David Moyes Faces Selection Headache Ahead of Tottenham Hostpur Clash

It's a question managers are asked a lot when their next opponents have suffered heavy defeats in their last games.

Is it a good time to play them? The answer, however, is almost never "yes." 

Manchester United travel to White Hart Lane on Sunday to play Tottenham. It will be the first time Andre Villas-Boas and his team have been back in front of their own fans since their 6-0 humiliation against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

Villas-Boas branded the defeat "an embarrassment," as reported by the BBC, suggesting he and his players should be "ashamed." It preceded a week of speculation that Villas-Boas is on the verge of getting the sack, although the pressure eased slightly with a 2-0 win against Tromso on Thursday to secure their place atop Group K in the Europa League.

Tottenham have scored just nine goals in the Premier League all season, two fewer than Fulham, who are in the bottom three. Villas-Boas has recently discussed the possibility of adding a second striker to his attack but hinted he wouldn't look to introduce one until at least after United's visit this weekend, as reported by the Daily Mail's Laurie Whitwell. It means David Moyes can have a good guess at what challenge lies in wait in north London.

Moyes' big decision is whether to risk Robin van Persie, and with it change a system that was so successful on Wednesday against Bayer Leverkusen. 

Moyes said at his press conference that Van Persie, as well as Nemanja Vidic and Rafael, have "a chance" of featuring against Tottenham, as reported by the Manchester Evening News' David Lynch. If the Dutchman does start, United will most likely be set up in a 4-4-2 with Rooney and Van Persie up front.

But if Van Persie doesn't make it, Moyes will have room to use Shinji Kagawa in the hole behind Rooney. It's highly unlikely Moyes would be so adventurous as to play Rooney and Van Persie up front with Kagawa behind, especially away from home against a top-six side.

On the other hand, Moyes may feel Kagawa was so effective as a No. 10 in Germany that Van Persie will have to settle for a place on the bench at White Hart Lane.