MAN UNITED 2-0 TOTTENHAM
The home side hammered on the door for a long time before smashing it in. Our Tottenham and Man United player ratings reflect the gulf between both sides, on the night.
There was a statistic produced, 30 minutes into United's league clash with Spurs, that showed Erik ten Hag's side had only scored once from their last 64 efforts on goal, at Old Trafford.
For a long stretch, in the first half, it looked as though that number might stretch to 80 before the evening was over. Hugo Lloris pulled out five superb saves, over the opening 45 minutes, and Casemiro was inches wide with a pile-driver from the edge of the box.
Antonio Conte set up Tottenham to try slow and shut down United, but it was lacking ambition. The visitors may have done their job, assigned to them by the Italian, but Fred's deflected strike, on 47 minutes, meant they suddenly had to get their collective fingers out.
[caption id="attachment_274713" align="aligncenter" width="800"]
Fred celebrates with his Manchester United teammates, Antony and Bruno Fernandes, after scoring their side's against Tottenham. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)[/caption]
Bruno comes to the party
Tottenham gradually started to get braver as the second half progressed, but they were struggling to get any purchase from the Manchester United defence.
Their best sight at goal came when David De Gea saved from Harry Kane, only for the linesman to flag for an offside against the Spurs captain. With United in possession, after the save, the game was allowed to continue and United countered with purpose.
Bruno Fernandes, who has been shy in front of goal, of late, had a second bite of the cherry, at the edge of the box, and curled the ball past Lloris with a sublime finished. The United captain had the ball in the net again, with 10 minute to go, but it was ruled out for offside.
The win puts United within eight points of league leaders Arsenal and four off a lacklustre Tottenham, who remain third.
Manchester United player ratings
David de Gea 7
Diogo Dalot 7
Raphael Varane 8
Lisandro Martinez 7
Luke Shaw 8
Casemiro 8
Fred 9
Antony 7
Bruno Fernandes 8
Jadon Sancho 6
Marcus Rashford 6
Substitutes: Scott McTominay (for Antony '69) 6, Christian Eriksen (for Casemiro '86) N/A, Anthony Elanga (for Sancho '86) N/A
Tottenham Hotspur player ratings
Hugo Lloris 8
Matt Doherty 6
Christian Romero 6
Eric Dier 6
Ben Davies 5
Ivan Perisic 5
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg 6
Rodrigo Bentancur 6
Yves Bissouma 5
Son Heung-min 5
Harry Kane 6
Substitutes: Sanchez (for Dier '81) 5, Sessegnon (for Doherty '81) 5, Lucas Moura (for Bissouma '81) 5, Oliver Skipp (for Bentacur '86) N/A, Djed Spence (for Perisic '86) N/A.
