Tottenham arriving in town on the back of three wins since Jose Mourinho took charge, and a short trip to Manchester City, to face a team that looked back to its best in the midweek thumping of Burnley, seemed a tough agenda at the best of times.
Coming after a disappointing home draw with Aston Villa, there must have been a temptation for the manager to adopt a cautious approach.
Anthony Martial's injury would have steered most coaches in the direction of adding another defender to the side, providing more solidity against a Spurs line-up boasting some of the most dangerous attackers in the Premier League.