf out of their opponents book - go for the kill.
Spurs turned up at Old Trafford against a wounded Manchester United side and went all out for the kill. They kept pushing even when the win was secured, registering 22 attempts on goal to United's five and kept 62% possession of the ball. Yes, the red card Martial picked up helped, but they were already winning before that happened.
United will arrive in north London on Sunday to face a Tottenham side that have lost two of their last five, while they also blew a lead against Newcastle last time out to leave with just a point. The roles have been reversed, and this time they're the wounded ones.
Solskjaer has a squad brimming with confidence and options, missing only the injured Martial. Fernandes and Marcus Rashford have both hit the 20-goal mark for the season already, while Mason Greenwood has scored two in his last three games. Paul Pogba's return from injury has been positive and defensively they have kept nine clean sheets in their last 14 games in all competitions.
United have nothing to fear going into the game and after finally overcoming their issues against big six opposition, by beating Manchester City in March, they should be brave once more and go for the jugular.
A win over Spurs would not only cement their place in the top four for next season, but would lay down a marker that United are now ready to go up against other top teams and back themselves to come out on top. This is a Tottenham team in disarray and if Solskjaer isn't willing to go on the front foot in a scenario like this, he never will.