Tottenham Hotspur won at Old Trafford for the second successive season thanks to goals from Emmanuel Adebayor and Christian Eriksen. Manchester United responded through Danny Welbeck, but the Premier League champions stay 11 points adrift of leaders Arsenal. Welbeck forced Hugo Lloris in the Spurs goal to parry away early on as he raced through on goal and left Michael Dawson for dead. Chris Smalling also drew a save from the visiting keeper. David De Gea was then worked by Aaron Lennon when Adebayor found Soldado and the Spanish striker slipped in the Tottenham winger. Nemanja Vidic headed wide from a right wing corner on 20 minutes, but the Red Devils later conceded on the counter. Adebayor headed home Eriksen's stood up centre ten minutes before half time and Hotspur then could have gone in two goals ahead. Soldado shanked wide, however, when found by a lovely Lennon cross. Welbeck flicked straight at Lloris after the break when Michael Carrick lofted a through-ball over the top of the Tottenham defence. Referee Howard Webb then waved away penalty appeals when Welbeck went down under minimal contact from Vlad Chiriches's challenge. Spurs caught the Red Devils on the break again 25 minutes from time. Eriksen, who assisted the opener, got across Antonio Valencia to convert Lennon's cross. That two-goal advantage only lasted a few moments, however. Welbeck pulled one back for United, dinking over Lloris after Adan Januzaj's incisive through-ball. Tottenham then lost Emmanuel Adebayor. He was stretchered off. Hotspur survived a frantic goalmouth scramble inside the final 15 minutes. Sub Ashley Young would have fired into an empty net, but for Dawson when Lloris was caught in no man's land during a grandstand finish. The Spurs stopper redeemed himself with a plunging palm to keep out Wayne Rooney in stoppage time. Lloris saved again at the resulting corner and Lennon made a goal-line clearance as the Red Devils laid siege to the Hotspur goal at the death. Vidic headed over and Tottenham survived to take another memorable win. Tim Sherwood has taken Spurs to within sight of the top four with a third win in four league outings since succeeding Andre Villas-Boas. David Moyes meanwhile may have to rethink his view on January signings.
Jamie Clark is a qualified Web Journalist after undergoing professional training at the University of Sheffield. A prolific and accredited sports writer, he also enjoys classic comedy, historic fiction, 80s music and heritage.
