After three games without a win in a row, including a painful derby defeat, Manchester United came back in the race for the CL places with a 3:2 victory in a perhaps groundbreaking duel against chasers Tottenham Hotspur. Man of the evening for the Red Devils: Cristiano Ronaldo.
Compared to the bitter 1:4 derby defeat at Manchester City, United coach Ralf Rangnick had to do without the ill Bruno Fernandes as well as the stricken McTominay, while Wan-Bissaka (calf problems), Elanga and Lindelöf were ordered to the bench. Dalot, Varane, Matic, Rashford and also Cristiano Ronaldo, after whose derby absence there had been hot discussions, started from the beginning. There was good news about de Gea, who had tested positive on Friday but was allowed to play thanks to a negative PCR test.
At Spurs, only Reguilon took over on the left wing for Sessegnon after the convincing 5-0 win over Everton. “We have to bring our qualities to the pitch and restrict those of our opponent,” Spurs coach Antonio Conte had said before kick-off, and he may not have been entirely happy with his side’s start afterwards.
Because Tottenham had problems in the build-up to the game, coped poorly with the Red Devils’ counter-pressing – and fell behind after just twelve minutes: In front of the eyes of American football legend Tom Brady, Cristiano Ronaldo scored splendidly from a distance into the left-hand corner.
Kane draws level with Lampard
The lead was not undeserved, Manchester had more of the game and a chance advantage, but as so often this season it did not last. The Londoners came back after just over 20 minutes and came close to an equaliser through Dier. Dalot’s header was cleared off the line (26th), but then Alex Telles stopped a Kulusevski cross with his hand in his own penalty area.
Kane converted the penalty in the lower left corner (35.). With his sixth goal in five consecutive games, the England international striker moved level with Chelsea legend Frank Lampard in the list of the most successful goal scorers in Premier League history – both now share fifth place with 177 goals.
The equaliser was not undeserved, as Spurs had clearly improved – and yet Cristiano Ronaldo put a spoke in their wheel: Matic sent Sancho on his way with a clever deep pass, who found CR7 shortly afterwards (38th). The 2:1 was then also the half-time score, also because Sancho did not get past Lloris in the injury time of half one (45.+1).
Pechvogel Maguire
After the restart, the game was no longer as fast-paced as it had been in the first half. The reason for this was simple: ManUnited pulled back, wanted to entice Spurs and were now looking for counter-attacks. Tottenham, on the other hand, were very busy, but could not find the gaps and did not finish as well as before the change of ends.
The match became visibly flattened, with only the occasional promising shot providing a change of pace: Son missed narrowly (61st), CR7 failed to beat Lloris (67th). After 72 minutes, the Red Devils were punished for their defensive play when the ball came via Kane, Romero and Son to Reguilon and Maguire deflected his cross into his own net to make it 2:2 (72).
Rangnick reacted, made offensive changes and brought on Cavani for Matic, a striker for a six. The next goal, however, was not scored by the Uruguayan but, how could it have been otherwise on this evening, by Cristiano Ronaldo: The Portuguese headed in a corner in a central position perfectly for 3:2 (81.).
Spurs then tried desperately, but in the end United held on for the all-important win and put Arsenal under pressure with an eye on the CL places. At the same time, the Red Devils gained fresh self-confidence for the second leg of the last 16 against Atletico Madrid next Tuesday.
