Tottenham 1 - 2 Man Utd
Wayne Rooney scored twice as Manchester United showed their defiance to Chelsea with a stylishly attacking performance at White Hart Lane.
It means the Premiership title race is prolonged a little while yet.
Ruud Van Nistelrooy also hit the post and United were good value for the win in a much-improved display from the goalless disappointment against Sunderland on Good Friday.
Jermaine Jenas pulled one back in the second-half for a Tottenham side which had been dealt a bitter blow when England central defender Ledley King was ruled out with a fractured left foot he sustained at Everton on Saturday.
It means Tottenham stay four points ahead ahead of Arsenal in the race for the fourth-placed Champions League spot with a mouth-watering London derby against the Gunners coming up next Saturday.
Indeed, Spurs proved here how far they have come under manager Martin Jol. They could easily have won this match and were the better team for long periods.
But United had Rooney.
The England striker, who settled his £700,000 gambling debt over the weekend, put United ahead as early as the seventh minute, although it had been Spurs who had made the better start.
They might easily have gone ahead when Jermain Defoe skewed a shot just wide after good work by Aaron Lennon and then when Michael Dawson brought a sharp save from Edwin Van der Sar.
But United punished them for their early profligacy in the most clinical of fashion.
A neat ball from Ruud van Nistelrooy found Cristiano Ronaldo whose precision cross was tapped in with nonchalance from a couple of yards by Rooney.
To their credit Spurs continued to play attacking football and Defoe and Robbie Keane in particular where a handful for the United defence.
They might have equalised when Gary Neville and John O'Shea both challenged for an innocuous high ball and the resulting collision saw the ball loop towards the far post where Dawson met it on the volley but, with Van der Sar standing tall, he contrived to send the effort over the crossbar from two yards out.
More wastefulness and once more United made them pay.
This time, however, Spurs were the architects of their own downfall. Lee Young-Pyo dwelled needlessly on a ball in defence, only to be caught in possession by his Korean counterpart Park Ji-Sung.
The United midfielder, who had a 25-strong press corps from Korea watching his progress, fed Rooney in oceans of space.
The outcome was inevitable. A composed take, a deliberate aim and a rasping shot past Paul Robinson.
Jenas pulled one back in the 53rd minute when Vidic's clearance from a corner deflected back towards goal off Rio Ferdinand to allow the Spurs midfielder to stab home.
Even so it was United who finished the stronger.
Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs admitted his side had endured a 'nervous' second half as they hung on to a 2-1 lead at Tottenham.
Two Wayne Rooney goals before the break put United - who needed a win today to be sure of prolonging the title race - in charge.
But Jermaine Jenas pulled a goal back for the home side at White Hart Lane, leaving the visitors to hang on for the win.
And Giggs told Sky Sports: 'It was very nervous. Tottenham are playing very well so to come here and get a result we knew it would be difficult.
'We rode our luck sometimes but in the end we deserved it.'
Tottenham boss Martin Jol admitted losing was a blow to the club`s Champions League hopes.
'I disappointed. We deserved a point but we have to go to Arsenal and get a result,' he said.
'We played ever so well. We had the best 20 minutes of our season and had five or six big chances. They had a break, their second goal was a mistake by us, but we should still have scored two or three goals.'
It means the Premiership title race is prolonged a little while yet.
Ruud Van Nistelrooy also hit the post and United were good value for the win in a much-improved display from the goalless disappointment against Sunderland on Good Friday.
Jermaine Jenas pulled one back in the second-half for a Tottenham side which had been dealt a bitter blow when England central defender Ledley King was ruled out with a fractured left foot he sustained at Everton on Saturday.
It means Tottenham stay four points ahead ahead of Arsenal in the race for the fourth-placed Champions League spot with a mouth-watering London derby against the Gunners coming up next Saturday.
Indeed, Spurs proved here how far they have come under manager Martin Jol. They could easily have won this match and were the better team for long periods.
But United had Rooney.
The England striker, who settled his £700,000 gambling debt over the weekend, put United ahead as early as the seventh minute, although it had been Spurs who had made the better start.
They might easily have gone ahead when Jermain Defoe skewed a shot just wide after good work by Aaron Lennon and then when Michael Dawson brought a sharp save from Edwin Van der Sar.
But United punished them for their early profligacy in the most clinical of fashion.
A neat ball from Ruud van Nistelrooy found Cristiano Ronaldo whose precision cross was tapped in with nonchalance from a couple of yards by Rooney.
To their credit Spurs continued to play attacking football and Defoe and Robbie Keane in particular where a handful for the United defence.
They might have equalised when Gary Neville and John O'Shea both challenged for an innocuous high ball and the resulting collision saw the ball loop towards the far post where Dawson met it on the volley but, with Van der Sar standing tall, he contrived to send the effort over the crossbar from two yards out.
More wastefulness and once more United made them pay.
This time, however, Spurs were the architects of their own downfall. Lee Young-Pyo dwelled needlessly on a ball in defence, only to be caught in possession by his Korean counterpart Park Ji-Sung.
The United midfielder, who had a 25-strong press corps from Korea watching his progress, fed Rooney in oceans of space.
The outcome was inevitable. A composed take, a deliberate aim and a rasping shot past Paul Robinson.
Jenas pulled one back in the 53rd minute when Vidic's clearance from a corner deflected back towards goal off Rio Ferdinand to allow the Spurs midfielder to stab home.
Even so it was United who finished the stronger.
Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs admitted his side had endured a 'nervous' second half as they hung on to a 2-1 lead at Tottenham.
Two Wayne Rooney goals before the break put United - who needed a win today to be sure of prolonging the title race - in charge.
But Jermaine Jenas pulled a goal back for the home side at White Hart Lane, leaving the visitors to hang on for the win.
And Giggs told Sky Sports: 'It was very nervous. Tottenham are playing very well so to come here and get a result we knew it would be difficult.
'We rode our luck sometimes but in the end we deserved it.'
Tottenham boss Martin Jol admitted losing was a blow to the club`s Champions League hopes.
'I disappointed. We deserved a point but we have to go to Arsenal and get a result,' he said.
'We played ever so well. We had the best 20 minutes of our season and had five or six big chances. They had a break, their second goal was a mistake by us, but we should still have scored two or three goals.'
posted by dgarden at 8:08 am
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