Manchester United recovered from going a goal down to beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 in a Premier League match in London on Sunday (April 11).
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Manchester United recovered from going a goal down to beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 in a Premier League match in London on Sunday (April 11). Hueng-Min Son opened the scoring for Tottenham but a second half comeback – a theme of Manchester United in recent times – saw the Red Devils claim all three points. The result solidified United’s stronghold of second place. But more significantly, it dealt a blow to Tottenham’s chances of a top-four finish. Spurs are currently six points adrift fourth-placed London rivals West Ham. It also raised fleeting questions over the future of Jose Mourinho, as a second failure to make the top 4 might force the club to consider a change.
The opening 30 minutes of the game were slow, not aided by some tactical fouling which both sides indulged in. However, the game sprung to life when Edinson Cavani nodded home to give United the lead.
The reprieve was short-lived, however, as VAR prompted referee Chris Kavanagh to check for a foul in the build-up. Indeed, the referee came to the conclusion that United’s Scott McTominay had fouled Son. The goal was, much to United manager Ole Gunnar Solksjaer’s incredulence, ruled out.
Yet the contact seemed minimal at best and Son’s reaction was a talking point after the match. As if to rub salt in the wound, it was the South Korean who gave Spurs the lead 7 minutes later.
The second half saw United come fast out of the blocks. Spurs, as they have been accustomed to this season, dropped deep to protect their lead.
It is a tactic that has seem them drop points from winning positions, and so it proved. United, afforded space to work in, began putting more pressure on the home side.
That pressure was rewarded in the 57th minute when Fred pulled United level. The Brazilian midfielder knocked home the rebound after Cavani’s shot was saved.
The Uruguayan finally got his goal in the 79th minute, nodding home a cross from Mason Greenwood. And it was the young Englishman who finished things off with a third goal in stoppage time.
? Only @WayneRooney (15) has scored more #PL goals for @ManUtd as a teenager than Mason Greenwood (13) pic.twitter.com/wtqMs9fkmV
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 11, 2021
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solksjaer: “It was a great reaction, an absolutely top reaction and we played some great stuff in the second half. After they scored, we felt the injustice and adversity and that went into our players’ heads. It was good character we showed and we had to come back from it. We can’t let those decisions ruin a good season for us.”
Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho: “Let me tell you something. I am very, very surprised that after the comments that Ole made on Sonny, you (media) don’t ask me about it. And I told Ole already this, because I met him just a few minutes ago. If it’s me, telling that player A B or C from another club, ‘If it was my son I wouldn’t give him dinner tonight,’ or something like that, what would be the reaction?”
