Manchester United avenged being hit for six by Tottenham
earlier in the season by dealing a body blow to Spurs’ hopes of a top-four
Premier League finish with a 3-1 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on
Sunday.
اضافة اعلان
United came from behind to win for the ninth time in the
league this season as second-half goals from Fred, Edinson Cavani and Mason
Greenwood cancelled out Son Heung-min’s opener.
Victory kept alive United’s slim title hopes by cutting the
gap on local rivals Manchester City to 11 points with a game in hand for Ole
Gunnar Solskjaer’s men to come.
Even if they do not manage to reel in City in their final
seven games of the campaign, United opened up a nine-point cushion over
fifth-placed Chelsea in the battle for a place in next season’s Champions
League.
Tottenham’s hopes of a return to Europe’s premier club
competition are dwindling fast as they are now six points adrift of West Ham in
fourth and could slip to eighth if Everton win at Brighton on Monday.
“Same coach, different players,” was Jose Mourinho’s
explanation when quizzed last weekend why his side perpetually blow leads
compared to the ruthless teams he has managed in the past.
Tottenham have now lost 18 points from winning positions in
the Premier League this season.
The last time they came from behind to win in the league was
when they thrashed United 6-1 at Old Trafford in October.
By contrast, United have picked up 28 points after falling
behind, although they only did so this time after controversially having a goal
ruled out.
Paul Pogba and Cavani combined brilliantly for the Uruguayan
to drill the ball low between the legs of Hugo Lloris.
However, the goal was ruled out after a VAR review by
referee Chris Kavanagh for a foul by Scott McTominay on Son in the build-up.The
Scottish international made minimal contact with Son’s face as he swotted the
South Korean aside.
Tottenham’s claims for a double punishment were ignored by
Kavanagh, though, as McTominay escaped without being shown a second yellow
card.
United’s fury was compounded four minutes later when Son had
bounced back up to give Tottenham the lead.
Harry Kane freed Lucas Moura in on goal and the Brazilian
unselfishly squared for Son to slot home his first Premier League goal in over
two months.
However, Solskjaer’s men fuelled their anger to produce
another second-half fightback.
Lloris had to be down sharply to his left to parry a warning
shot from McTominay.
United deservedly got their equalizer on 57 minutes. A fine
team move saw Fred feed Cavani and after Lloris saved his initial effort, the
Brazilian fired into the roof of the net for just his fourth goal in three seasons
since joining from Shakhtar Donetsk.
Dean Henderson justified the faith Solskjaer has shown in
promoting him ahead of David de Gea with smart saves with his feet to prevent
Son and Kane restoring Tottenham’s lead.
At the other end, Lloris also produced a brilliant stop from
Bruno Fernandes’s dipping strike from outside the box.
Lloris was powerless 11 minutes from time, though, when
substitute Greenwood whipped in an inviting cross for Cavani to power into the
bottom corner.
Greenwood then continued his return to form by smashing past
Lloris at his near post in stoppage time.
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