The 2015-16 season is nearing its end and my word, what an unbelievable season it has been. The defending champions struggling, last season’s relegation battlers on top with one hand on the trophy, three of the traditional “Big Four” not present in the Top 4, and the fight for European football goes on and will go on until the final day.
Now, let’s focus on the match which is set to take place on April 10 – Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United. A very crucial match as Spurs is challenging for the title and United fight for a Champions League spot. Wow. There’s a sentence I thought I’d never use. It was always the other way round till now, but well, this is the English Premier League.
The stage is set for a thrilling encounter at White Hart Lane on Sunday and the odds are in favour of the home side who have the scored the most goals and conceded the fewest in the League this season.
This fixture has always been very entertaining and we’ve seen many surprising results over the years. Let’s go down memory lane and take a look at some of the best United-Spurs games.
Tottenham Hotspur 2 – 2 Manchester United
White Hart Lane
December 12, 1998
George Graham led his Tottenham Hotspur side out at White Hart Lane against Manchester United for the second time in 10 days. Spurs had already beaten Manchester United on December 02, 1998 in the League Cup at White Hart Lane and now they looked to replicate the same in the Premier League.
Chris Armstrong, who started the scoring in the previous game against United was included in the starting eleven again. But this time, things did not go according to plan as it took United just 11 minutes to score the first goal of the evening.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer gave United that early lead and then doubled it just 7 minutes later and it looked like a cake walk for United. Hope for Tottenham came in the 39th minute when Gary Neville received a second yellow and United were down to 10 men at the half-time.
Seeing his team in a comfortable 2-0 lead, but a man down, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson decided to replace goalscorer Solskjaer with defender Henning Berg for the second half. Tottenham knew they had a chance and they came out strong in the second half.
They were rewarded for their persistence as Sol Campbell pulled one back for Spurs in the 70th minute. United was defending with all they had and they did well to frustrate Spurs and kept them at bay until the final minute.
Into the 90th minute, it went and Tottenham deservedly got their equalizer. It was Sol Campbell again, breaking the hearts of Manchester United and rescuing a crucial point for Spurs, meaning United had failed to win two consecutive games against Spurs for the first time in 6 years.
Tottenham Hotspur 3 – 5 Manchester United
White Hart Lane
September 29, 2001
Manchester United went to White Hart Lane looking for retribution. Spurs had beaten Manchester United 3-1 during their last visit and Sir Alex was not looking to make it two losses in a row against Glenn Hoddle’s Tottenham.
The 36,000 fans inside the stadium were about to witness one of the greatest matches of all time. Though it would be a major heartbreak for the majority inside the stadium. It took Tottenham 15 minutes to take the lead through debutant Dean Richards.
Before United could respond, Spurs doubled their lead on 10 minutes through Les Ferdinand. Ferguson wasted no time in changing things by putting on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for Nicky Butt and turned the 442 into a 433.
But there were no stopping Spurs in the first half as they struck again as Christian Ziege scored just before the half-time whistle as Spurs went into the dressing room, happily, with a 3-0 lead. It already looked like it was game over for Manchester United.
But it’s not over until it’s over! After an apparent “hairdryer”, United came out determined. A minute into the second half and Andy Cole pulled one back for the Red Devils. A much needed boost for Fergie’s men.
12 minutes later, the deficit was down to one goal as Laurent Blanc netted United’s second of the night and it was parity was restored as the prolific Ruud van Nistelrooy scored after 72 minutes. Shocking the majority inside White Hart Lane, Juan Sebastian Veron scored the fourth goal just 4 minutes after the equalizer.
Not only did United come back from 3 goals down to lead the game but they also made it a comfortable lead as David Beckham wrapped it up 3 minutes before the final whistle to give United an unexpected 3-5 win as the fans experienced one of the best comebacks in football history.
Manchester United 5 – 2 Tottenham Hotspur
Old Trafford
April 25, 2009
Playing at Old Trafford against a Manchester United side who are hungry for the title and playing under Sir Alex Ferguson was always a very tough task. Especially for Tottenham Hotspur, who’s the last victory over Manchester United had come in 2001.
That 3-1 victory was at White Hart Lane. The last time Spurs had beaten Manchester United at Old Trafford was in 1989 when Gary Lineker scored the only goal of the match. So Harry Redknapp led his team out to try and make history.
Surprisingly, Tottenham did get off to an excellent start. Darren Bent scored just before the half-hour mark. Luka Modric then shocked Old Trafford just 3 minutes later as Tottenham took a 2-0 against the league leaders in their own back yard.
United were level on points with Liverpool at the top of the table and desperately needed a win to go 3 points clear as there were just 5 games remaining in the season. Again, no time wasting by Sir Alex as he withdrew Nani and put on Carlos Tevez as United went into full attack mode.
12 minutes into the second half, United were given a lifeline as Michael Carrick was taken down in the box by Heurelho Gomes and Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up and calmly slotted home the spot kick to make it 1-2.
Following a counterattack, Wayne Rooney squared things up 10 minutes after the first goal, beating Gomes at his near post. The momentum was with United and before Old Trafford stopped celebrating the equalizer, Cristiano Ronaldo headed in the third goal in the 68th minute.
The Tottenham defence was left in chaos as Wayne Rooney scored again just 3 minutes later to make it 4-2. There was a crescendo of noise inside Old Trafford and then former Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov sealed it in the 79th minute.
United scored 4 goals in 12 minutes to turn this game on its head, go to the top of the Premier League, 3 points clear of Liverpool and eventually won the Premier League that season. This was a very astounding and crucial win for the Red Devils.
Manchester United 2 – 3 Tottenham Hotspur
Old Trafford
September 29, 2012
Under new manager Andre Villas-Boas, Spurs travelled to Manchester United in a hope to bag a win at The Theatre of Dreams for the first time in 23 years. So clearly, Manchester United were favourites to win this tie.
Tottenham struck through Jan Vertonghen just after 2 minutes. The Dubious Goals Committee confirmed later that it was indeed a Johnny Evans own goal. But it did not matter, as Spurs had the lead and things got even better as they doubled it via Gareth Bale just after the half hour mark.
They went into half-time with a comfortable two-goal lead, but they had to keep the past in mind. They had been caught in the past twice. Leading 2-0 and 3-0 in the first half and then conceding 5 in the second, so it wasn’t the end, just yet.
Sir Alex put Wayne Rooney on for Ryan Giggs to change things a little. 6 minutes into the second half, United got their goal through Nani and expectations were sent soaring through the skies as everyone thought they’d witness another great comeback.
The celebrations were cut short by Clint Dempsey who restored Tottenham’s 2 goal lead in the next minute itself as Old Trafford went silent. And within a minute of that goal, Shinji Kagawa scored United’s second and made sure Old Trafford started roaring again.
Three goals were scored in three minutes and the atmosphere in Manchester was electrifying. Unfortunately, for the Red Devils, the comeback they were expecting never came. They couldn’t even steal a draw as Spurs celebrated their first victory at Old Trafford in 23 years.
Manchester United 1 – 2 Tottenham Hotspur
Old Trafford
January 01, 2014
Starting the new year with a cracking fixture. Sir Alex had retired and Manchester United was struggling and this was the perfect opportunity for Spurs to pounce and take some points off the Red Devils. They had lost their star Gareth Bale but had made numerous, decent signings.
Manchester United fielded a side with most of the players under the age of 22. A young and energetic side against a new reformed Tottenham Hotspur. It was a closely contested game in which Spurs took the lead through Emmanuel Adebayor in the 34th minute.
Had Sir Alex been the manager, there would be hope around the stadium, but with David Moyes in the dugout now, everyone had doubts and there was growing concern inside Old Trafford as the teams went in at half-time, with Spurs leading 1-0.
No changes were made at half-time as Moyes showed belief in his starting eleven. Everything remained constant until the hour mark when United made two attack-minded substitutions. Shinji Kagawa and Javier Hernandez were thrown on and Chris Smalling and Michael Carrick were withdrawn.
The intentions were clear, United was going for it with everything they had. The defence, however, was left vulnerable and that was when Spurs took their chance and got what they wanted – The second goal through new signing Christian Eriksen in the 66th minute.
The impact of the all-out attack game plan of Manchester United came in the very next minute via Danny Welbeck. But it was a little too late. There were numerous attempts, but the second goal had put United down and even after scoring instantly, they were unable to score again.
Spurs bagged all three points in a season which saw them finish above Manchester United. United finished the season in a shocking and disappointing 7th place and Tottenham finished 6th.
