Manchester United 2-2 Tottenham Hotspurs: Match Report

United came from behind twice to secure a point in a fluctuating encounter with Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

 

Wayne Rooney grabbed both goals, in each case after the Reds had fallen behind somewhat against the run of play. Kyle Walker had opened the scoring with a free kick on 18 minutes, while Sandro’s long-range strike saw Spurs re-take the lead nine minutes into the second half. The result changed little in terms of United jostling with a clutch of other sides in the Barclays Premier League table. However this week’s home dates with Everton and Newcastle, two of the aforementioned sides, give David Moyes’ men a chance to build on this platform. The Reds play 10 times over the next month, and the demands of this busy period could have influenced the three changes to the side that thrashed Bayer Leverkusen in midweek. Danny Welbeck made his first start for United since the draw with Shakhtar Donetsk on 5 October, but following his excellent contribution in Germany, Ryan Giggs was rested completely two days after his 40th birthday and was not in the matchday squad.

United had the better of the opening phase of the match without threatening Hugo Lloris in the Spurs goal, but they were made to pay for not capitalising on their early pressure by the home side on 18 minutes. Paulinho won a free kick on the edge of the area under challenge from Jonny Evans, and as the four-man defensive wall jumped in expectation that Walker would try to bend the ball over it, the right-back smashed his effort underneath and past David De Gea’s right hand into the net.

The goal lifted the home support, understandably edgy earlier on in the wake of their side’s humiliation at Manchester City a week ago, but Roberto Soldado wasted their new momentum 10 minutes after the goal when he failed to hit the target after Paulinho had set up the striker. De Gea then made a crucial block to deny Aaron Lennon, and within seconds later the Premier League champions were level thanks to brilliant work from Phil Jones.

The versatile England international, operating in midfield, won the ball from Moussa Dembele on the right flank and whipped an excellent cross into the Spurs area. A poor touch from Walker knocked the ball back into the path of the lurking Rooney, who stretched out his right foot to place the ball past Lloris for his seventh league goal of what is already an outstanding season for United’s talisman. But Spurs re-took the lead after the break in similar, against-the-run-of-play circumstances to their first goal when Sandro cut onto his right foot to elude Tom Cleverley before unleashing an unstoppable shot from 25 yards out that flew past De Gea.

The Reds’ famed ability to hit back in adversity was in evidence within three minutes when Lloris caught Welbeck inside the area for a cast-iron penalty. After the customary delay for protests to referee Mike Dean, Rooney kept a cool head amid the noise to drive the ball home just off-centre as the Spurs keeper went to his left.

The game became stretched in the latter stages as both sides searched for the decisive blow. Welbeck could not quite convert a fine run to the byline into a meaningful chance, while substitute Andros Townsend could not quite stretch himself to reach cross and threaten De Gea.

A cute exchange in the area between Nani and Javier Hernandez late on briefly raised hopes, but a block from Michael Dawson snuffed out the chance for the Mexico striker. Spurs applied pressure at a free kick and corners in stoppage time, but the Reds' defence held firm to extend the unbeaten run in all competitions to 12 games.