Tottenham 1-0 Manchester United: Maddison strike lifts spirits of protesting Spurs fans as Amorim’s side slump to 12th Premier League defeat of the season
Two famous old clubs bound together in times of trouble were separated only by a single, unspectacular goal.
It was tapped-in by James Maddison to the enormous relief of Tottenham , who clambered unceremoniously above Manchester United to heady heights of 12th in the Premier League .
United slide to 15th place, bereft of confidence and increasingly ravaged by injuries.
The only consolation that they remain comfortably clear of the drop zone because their form under Ruben Amorim might otherwise be bad enough to sink them into the relegation mire.
Manchester United came to North London with a dozen players missing through injury and illness. And it left Amorim to pack his subs’ bench with teenagers, something Postecoglou would have been able to sympathise with and they embraced before kick-off.
Postecoglou’s squad has been stretched to its limits through midwinter but this has been in the diary for a few weeks now as a reset point, with five returning to the match-day squad.
James Maddison’s unspectacular 13th-minute tap-in proves difference against Man United
Maddison turned home after Lucas Bergvall’s shot was parried into danger by Andre Onana
United were left to rue missed chances down the other end as their goal struggles continued
There was Guglielmo Vicario back in goal for the first time since breaking an ankle in the 4-0 win at Manchester City in November. This was a big one for Spurs, their number one goalkeeper is one of the senior voices and generally a soothing presence behind a defence committed to attack as much as defend.
He was required to make a couple of decent saves when the game was goalless. First from Rasmus Hojlund, who beat Ben Davies for pace and cut inside onto his left foot. Vicario parried Hojlund’s effort and United recycled the ball to Alejandro Garnacho who forced the ‘keeper into a flying save with a curling right footer. Davies scrambled the rebound clear.
Maddison was the other senior player back from injury and straight into the Spurs starting line-up after three weeks out and opened the scoring to take the edge off a chorus of “We Want Levy Out” chants had threatened to take hold in the South Stand.
Heung-min Son’s volleyed cross from the left was stabbed out by Noussair Mazraoui but only as far as Lucas Bergvall who brought it superbly under control with an accomplished first touch and fizzed a crisp shot at goal with his second.
Andre Onana might have been unsighted because he could not deal cleanly with the save, simply pushing the ball back into a dangerous area. Maddison was the only player on the move in anticipation, sweeping for a simple finish for his tenth of the season.
Posteocglou had promised Spurs would improve with their best players back. He probably was not expecting such instant impact here was a little something to support his argument from the two big players restored to the team.
The pattern of the contest though was untidy throughout the first half and the home team were far from secure at the back whenever United went forward.
Joshua Zirkzee lashed an effort wide and Garnacho missed a glorious chance to equalise before half. Picked out by Bruno Fernandes, inside the penalty area with only Vicario to beat, the Argentina winger blazed the ball wildly over.
Guglielmo Vicario kept a clean sheet on his long-awaited return to action following injury
Ruben Amorim’s side have now lost 12 Premier League games this season as they sit in 15th
The game was preceded by vocal protests from the Spurs faithful against Daniel Levy
Amorim spun on his heel and threw his arms down in frustration in his technical area. Garnacho is erratic and yet no United player was more dangerous in this period either side of half time.
Twice more he was denied by Vicario in the second half. Once, released on an angle he fired straight at the goalkeeper and the other was an exceptional save, low from a fierce low drive.
Vicario’s save like Onana’s for the Maddison goal was pushed out. Spurs were quick to react and clear but United were in ascendancy by midway through the second half.
Postecoglou tried to regain control of midfield with a double change, sending on Brennan Johnson and Pape Matar Sarr for Maddison and Bergvall but it did not relieve much pressure.
United continued to threaten. Zirkzee glanced a header wide and Vicario save again from Hojlund. Postecoglou made two more changes, sending on Archie Gray and Yves Bissouma.
Rodrigo Bentancur went off and strapped a large ice pack to a knee.
Without him, Tottenham resisted and flickered on the break. Onana made a save from Dejan Kulusevski, who was more influential when he moved into midfield after Maddison’s exit.
The home team finished the game on top but one goal was enough for the win.
