Report: United 1 Spurs 0

Barclays Premier League
Old Trafford, Saturday 26 August

MANCHESTER UNITED 1
Nani (68)

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0



This 1-0 victory, courtesy of a 68th-minute Nani strike which deflected off Carlos Tevez’s head, may not have had much of the attacking flair and verve that United’s performances at the start of last season were blessed with, but it is a victory nonetheless, and the Reds’ first of the season.

There were times when it appeared United’s winless start to 2007/08 would continue, and there was no shortage of drama as Rio Ferdinand cleared off the line before Tottenham had a penalty turned down. When the final whistle eventually came, it was met with considerable relief from the home crowd.

Before the match, Sir Alex claimed not to have looked at the league table. Had he done so, he would have seen his team second bottom on just two points. A stark contrast to 2006/07's sprint out of the blocks. Startlingly, the Reds could have started this game propping up the entire division had Derby County claimed a point against Birmingham on Saturday.

Martin Jol’s side, who themselves have made a slower-than-expected start to the campaign, were always going to be difficult opponents. They signalled their intentions by starting the match with immediate purpose to their play. After just 20 seconds, Robbie Keane had Edwin van der Sar scrambling across his six-yard box with a curling shot that clipped the crossbar.

Tottenham had clearly come with the specific intention of pressing United back, keeping Owen Hargreaves and Michael Carrick as deep as possible, and blocking avenues through to Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Nani, who looked to break forward and support Carlos Tevez in attack.

The weight of expectation around Old Trafford and the necessity for a first win of the season was abundantly apparent. It was a cagey start from United, highlighted when Ferdinand dallied on the ball in his own area expecting van der Sar to come and collect and Keane quickly stole possession. It took a last-ditch block from Wes Brown to save his team-mate’s blushes.

The United defender almost redeemed himself immediately, forcing a brilliant save from Paul Robinson in the Spurs goal with a powerful volley at the far post. After a slow start from the Reds, that opporunity inspired urgency among the supporters and belief among the players.

With Hargreaves winning and retaining possession brilliantly in midfield, United piled forward midway through the half in a period of sustained pressure. Carrick went close with ferocious 30-yard shot, then Scholes, who seemed to know little about it, saw a Tevez cross deflect off his shin and onto the roof of the net. However, Sir Alex’s men needed to contradict recent form and turn possession and chances into goals, and as half-time approached the breach had not been made.

Ten minutes into the second half and the impasse remained, so Sir Alex switched to a 4-4-2, replacing Carrick with Chris Eagles and pushing Giggs up front alongside Tevez. It gave United added attacking edge and suddenly the game sprang into life after the hour.

The catalyst came in the form of one of Spurs' best chances to score. Gareth Bale broke away and slipped a ball through to Berbatov, who, although he stumbled over inside the area, managed to toe his shot through van der Sar’s legs. The ball trickled towards goal and Ferdinand raced back to clear off the line. Moments later, the visitors claimed a penalty as Brown, the last man, blocked Berbatov’s shot. The Spurs players surrounded the referee, but it would have been harsh had the decision gone against the Reds defender as replays showed it clearly hit his chest.

But this is where the step change came. United attacked and Tevez had a shot from outside the area cleared off the line by Jermaine Jenas. It stirred the crowd, and the cacophonous support drove the Reds on. After 68 minutes Nani got the ball 25 yards from goal and beat Tom Huddlestone before rifling his shot past Robinson via the slightest of deflections off Tevez’s head. Nani wheeled away and produced his trademark somersault celebration as the stadium erupted, as much a huge sigh of relief as sheer joy.

But Tottenham weren’t about to surrender. Berbatov, quiet in the first half, is capable of moments of true class, and he began to come into the game even more late on. Entering the final 20 minutes, he expertly controlled the ball to move clear of Darren Fletcher and Brown. And it was hearts in mouths for the home fans as his arrowed a shot dipped just millimetres over the crossbar.

It was an edgy finish, but in the end Unitd were prepared to see this match out. Victory at last. For the Reds, the season starts here.

Team Line-ups

Manchester United: Van der Sar; Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Nani, Scholes, Hargreaves, Carrick (Eagles, 57), Giggs (c); Tevez (Fletcher, 78).
Subs not used: Dong, O’Shea, Kuszczak.

Tottenham Hostpur: Robinson; Chimbonda, Rocha (Zokora, 83), Gardner, Lee (Taarabt, 75); Malbranque, Huddlestone, Jenas, Bale; Berbatov, Keane (c) (Defoe, 75).
Subs not used: Stalteri, Cerny.