Man Utd vs Spurs: Premier League game of the week

Perhaps the most intriguing game of the opening weekend of the season is the very first clash of the campaign, between Manchester United and Spurs, which kicks off at 12.45pm on Saturday at Old Trafford.

The match will see home debuts for several of United's summer signings, but the biggest question concerns who will be in goal for United after it was revealed that David de Gea would not be playing as rumours of a move to Real Madrid continue to swirl. The Spanish keeper is finding it hard "to manage his situation" according to United boss Louis van Gaal.

De Gea "produced an unconvincing performance in United's final game of the summer tour of the United States against Paris Saint Germain," reports the Daily Telegraph. "And with Van Gaal delaying Sam Johnstone's loan move to Preston, the United manager is set to play the youngster, who made four appearances on tour, in place of De Gea."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

If 22-year-old rookie Johnstone is selected it could be seen as a snub for new signing Sergio Romero, the Argentine international keeper, and out-of-favour Spanish veteran Victor Valdes.

The goalkeeping debate has overshadowed questions over United's formation. With new signings Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger in the mix, Van Gaal is expected to adopt a new formation with Wayne Rooney employed as the main striker. Memphis Depay could play behind or alongside Rooney, and Sky Sports predicts that Juan Mata and Ashley Young will play wide.

At the back it will be a surprise if Matteo Darmian does not start at full-back, despite Van Gaal's claims he is back-up to Antonio Valencia. The identity of Van Gaal's centre backs will also be telling.

For Spurs, Harry Kane will be the centre of attention. After a stellar breakthrough season Kane will be hoping to pick up where he left off last season. The striker has also been linked with a move to United, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the opening day clash.

Spurs will hope to be challenging the likes of United this season for a spot in the top four, but it will be a shock if they come away from Old Trafford with a share of the spoils.

This weekend's other fixtures:

Saturday:

Bournemouth v Aston Villa

Everton v Watford

Leicester v Sunderland

Norwich v Crystal Palace

Chelsea v Swansea

Sunday

Arsenal v West Ham

Newcastle v Southampton

Stoke v Liverpool

Monday

West Brom v Man City