Tottenham 1 Manchester United 3. Two goals from Ashley Young and a Wayne Rooney header enabled Manchester United to see off Spurs and keep within striking distance of Manchester City at the top of the table. Just two points now separate the neighbours and it looks increasingly as if the Manchester Derby on April 30 will decide the title.The result was further good news for Arsenal on a weekend when they won away at Liverpool and fifth place Chelsea lost their manager and their match against West Bromwich Albion.
It means the Gunners have now narrowed the gap between themselves in fourth and Tottenham in third to just four points with Chelsea three points off the pace in fifth position.
A fortnight ago ten points was the difference between the north London rivals but Spurs' 5-2 thrashing by the Gunners last week and United's win at White Hart Lane has left manager Harry Redknapp anxiously eyeing up the clubs beneath them.
Liverpool 1 Arsenal 2. "I want to finish third, I want to finish above Arsenal and Chelsea," said Redknapp later. "That's what we're capable of doing and that's where I want us to be… I couldn't have asked more from the players. Sometimes you need the luck and we didn't get any today."On a day when Alex Ferguson took charge of his 986th league match (surpassing the great Matt Busby’s United record), Tottenham dominated the first period despite the absence of the suspended Scott Parker and the poorly Gareth Bale. They had the ball in the net on 37 minutes when Emmanuel Adebayor turned in a shot from Louis Saha but referee Martin Atkinson ruled that there was a handball involved and waved away Spurs' protestations that it was accidental. Then, on the stroke of half-time, Wayne Rooney rose above the Tottenham defence to head home Ashley Young’s corner.
It was Young who did the damage to Spurs in the second half, first volleying home from close range on the hour mark and then curling the ball into Brad Friedel's top corner nine minutes later. Jermain Defoe pulled a goal back for the hosts three minutes from time but it was scant consolation for Redknapp, who later described the defeat as "soul-destroying".
While Tottenham now have a fight on their hands to hang on to third in the face of an Arsenal side unbeaten in their last five league encounters, United have City in their sights: "We know exactly what we have to do [to win the title]," explained Alex Ferguson. "You can drop surprise points and I think both sides will, but the important thing is to drop less points than our opponents."
Ferguson praised his side's defence for their performance and called the win "a massive result". Asked if he believed his team would go on and win the title, the United manager replied: "A battling performance today tells you that we are up for it."
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