Man Utd 1 Tottenham 0
Ryan Giggs' instinctive header preserved Manchester United's 100% start to the season, but the Red Devils were forced to survive some nervy moments before claiming their 1-0 win over Tottenham.
The evergreen Welshman reacted fastest when Paul Robinson failed to hold Cristiano Ronaldo's brutal free-kick and his header proved the difference between the two sides, allowing United to return to the top of the table, leapfrogging Everton and Portsmouth, who had both taken their place earlier in the day.
Giggs was by some distance United's most dangerous attacking threat, although his second goal in successive matches owed much to Ronaldo's ninth-minute free-kick.
When Edgar Davids flattened Saha 40 yards out, it appeared to be a good free-kick to concede, but England keeper Paul Robinson could only parry it straight at Giggs, who headed in off the underside of the bar.
However, from the point Giggs briefly departed for treatment to a nose left bloodied by an accidental forearm from Didier Zokora, Tottenham slowly began to gain control and United were indebted to the agility of Edwin van der Sar either side of the break.
The giant Dutchman made a superb double point-blank save to defy Michael Dawson and Ledley King, who was making a long-awaited return to action following a knee injury.
Van der Sar then backpedalled impressively to claw over a looping rebound from a duel between Ronaldo and Pascal Chimbonda.
The introduction of Jermain Defoe for a clearly unhappy Robbie Keane offered the visitors another attacking dimension and it took the last of a trio of excellent blocks from Wes Brown to deny the England man an equaliser.
However, United fans in another record 75,433 crowd would have had their nerves settled if Louis Saha had not wasted two glorious chances near the end.
Sir Alex Ferguson hailed evergreen Ryan Giggs as 'one of the greatest players of all time' after the Welshman helped preserve Manchester United's best start to a Premiership campaign.
The first half effort, his second goal in as many United games, just added weight to the argument Giggs is producing the most consistent form of his career at the age of 32.
Ferguson does not believe the theory to be true, but the United boss is of the opinion that Giggs' greater experience is helping him to make a telling impact on a regular basis.
'Ryan is showing experience and maturity,' said Ferguson.
'The ability has always been there. He has been a fantastic player at this club, there is no question about that.
'He will go down as one of the greatest players of all time and he is using his experience to get the best from himself.'
After seeing first Arsenal, then Chelsea strike early in previous title-winning campaigns over the past three seasons, now Ferguson feels it is United's turn.
Eleven points in front of the Gunners - who visit Old Trafford next week - eight head of Liverpool and three clear of Chelsea, Ferguson is now calling on his team to make their early ascendancy count.
'We have said in the past few years how teams have got off to a good start and never stopped,' observed Ferguson.
'The Premiership title is about sometimes playing great football, sometimes having a bit of luck, sometimes gritting your teeth and sometimes getting through by sheer determination to get over the line.
'Now, we hope to get on the type of roll which would leave our players feeling we can to it this season.'
Having lost Aaron Lennon to a worrying knee injury in training yesterday, Tottenham boss Martin Jol was proud of the way his side performed.
But he lamented the missed chances which cost Tottenham the chance to record a third successive draw at Old Trafford.
However, he apportioned no blame to Robinson, who was deceived by the flight of Ronaldo's free-kick.
'It was a terrific shot, if a stupid goal,' he said.
'At half-time I asked Paul if he felt he should have punched it but I had a look at it again on the video and the shot swerved a lot to his left, so he could not do anything about it.'
England star Aaron Lennon could be facing an extended spell on the sidelines after suffering a knee injury in training yesterday.
The 19-year-old winger, a second-half substitute in the Euro 2008 qualifying win over Macedonia in Skopje on Wednesday, was expected to be in the Tottenham side to face Manchester United at Old Trafford this evening.
Instead, Lennon missed the 1-0 defeat, with Tottenham boss Martin Jol confirming he is awaiting the results of tests on the knee.
With important UEFA Cup and Barclays Premiership assignments to come over the next month, Jol will be desperate to have one of his key men fit, as will England boss Steve McClaren as Lennon would be an automatic choice in the squad for next month's double-header with Macedonia and Croatia.
'Aaron was injured in training yesterday so he could not be considered for today's game,' said Jol, who appeared particularly downbeat.
'There could be a problem with the cartilage in his knee.
'We will make an assessment on him tomorrow, when we will probably know the extent of the damage for sure.'
The evergreen Welshman reacted fastest when Paul Robinson failed to hold Cristiano Ronaldo's brutal free-kick and his header proved the difference between the two sides, allowing United to return to the top of the table, leapfrogging Everton and Portsmouth, who had both taken their place earlier in the day.
Giggs was by some distance United's most dangerous attacking threat, although his second goal in successive matches owed much to Ronaldo's ninth-minute free-kick.
When Edgar Davids flattened Saha 40 yards out, it appeared to be a good free-kick to concede, but England keeper Paul Robinson could only parry it straight at Giggs, who headed in off the underside of the bar.
However, from the point Giggs briefly departed for treatment to a nose left bloodied by an accidental forearm from Didier Zokora, Tottenham slowly began to gain control and United were indebted to the agility of Edwin van der Sar either side of the break.
The giant Dutchman made a superb double point-blank save to defy Michael Dawson and Ledley King, who was making a long-awaited return to action following a knee injury.
Van der Sar then backpedalled impressively to claw over a looping rebound from a duel between Ronaldo and Pascal Chimbonda.
The introduction of Jermain Defoe for a clearly unhappy Robbie Keane offered the visitors another attacking dimension and it took the last of a trio of excellent blocks from Wes Brown to deny the England man an equaliser.
However, United fans in another record 75,433 crowd would have had their nerves settled if Louis Saha had not wasted two glorious chances near the end.
Sir Alex Ferguson hailed evergreen Ryan Giggs as 'one of the greatest players of all time' after the Welshman helped preserve Manchester United's best start to a Premiership campaign.
The first half effort, his second goal in as many United games, just added weight to the argument Giggs is producing the most consistent form of his career at the age of 32.
Ferguson does not believe the theory to be true, but the United boss is of the opinion that Giggs' greater experience is helping him to make a telling impact on a regular basis.
'Ryan is showing experience and maturity,' said Ferguson.
'The ability has always been there. He has been a fantastic player at this club, there is no question about that.
'He will go down as one of the greatest players of all time and he is using his experience to get the best from himself.'
After seeing first Arsenal, then Chelsea strike early in previous title-winning campaigns over the past three seasons, now Ferguson feels it is United's turn.
Eleven points in front of the Gunners - who visit Old Trafford next week - eight head of Liverpool and three clear of Chelsea, Ferguson is now calling on his team to make their early ascendancy count.
'We have said in the past few years how teams have got off to a good start and never stopped,' observed Ferguson.
'The Premiership title is about sometimes playing great football, sometimes having a bit of luck, sometimes gritting your teeth and sometimes getting through by sheer determination to get over the line.
'Now, we hope to get on the type of roll which would leave our players feeling we can to it this season.'
Having lost Aaron Lennon to a worrying knee injury in training yesterday, Tottenham boss Martin Jol was proud of the way his side performed.
But he lamented the missed chances which cost Tottenham the chance to record a third successive draw at Old Trafford.
However, he apportioned no blame to Robinson, who was deceived by the flight of Ronaldo's free-kick.
'It was a terrific shot, if a stupid goal,' he said.
'At half-time I asked Paul if he felt he should have punched it but I had a look at it again on the video and the shot swerved a lot to his left, so he could not do anything about it.'
England star Aaron Lennon could be facing an extended spell on the sidelines after suffering a knee injury in training yesterday.
The 19-year-old winger, a second-half substitute in the Euro 2008 qualifying win over Macedonia in Skopje on Wednesday, was expected to be in the Tottenham side to face Manchester United at Old Trafford this evening.
Instead, Lennon missed the 1-0 defeat, with Tottenham boss Martin Jol confirming he is awaiting the results of tests on the knee.
With important UEFA Cup and Barclays Premiership assignments to come over the next month, Jol will be desperate to have one of his key men fit, as will England boss Steve McClaren as Lennon would be an automatic choice in the squad for next month's double-header with Macedonia and Croatia.
'Aaron was injured in training yesterday so he could not be considered for today's game,' said Jol, who appeared particularly downbeat.
'There could be a problem with the cartilage in his knee.
'We will make an assessment on him tomorrow, when we will probably know the extent of the damage for sure.'
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