25  Antonio VALENCIA      
  4  Phil JONES
  5  Marcos ROJO
36  Matteo DARMIAN

  6  Paul POGBA     
16  Michael CARRICK
21  Ander HERRERA  (27  Maruoane FELLAINI  90+7)

22  Henrikh MKHITARYAN         (  3  Eric BAILLY  85)
  9  Zlatan IBRAHIMOVIC
11  Anthony MARTIAL  (19  Marcus RASHFORD  72)

Unused subs: 
20  Sergio ROMERO
17  Daley BLIND
  8  Juan MATA
10  Wayne ROONEY

  2  Kyle WALKER     
  5  Jan VERTONGHEN
  4  Toby ALDERWEIRELD
  3  Danny ROSE     

12  Victor WANYAMA     
19  Mousa DEMBELE  (28  Harry WINKS  67)

  7  Heung-Min SON  (17  Moussa SISSOKO  57)
20  DELE Alli
23  Christian ERIKSEN  (14  Georges-Kevin N'KOUDOU  83)

10  Harry KANE

Unused subs: 
13  Michel VORM
33  Ben DAVIES
27  Kevin WIMMER
15  Eric DIER
 

A slow and subdued Spurs succumbed to a sedentary Manchester United side, whose slump at home stopped with this slim 1-0 success.

Tottenham had dropped Eric Dier with Toby Alderweireld returning in the middle of defence, with Dembele and Wanyama paired in front of the first choice back four.  The remainder of the side was as it had been recently, with no eye towards Wednesday night's meeting with Hull City.  With Davies back on the bench, the subs looked a bit of a stronger list than in recent weeks.

Thirty seconds into the match, Spurs could have been a goal behind. Mkhitaryan turned just inside his own half and put Ibrahimovic away down the right. His square ball picked out the run of Paul Pogba and his side-foot shot was low and firm, but not strong enough to beat Hugo Lloris' dive to his right to push the ball wide.

Spurs were passing well and Son had a chance when he broke on the left, cut inside and curled a shot but it was a fair distance wide. A few minutes later, Alderweireld tried to find Dele with a long diagonal ball beyond Jones and his outstretched arm made contact with the Spurs midfielder, but there was no infringement and the ball sailed over both their heads.

As Wanyama came in to intercept a loose ball out of the United defence, Pogba tumbled him over and Spurs had a free-kick 30 yards out. Eriksen picked out Wanyama at the far post, but his header back into the middle hit a defender. A similar position in the 18th minute brought a drive from Eriksen and de Gea had to dive to his right to push it wide. A ball into the box came out to Mkhitaryan from Carrick and his shot was blocked by Jan Vertonghen's foot and from the corner, the ball bobbled about until Alli cleared, but Herrera shot it back in, with Hugo right behind it.

Walker did well to chase down Martial after the United striker had a five yard start on him, but he then took a heavy knock from Ibrahimovic when trying to clear. Spurs were trying to use the width of the pitch, but often it was Kane who was pulled wide. Michael Carrick tried a long range effort which went too high with a flick off Wanyama, as United started to push on. The pressure lead to a goal with 30 minutes gone, when Kane's pass was intercepted and Mkhitaryan was set away by Herrera and his shot beat Lloris, as Alderweireld closed him down.

A wild challenge by Valencia resulted in a booking and Tottenham once more made nothing from the free-kick, but the possession stats meant nothing, as there was little for the United defence to be troubled by. Trying to play the ball out from the back, Rose was robbed and it led to Ibrahimovic being free to have a shot that he scuffed and Lloris saved well. Tottenham really needed Dembele to impose himself on the game and he did well to win the ball when Son had a shot from 20 yards that was powerful but straight at de Gea, who only had to push it over.

Another rash challenge by Herrera gave Spurs a free-kick wide on the right, which Eriksen took and it was simply defended, but Toby picked it up and drove in a low cross that was kicked away at the near post and was involved in the second phase, but the ball did not find a Spurs man.

United's players were showing their dissent at a large number of decisions that went against them, with Madeley doing nothing about it. When Rojo clearly pulled Wanyama's shirt at a corner, once more the ref failed to take action. When Wanyama out-muscled Pogba in midfield it was a free-kick. Strange that !!

With United's players and fans howling for a free-kick on Pogba at the Spurs end, play moved up the field for Eriksen to win a corner, but the last kick of the half failed to produce anything and United maintained their lead at the interval.

The second half started with Spurs looking comfortable on the ball, but again, they were failing to hurt United. 53 minutes had gone when Alli was put away and he played it right to Walker, who stopped it for Eriksen to crack a shot at goal, but straight at the keeper, who fisted it out. Then a free-kick found Wanyama free at the far post and his header wasn't on target when he was five yards out.

Poch brought on Sissoko for Son, being immediately involved winning a corner on a take-on down the right. From the corner Wanyama was booked for an arm in Jones' face. Moussa started to run at the defence on the right and with Alli and Dembele not effective, it was a welcome weapon to help Spurs move forward. Dembele held onto Pogba as he turned away form him 25 yards out and the free-kick was crashed against the bar by the world record signing, with shouts for a penalty when Alderweireld won the ball against Herrera, who went down easily. Lloris was at his best to save from Pogba when Mkhitaryan set him up and his shot down into the ground saw Hugo dive left to push the ball out.

Sissoko's run on Darmain saw the manager recognise that that was the weak link when Tottenham scored three in six minutes at home. Winks replaced Dembele and Valencia almost put Alli in, but he had to turn back as there was little support in the box. Kane turned Rojo, who brought him down to get a free-kick and from outside the box by two yards, Christian hit a low shot heading for the bottom corner until de Gea dived to his right to palm the ball wide.

Rashford came on to give more protection to Darmian, as United looked vulnerable there and Sissoko nearly got past the defender in the box, but Carrick came across to tackle. The game was being littered with cheap free-kicks and while United had a chance when Mkhitaryan was in the clear at the far post, the game was being fought out in midfield.

Both Spurs full backs got bookings and N'koudou came on for Eriksen, while Bailly replaced Mkhitaryan, who was stretchered off following Rose's booking. The United crowd were getting to the referee, who started giving United decisions that were borderline to say the least. It allowed the home team to slow the match down by taking as long as possible over each set-piece. Herrera was being his usual cowardly self when he fouled Vertonghen and then kicked the ball away.

It really was pantomime time when the crowd booed Rose at every opportunity, but that probably stemmed from their nerves about losing a leading position once more. Winks was doing well winning the ball and prompting Spurs forward. Rose got into the box, but was blocked out, so Mourinho's tactics to run down time, he brought on Fellaini and the game was up.

Once more a single goal settled the game at Old Trafford and Spurs failed to put in a display that caused the hosts very little concern. Kane was left without any decent service, our set-pieces were rubbish again and we failed to press United as we usually do our opponents. Despite all the bookings, there was a lack of aggression from Tottenham and it will disappoint Pochettino that the side meekly allowed a side under pressure to easily soak up pressure and hit us on the break.  The slow build up also failed to test the mettle of the United defence.

Sissoko looked good when he came on and Winks added an energy to the midfield which had been lacking, with Alli and Dembele not doing enough to move the United defence around, it left Son as the runner, who looked the most likely to have a shot. Other than that, it was the defence who were the outstanding players, preventing United getting more shots on target than they had and Hugo stopping the ones that got through going in.

Spurs will be a different side when they face Hull City on Wednesday in terms of personnel, but hopefully, in they way they play too. Having allowed United to close the gap, they need to ensure three points against the Tigers are won and in convincing style.
 

Peter Martins