0-1 v Manchester United - 28 October 2017 - Away

Tottenham Hotspur Badge

Spurs 0

Manchester United

Manchester United

1

  • Martial
    81'
Details
Match Number

7259

Opposition
Manchester united

Manchester United

Competition
Premier League

Premier League

Season

2017/18

Date

28th October 2017

Kick Off

12:30

Venue

Old Trafford

Attendance

75,034

Referee

Jonathan Moss

League Position

3rd

Opposition League Position

2nd

Opposition Form

DLDWWW

Weather at Kick Off

13° - Overcast

Facts & Milestones
  • 7223rd overall match (3446 wins, 1591 draws, 2173 losses)

  • 5637th competitive match (2538 wins, 1323 draws, 1776 losses)

  • team

    192nd match vs Manchester United (53 wins, 48 draws, 91 losses)

  • competition

    972nd Premier League match (406 wins, 249 draws, 317 losses)

  • 6601st match in England (3104 wins, 1484 draws, 2000 losses)

  • 96th match at Old Trafford (15 wins, 16 draws, 65 losses)

  • Ben Davies
    Ben Davies: 100th appearance
  • There were 5 changes to the starting lineup from the last match.

Report

Anthony Martial's late winner kept Manchester United in second place in the Premier League as they edged out Spurs in a hard-fought encounter at Old Trafford.

Martial's introduction for Marcus Rashford after 70 minutes was not well received by some Manchester United supporters - but manager Jose Mourinho's move proved to be a masterstroke as the French striker raced on to Romelu Lukaku's header to beat Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris with only nine minutes left.

It was a narrow victory United just about deserved after creating the better chances in the second half, Lukaku producing an outstanding save from Lloris and hitting the woodwork with a header.

Spurs missed the goalscoring threat and presence of the injured Harry Kane, creating little other than a chance which Dele Alli steered just wide from Christian Eriksen's cross with the game still goalless.

In the end, Mourinho's change and Martial's penalty box finish made the difference as United recovered from last week's surprise loss at Huddersfield Town.

When Mourinho removed Rashford and sent on Martial with 20 minutes left, sections of Old Trafford signalled - and indeed gestured - their disapproval at the move.

It was actually the catalyst for United's match-winning surge as they finally pierced the defensive barrier erected by Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Romelu Lukaku, who had endured a frustrating afternoon, burst into life with a run and shot that was brilliantly saved by Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris then had a header that bounced to safety off the post.

United built momentum after Mourinho's change and it was Lukaku who rose to send a header into Martial's path for a finish that was not clean but good enough.

Mourinho had criticism to contend with for his approach to the goalless draw at Liverpool a fortnight ago - but here he made the tactical tweak that proved decisive.

Pochettino was, with very good reason, outraged by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola's description of Tottenham as "the Harry Kane team."

There is so much more to Spurs than that in the shape of Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli and a superbly-drilled defence - but here they missed that edge of menace the 24-year-old would have provided.

Spurs are not 'the Harry Kane team' in the slightest - but any side in the world would miss a striker in the sort of form England's captain is currently in.

Son Heung-min battled hard before he was replaced by Fernando Llorente but neither could replicate the sort of threat Kane has been producing in recent weeks.

Mourinho will also point out he was missing key midfielder Paul Pogba - but there was no doubt, despite the defiant message from Pochettino before the kick-off, that Spurs were dealt a huge blow to their plans by Kane's hamstring injury.

Lukaku was given a real show of faith by Mourinho when he persisted with the striker after deciding to make changes.

It could just as easily have been Lukaku who was withdrawn rather than Rashford as the game entered its final phase - but Mourinho stuck with his summer purchase from Everton and it paid dividends.

The £90m striker had been a figure of frustration for much of the game as he gestured to his team-mates for greater and quicker support as he battled against Eric Dier, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld.

And yet, through sheer persistence and determination, he was able to make a key contribution to set up Martial's late winner.

Another key figure for United was the rejuvenated Ashley Young, employed down the left-flank, defending tirelessly and occasionally delivering the sort of dangerous crosses that were his trademark as a flying winger.

He fully deserved the standing ovation he received from Old Trafford when he was taken off in stoppage time.

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho: "That was difficult, it could have been a draw. Both teams were trying to win but both knew the opponent was strong.

"Apart from Dele Alli's chance, we controlled them well. It was tactically difficult for both and it was well refereed. It was strong, aggressive.

"We knew if we had one defensive mistake we could lose and that's what happened to them.

"We tried and we deserved the victory."

Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino: "It was an even game. It was a shame to lose. The chances were for one and then the other. It was a tough game and I think we deserved more. I feel proud of the effort and it was unlucky that in the last 10 minutes we conceded our goal. It was our mistake.

"It is important to be calm and in football these type of mistakes happen. We must fix that and move on. We cannot change the result.

"We contained United very well. Always we were in control of the game. We had the ball but it is true we did not create enough chances to score. In this type of game if you make a mistake you lose."

Timeline
KO
HT

Antonio Valencia

75'

Anthony Martial

81'
FT
Location
League Table
# Team PL W D L GF GA GD PTS
1
Manchester city
9 8 1 0 32 4 28 25
2
Manchester united
9 6 2 1 22 4 18 20
3
Tottenham Hotspur Badge Tottenham Hotspur
9 6 2 1 19 6 13 20
4
Chelsea
9 5 1 3 17 10 7 16
5
Arsenal
9 5 1 3 17 12 5 16
6
Watford
9 4 3 2 15 17 -2 15
7
Newcastle united
9 4 2 3 10 8 2 14
8
Burnley
9 3 4 2 8 9 -1 13
9
Liverpool
9 3 4 2 14 16 -2 13
10
Southampton
9 3 3 3 8 9 -1 12
11
Huddersfield town
9 3 3 3 7 10 -3 12
12
Brighton hove albion
9 3 2 4 9 10 -1 11
13
West bromwich albion
9 2 4 3 7 10 -3 10
14
Leicester city
9 2 3 4 12 14 -2 9
15
Swansea city
9 2 2 5 6 10 -4 8
16
West ham united
9 2 2 5 8 17 -9 8
17
Stoke city
9 2 2 5 10 20 -10 8
18
Everton
9 2 2 5 7 18 -11 8
19
Afc bournemouth
9 2 1 6 6 13 -7 7
20
Crystal palace
9 1 0 8 2 19 -17 3
# Team PL W D L GF GA GD PTS
1
Manchester city
10 9 1 0 35 6 29 28
2
Manchester united
10 7 2 1 23 4 19 23
3
Tottenham Hotspur Badge Tottenham Hotspur
10 6 2 2 19 7 12 20
4
Chelsea
10 6 1 3 18 10 8 19
5
Arsenal
10 6 1 3 19 13 6 19
6
Liverpool
10 4 4 2 17 16 1 16
7
Watford
10 4 3 3 15 18 -3 15
8
Newcastle united
9 4 2 3 10 8 2 14
9
Southampton
10 3 4 3 9 10 -1 13
10
Burnley
9 3 4 2 8 9 -1 13
11
Leicester city
10 3 3 4 14 14 0 12
12
Brighton hove albion
10 3 3 4 10 11 -1 12
13
Huddersfield town
10 3 3 4 7 13 -6 12
14
Stoke city
10 3 2 5 11 20 -9 11
15
West bromwich albion
10 2 4 4 9 13 -4 10
16
West ham united
10 2 3 5 10 19 -9 9
17
Swansea city
10 2 2 6 7 12 -5 8
18
Everton
10 2 2 6 7 20 -13 8
19
Afc bournemouth
10 2 1 7 6 14 -8 7
20
Crystal palace
10 1 1 8 4 21 -17 4
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