Merry Christmas, football fans.

This truly is a bountiful time of the season when the Premier League comes thick and fast. Today, two days after the last round of fixtures, there are another nine to get your teeth into.

Here are the teams.

And despite the proximity to the Stephen’s Day win over Newcastle LVG has named an unchanged XI.

So, as much as United have made no changes, there are four for Spurs.

Andros Townsend starts for the first time since 9th November. Vlad Chiriches, Ben Davies and Ryan Mason are all in.  Kyle Walker, Danny Rose and Nabil Bentaleb make way.

Here at TheScore.ie HQ we are intrigued by what a ‘fatigue recovery specialist’ is. Could this be VanGaalish (a mixture of Dutch, English and Van Gaal-isms) at its best?

Do you agree with this, Spurs fans?

Here’s how we can expect the teams to line up.

Wayne Rooney is again in central midfield alongside Michael Carrick.

I’m completely impartial here but this analysis on his new role is good and well worth a read.*

*Okay, okay. I wrote it.

STAT ATTACK! And this will impress your mates so have your WhatsApp handy…

Manchester United have today named an unchanged XI for the first time in 85 Premier League games, going back to November 2012.”

Giggsy’s seduction technique is well-known. Here, he even seems to be making headway with ex-team-mate Owen Hargreaves. Alternatively, he may be remembering that time (long ago) when he had a similar barnet.

Let’s have a caption contest…off ye go, everyone. The winner gets mentioned in the liveblog. Can’t say better than that…

Phil Cole / EMPICS Sport Phil Cole / EMPICS Sport / EMPICS Sport

History suggests United will take this, despite some people’s reservations. Spurs haven’t beaten them at WHL since May 2001.

Question time! Which Spurs player scored twice in that game? A couple of clues. He’s Dutch and had a neat left foot.  

We’re tipping Wayne Rooney to score the opening goal here. If you fancy a flutter on the rest of today’s Premier League action, here are some tips…

Pre-game handshakes taking place at the moment! Almost there!

On that Rooney bet…we know what we’re doing here at TheScore.ie! In case you thought we were on the bandwagon!

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A minute’s applause for Ron Henry, a member of Spurs’ great double-winning side of the 1960s, who died yesterday at the age of 80. RIP.

AND WE’RE UNDERWAY! 

Bright start by Spurs – controlled, some crisp passing. Mason already tried one from long-range that was well blocked by the United defence.

First sign of intent from United. Spurs cheaply surrender possession in midfield and Mata picks it up. Spreads it wide to Valencia who hangs up a cross but it’s too long for Van Persie and Falcao. Young picks it up at the far post but he’s closed down and the attack comes to nothing.

Another break from United. Carrick springs Young down the left and he exchanges passes with Falcao and races down the wing. His pull-back is weak though and Spurs can clear.

Young was very impressive against Newcastle on Stephen’s Day, whipping in a couple of brilliant crosses. Started brightly again here.

Good play from Harry Kane. Shrugs off a couple of challenges and tries to slip in Mason with a clever ball but just as he takes a touch in the area, Jones gets across and slides in.

At the other end, Rooney gets on the end of a superb pass from Mata, flicks it to Falcao in the area but the Colombian is crowded out as he tries to turn and get a shot in. Lots of energy from both teams early on here.

Interesting…too much respect from Van Gaal? Eriksen can be a pretty patchy performer.

Vertonghen brings down Mata on the right side. The Spaniard whips in the resulting free-kick but Lloris gets across and punches it clear and out for a throw-in. Commanding from the French goalkeeper.

I get the Harry Kane love, I really do. But for me, he looks far too much like one of those young bucks from McBusted to be taken seriously.

Jones dives in and commits a foul, Spurs’ free-kick in a dangerous position here. Eriksen to whip it in…

And the delivery comes to nothing, United clear their lines and there’s nothing to see here. Maybe except for some baffling decisions from referee Jon Moss. He’s not given United much and whistled for some soft ‘fouls’ in the last few minutes.

Vertonghen can handle himself, we all know that. The Belgian already took down Mata earlier on and now he catches Falcao with a flailing arm. There’s really not much in it at all, the Colombian making a bit of a meal of it. But it leads to an in-depth chat between referee Moss and Rooney, who has obviously been complaining about the lack of ‘protection’ the official has afforded the visitors.

CLOSE! Mata slips it through for Falcao who should really take it first time. Instead, it seems to get caught under his feet and he can only slice his shot towards goal and it’s easily held by Lloris. Best chance of the game so far.

This game is opening up nicely. Spurs go up the other end with Townsend cutting in from the right and firing a left foot shot on goal.

De Gea claims it low to his right without much fuss.

CHANCE! So close for Manchester United.

After Van Persie won a free on the edge of the area, Mata swung the set-piece against the post. Van Persie was following in the rebound, but the glut of bodies sent the ball spinning left of the goalkeeper and Spurs managed to clear off the line.

Another close run thing for United. Rooney swings a corner in and Van Persie appears to shoulder the ball back across the six-yard box. Falcao is in the perfect position but can’t react. Evans comes storming in with a header that is cleared off (or maybe over) the line, but the offside flag is up and Spurs survive again.

57% possession for United with close to half an hour played. They’ve created some great chances. Van Gaal will be pleased. But a goal before the break would do nicely.

On that United chance a few minutes ago, an excellent call from the linesman. Jones was offside though it would’ve been a goal had he not been.

CLOSE! Mata’s attempted pass finds its way to Falcao who races into the left channel of the area, cuts inside and tries to curl the low strike to the far corner. But it’s too close to Lloris who takes it easily. That’s a really good chance and the Colombian should’ve done better.

VERY CLOSE! How it’s still scoreless is beyond me! Van Persie is right on the shoulder of the centre back and makes a darting run. Carrick inevitably finds him and the Dutchman drags it down perfectly inside the 6-yard area with Lloris not committing himself. But the keeper somehow stands up and blocks with his leg as the striker pulls the trigger. It’s brilliant goalkeeping but Van Persie was practically on the goal-line taking the shot!

CLOSE! Another top save from Lloris as he stretches to tip away a terrific strike from Young. The wing-backs’s usual – cutting in from the left and curling it to the far corner. It’s all United.

AND THAT’S IT FOR THE FIRST HALF! United have peppered the Spurs’ goal with shots but it remains scoreless. The hosts are taking a battering but are still in this. Van Gaal will be relatively happy but will be immensely disappointed that his highly-rated strike-force of Falcao and Van Persie have squandered really excellent opportunities.

Sorry – just took a quick tea break. Important to keep hydrated during these live-blogs, y’know.

By the way – for all of you wondering (and I know there are thousands of you), it was Willem Korsten who scored a brace the last time Spurs beat United at WHL in 2001. Now, those of you who got it correct, off you go to brag to your mates…

Here we go for the second half. A change for United.

Rafael comes in to replace Valencia down the right side. It’s injury-related. What a surprise. We’re back underway for the second half, by the way.

For what it’s worth, Rooney hasn’t popped up too often this afternoon. Mata has been far more involved though the United skipper seems to be a lot higher since second half started, almost playing between the lines rather than sitting alongside Carrick.

Spurs offer up something in the final third. A rare occurrence. Kane is involved, tries to get a ball across the 6-yard area but Jones is alive to it and slides it to boot it clear for a corner. Better from the hosts.

Kane does well here – he stays on his feet from the subsequent Spurs’ corner despite McNair coming across him and slightly catching him from behind in the area. Clumsy from the youngster but, and I hate saying this, credit the Spurs’ man for not going to ground.

CLOSE! Another chance for Van Persie and another miss. Slow build up from United as Mata and Rafael exchange passes down the right. As it’s slipped back to Carrick, he pings a ball into the channel, perfectly finding Mata’s run in behind. From his cross, Van Persie volleys over at the near post. He does seem set to score here, doesn’t he? How many can he squander?

You’d fear for Spurs if United get one here. But as the half is progressing, there’s some sloppiness creeping in to United’s passing and ball retention.

OUCH! Clearly frustrated, RVP goes in late on Vertonghen as the Belgian clears his lines. The crowed are baying for blood but there’s really nothing in it – just a push. RVP sweet-talks Jon Moss and escapes a booking.

There’s going to be a sending-off here, I reckon. It’s turned very scrappy and there are arms everywhere in each 50-50. There’s a niggle to this and the teams will do well to keep a full complement on the pitch.

GOOD HIT! Townsend shows some silks and evades a couple of challenges, takes the shot on from distance and fizzes the right-footed effort towards goal. It’s traveling but De Gea gets down and makes a relatively comfortable stop.

CLOSE! This time it’s Mata but the end result is the same: off target. Greta work from Rafael who digs out a lovely cut-back despite being hemmed in by the corner flag. Mata is all alone and arrives to thump one on his weaker right-foot but how he doesn’t hit the target is beyond me. Awful.

What should Van Gaal and Pochettino do? Who would you bring on?

Subs: Walker, Paulinho, Soldado, Lamela, Vorm, Dier, Dembele.

Subs: Da Silva, Shaw, Smalling, Lindegaard, Fletcher, Pereira, Wilson.

Well, not the change many were expecting. It could be injury-related as Chris Smalling comes in for Jonny Evans.

Well, slightly odd from Van Gaal. Luke Shaw comes on for Paddy McNair and that’s it for United’s changes here. All of them have been defensive. Clearly, Van Gaal feels his attackers owe him after squandering so much throughout this game. A switch in formation too here. A flat back-four for United now with Rafael and Shaw in the full-back positions.

CLOSE! Eriksen fancies the free-kick (similar position to where he scored against Leicester on Stephen’s Day). Very timid hit but it’s on target and De Gea gets across to parry it clear at his near post.

A double-change for the home side. Lamela and Dembele are in as Chadli and Townsend make way.

WHAT A CHANCE! Spurs should be in front. Kane breaks clear with no support. United have four back but the youngster does well to hold it, cut inside and then play a perfect reverse pass for Davies in the left of the area. With all the goal to aim for, he blazes it narrowly over the bar. They may not get a better chance.

Just seen a replay of a recent Spurs’ corner and Wayne Rooney is immensely lucky. He’s got Kane all wrapped up and it should be a penalty, no doubt. Meanwhile, Moss (who has been poor all afternoon) has given Falcao a yellow card for a barely-foul.

United flagging, big-time. That ‘fatigue recovery specialist’ Van Gaal spoke about before the game clearly hasn’t worked. Spurs are much brighter in these closing stages and if they had a better set-piece delivery (Eriksen is a frustrating player to watch), they could be in front. About 5/6 minutes left including injury-time.

Can’t wait to hear Van Gaal discuss his changes. Wilson’s pace surely could’ve stretched the Spurs defence in the second half, giving United a different dimension. The two strikers have been under wraps in the second half and have been pretty stiff.

That sums up United’s second half. Young drives down the left with intent and then slices his attempted cross straight out of play. One of those days for the away side.

AND THAT’S IT AT WHITE HART LANE! Two successive away games that United have struggled in. The 1-1 draw with Villa and now this. One big difference. Here, they created a litany of opportunities. Yes, Lloris did well when required but Falcao and Van Persie will probably keep their heads down when they sit in the dressing-room. Van Gaal will likely rage at his attackers for their inability to score this afternoon. The team’s energy levels dropped significantly as the second half wore on while Van Gaal will likely have to explain his logic in bringing in Smalling and Shaw with the game scoreless. Surely an attacking change made more sense? Anyway, we’ll be back with his and Pochettino’s reactions very shortly…

Louis van Gaal:

On the game: 

“We lost two points. We had the best first-half performance of this season and could’ve scored 4 or 5 goals. We didn’t reward ourselves. The second half was more struggle than football. Players can’t recover in 2 days and it was an ugly match in the second half. If you don’t score goals, you can’t win games.”

On the difficulty of the schedule: 

“I’ve said it already. But it’s okay. It’s the culture of England. The human body can’t recover in 48 hours  - you’ve seen that in the 2nd half.”

On whether United left it behind them: 

“Is it a missed opportunity? Of course. You’ve seen the match. You can review the opportunities we had. Even on the goal-line we couldn’t score.”

On whether he was happy with his side’s resilience in the face of Spurs’ pressure in second half: 

“We gave three chances away in the whole game but we could’ve scored – Mata was free from 6 yards, Van Persie could’ve scored, Falcao could’ve scored too. The first half was fantastic but then you have to finish the attacks. We weren’t so effective.

On what his January transfer plans are looking like: 

“I discuss that with the CEO. I won’t discuss that with you. I’m sorry.”

On being happy with how the team has done in 2014: 

“I should’ve been satisfied if we’d have won today. It would’ve meant we’d have 38 points from 19 matches – 2 points per game on average.”