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Fred scored the opening goal just after the break for Manchester UnitedManchester United produced arguably their finest performance under manager Erik ten Hag as Tottenham were swept aside in the Premier League at Old Trafford.
The scoreline does not do justice to United's vast superiority as only the brilliance of Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris denied them the truly emphatic victory they deserved.
Lloris made five outstanding saves in the first half alone as United rained in 19 shots on the Spurs goal, which somehow remained intact.
Fred finally broke the deadlock two minutes after the break, his shot carrying a degree of good fortune as Lloris was finally beaten by Ben Davies' deflection, but it was no more than United deserved for a display high on quality and intensity.
United moved out of sight after 69 minutes when Bruno Fernandes curled a precise right-foot finish beyond the stretching Lloris in front of an ecstatic Stretford End.
Ten Hag's imprint starts to show
Manchester United boss Ten Hag understandably looked a satisfied man as he marched off the Old Trafford pitch at the end of a triumph that bore all the hallmarks of what he wants from his new charges.
United were sharper, faster and stronger than Spurs from the first whistle, the only concern being they might have been made to pay for not scoring in an opening 45 minutes which saw Lloris mount a one-man barrier of defiance, with outstanding saves from Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford. The lively Antony also glanced the outside of the post with a 25-yard effort.
The passing was swift and accurate, with Fred playing a key role alongside the steadying influence of Casemiro in midfield.
And Fernandes showed some of the qualities that made him such a resounding success when he first joined United, the manner in which he steered his finish past Lloris for United's crucial second a sign of his restored confidence.
If Ten Hag has a complaint, and there will not be many, it will be that a two-goal victory margin in no way reflects just how much better United were than a mediocre Spurs.
When the season started, especially after defeats at home by Brighton and the 4-0 debacle at Brentford, a top-four place in the Premier League would have been a welcome target. If United maintain this target it is well within their compass.
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Manchester United
Squad number1Player namede Gea
Squad number20Player nameDiogo Dalot
Squad number19Player nameVarane- Squad number6Player nameMartínez
Squad number23Player nameShaw- Squad number18Player nameCasemiro
Squad number17Player nameFred- Squad number21Player nameAntony
- Squad number8Player nameBruno Fernandes
- Squad number25Player nameSancho
Squad number10Player nameRashford
Squad number14Player nameEriksen- Squad number36Player nameElanga
Squad number39Player nameMcTominay
Tottenham Hotspur
Squad number1Player nameLloris- Squad number17Player nameRomero
Squad number15Player nameDier
Squad number33Player nameDavies- Squad number2Player nameDoherty
- Squad number30Player nameBentancur
- Squad number38Player nameBissouma
- Squad number5Player nameHøjbjerg
- Squad number14Player namePerisic
Squad number10Player nameKane
Squad number7Player nameSon Heung-Min
- Squad number4Player nameSkipp
Squad number6Player nameD Sánchez- Squad number19Player nameRyan Sessegnon
- Squad number24Player nameSpence
Squad number27Player nameLucas Moura
Line-ups
Man Utd
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1de Gea
- 20Dalot
- 19Varane
- 6Martínez
- 23Shaw
- 18CasemiroBooked at 52minsSubstituted forEriksenat 87'minutes
- 17Fred
- 21dos SantosSubstituted forMcTominayat 76'minutes
- 8Bruno Fernandes
- 25SanchoSubstituted forElangaat 87'minutes
- 10Rashford
Substitutes
- 2Lindelöf
- 7Cristiano Ronaldo
- 12Malacia
- 14Eriksen
- 22Heaton
- 28Pellistri
- 36Elanga
- 39McTominay
- 49Garnacho
Tottenham
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Lloris
- 17Romero
- 15DierSubstituted forD Sánchezat 82'minutes
- 33Davies
- 2DohertySubstituted forR Sessegnonat 82'minutes
- 30BentancurSubstituted forSkippat 89'minutes
- 38BissoumaSubstituted forLucas Mouraat 82'minutes
- 5Højbjerg
- 14PerisicSubstituted forSpenceat 89'minutes
- 10Kane
- 7Son Heung-Min
Substitutes
- 4Skipp
- 6D Sánchez
- 11Gil
- 19R Sessegnon
- 20Forster
- 24Spence
- 25Tanganga
- 27Lucas Moura
- 34Lenglet
Referee:Simon Hooper
Attendance:73,677
Live Text
Match ends, Manchester United 2, Tottenham Hotspur 0.
Second Half ends, Manchester United 2, Tottenham Hotspur 0.
Attempt missed. Ryan Sessegnon (Tottenham Hotspur) header from a difficult angle on the right is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Son Heung-Min with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Lisandro Martínez.
Offside, Manchester United. Fred tries a through ball, but Marcus Rashford is caught offside.
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Djed Spence replaces Ivan Perisic.
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Oliver Skipp replaces Rodrigo Bentancur.
Substitution, Manchester United. Christian Eriksen replaces Casemiro.
Substitution, Manchester United. Anthony Elanga replaces Jadon Sancho.
Casemiro (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Rodrigo Bentancur (Tottenham Hotspur).
Foul by Luke Shaw (Manchester United).
Lucas Moura (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Ryan Sessegnon replaces Matt Doherty.
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Davinson Sánchez replaces Eric Dier.
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Lucas Moura replaces Yves Bissouma.
Offside, Manchester United. Marcus Rashford tries a through ball, but Bruno Fernandes is caught offside.
Substitution, Manchester United. Scott McTominay replaces Antony.
Attempt missed. Diogo Dalot (Manchester United) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Bruno Fernandes with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Hugo Lloris.
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