Duncan Castles at White Hart Lane
Sunday February 3, 2008
The Observer

Another success for Juande Ramos, and this one far more palatable to certain North London neighbours. Arsenal stand on top of the League this weekend courtesy of one more cleverly conceived, impressively executed Tottenham performance against opponents sailing high above them in the table.

Manchester United were not expecting this. Held at arm's length through the first half until Ramos's men scored with a counterattack straight out of their opponents' armoury, they were close to conceding a second as they struggled to recover the deficit.

As he had done against Arsenal, the Spanish coach sized up the opposition in a first meeting, tweaked his tactical plan and matched them in the next. Had Michael Dawson not bested his own goalkeeper in his efforts to prevent Carlos Tevez doing the same, Spurs would have had their first win over United in 16 meetings over seven years.

'We deserved the point – just,' said Sir Alex Ferguson. 'We don't stop trying and in the last 25 minutes we absolutely battered them. I think in the first half they were the better team. They worked their socks off and under Juande Ramos they are on the upswing, there is no question about that.'

Tottenham's coach accepted the latter analysis of a game he'd billed as 'a perfect barometer of our progress'. 'Their equaliser was unfortunate,' concluded Ramos. 'But when you are playing against a team as good as United, it cannot be regarded two points dropped. We have played them twice: one we lost and played well, one we drew when we could have won. We are satisfied with our progress, but we will not stop at that.'

There was justified satisfaction at a transfer window that had furnished him with three-quarters of a new back four. Jonathan Woodgate anchored the defence, while Alan Hutton started at right-back. Brazil left-back Gilberto watched from the stands, as did Ledley King, still rehabilitating a fragile knee.

Filtering eight outfielders back to shield that defence, Tottenham restricted United to a series of long shots from Wes Brown, Paul Scholes and Owen Hargreaves. From the last came a classic counterattack – one box to the other in 10 seconds and a goal.

Woodgate claimed possession, shuttling it swiftly on via Robbie Keane for Jermaine Jenas to charge on to United's area, where he was halted by Hargreaves. As Jenas claimed a penalty, Aaron Lennon gathered the ball, drove to the bye line and cut it back to Dimitar Berbatov. One more angled touch and Tottenham were ahead. 'Disappointing,' grumbled Ferguson. 'We should be recovering better from the counterattack.'

Tottenham continued to threaten from set pieces, and another Lennon run and cross left Berbatov volleying over. Against expectations, Tottenham were looking the better team, increasingly petulant United collecting yellow cards. Cristiano Ronaldo sent a free header off target, Patrice Evra argued he had been shoved over in the box and referee Mark Clattenburg ruled against United.

Face writ with fury, Ferguson stormed down the tunnel, hooked Hargreaves, and tried Michael Carrick in midfield. The forward line was also re-jigged, Wayne Rooney sent right, Ronaldo through the middle of what was to become a permanent four. Tevez, Ronaldo and Nemanja Vidic spurned aerial opportunities as Tottenham dropped deeper, yet still the nearer things went the home team's way.

First Huddlestone found room for a strike that span round a post, then Berbatov played in Keane, who should have done better than shoot straight at the goalkeeper. Ferguson shuffled again, replacing the struggling Scholes and Ryan Giggs with Anderson and Nani. The latter, though, started destructively, with an ugly foul on Pascal Chimbonda.

Tottenham claimed penalties for an Evra handball and a shove on Hutton, while Edwin van der Sar saved deftly from Huddlestone. It was the final 15 minutes before Radek Cerny was asked to do the same from Anderson and Nani. Rooney collected United's sixth caution as he hit turf in the penalty area.

Their seventh was to come in celebration, Tevez tearing off his shirt to mark the fortunate conversion of Nani's corner. Even in such relief, Ferguson had a complaint.

'There is something wrong when Manchester United get six bookings,' said the Scot, miscounting. 'If Rooney dived and the referee deems it, he's right to book. But a few minutes later Huddlestone dived, he's already been booked, and he did nothing. You have got to say: "Is that fair? Has he been fair to both teams?" No, he has not.'