Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur arrive at Old Trafford on Saturday carrying nearly identical headaches — poor early-season form — despite taking entirely opposite approaches in the summer transfer window.

Tottenham committed £334m to reshaping their squad, including a £100m move for Sandro Tonali as manager Roberto De Zerbi was handed sweeping resources. Manchester United, by contrast, spent £163m, deliberately prioritising squad depth over a single marquee signing.

Despite that financial disparity, both clubs sit near the foot of the Premier League table. Tottenham are yet to win a league game this season and are rooted to the bottom, while Michael Carrick is already under pressure at Old Trafford.

United's summer logic

Manchester United's decision to avoid a £100m-plus signing was not, according to those inside the club, a sign of financial caution. The club identified midfield as the position of greatest need, opting for three additions — Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos, and Carlos Baleba — rather than one headline arrival.

A left-back was also on the radar, with Myles Lewis-Skelly and Lewis Hall monitored, but neither was available. That position is now expected to be addressed in the next transfer window.

Sky Sports News' Dan Khan noted that United's most significant departures this summer — Toby Collyer and Radek Vitek — were players who had never featured in senior football, highlighting the club's ongoing difficulty in moving players on.