Manchester United put in their best performance to date under Erik ten Hag to secure a comfortable 2-0 Premier League win over Tottenham at Old Trafford, with impressive performances all over the pitch from those dressed in red as Fred and Bruno Fernandes both netted.
After being frustrated against Newcastle the previous weekend, United did nearly all of the early attacking and peppered the Spurs goals with shots – some off target, but plenty on target as well – by half-time their 19 shots were the most a United side had managed since Sir Alex Ferguson took over nearly a decade ago.
Hugo Lloris had to be alert to tip a spectacular drive from Fred over the bar, while Antony looked a real source of danger and hit the foot of the post with a curling effort. Marcus Rashford, who had struggled to get into the game in the opening 20 minutes, then brought a great save out of Lloris after being put through by an incisive Fred pass.
A Bruno Fernandes free-kick also tested Lloris, although the theatrical dive and parry arguably wasn’t as necessary as the Spurs captain made it look.
But he had to do it again soon after when Luke Shaw’s volley was headed for the top corner and Lloris’ fingers pushed it away. Casemiro also went close when his fierce shot from distance flashed just wide of the post.
Spurs didn’t test David de Gea until the very end of the first half, with the Spaniard beating away a powerful near-post effort from Harry Kane.
United were good enough to be ahead in the first half but it was only moments into the second half when Fred’s breakthrough came, a well-worked move that involved Antony and Jadon Sancho, even if the eventual shot was heavily deflected to beat a wrongfooted Lloris.
It could have been 2-0 almost straightaway but for Lloris’ strong right hand to deny Rashford. The intensity that Ten Hag has been asking for was there to see as United players worked hard to keep Tottenham pinned into their own half and strangle any service to Kane or Son Heung-min.
After Fred’s shot hit Eric Dier and went out of play, Fernandes scored a great goal with a volley that went past Lloris and into the far corner.
The referee played a significant part, signalling an advantage after Kane had been flagged offside rather than stopping for a free-kick.
Lloris was the only thing keeping the scoreline respectable as the game wore on, again somehow throwing out a strong hand to push a fierce close-range shot from Rashford round the post. United did have the ball in the net when Fernandes rounded Lloris, only to see the offside flag rule it out. Antonio Conte waited too long to make changes for Spurs and the final moments of the game ultimately petered out with United in full control.
