Manchester United have got their revenge! They went to London, conceded the first goal, but still managed to get all three points against Tottenham Hotspur, beating them 3-1. Goals came from Fred, Edinson Cavani and Mason Greenwood, after it was Son Heung-Min who scored the opener late into the first half.
Here is what we learned from this match.
Edinson Cavani Shows His Quality
There has been a lot of talk about Edinson Cavani and his place at Man United next season, whether he will stay for another season or go elsewhere, with some reports even suggesting a return to South America to play for Boca Juniors.
But against Spurs, the Uruguayan showcased everything United are lacking in other forwards they currently have in their squad. Cavani’s first goal was ruled out due to another farcical VAR decision, but his run was perfectly measured inside of Tottenham’s box. His winning goal late into the game was a brilliant diving header when he was once again in the right place at the right time, while also his movements of the ball throughout the match just further highlighted how much of a problem that position can be when United have to rely solely on Anthony Martial.
Luke Shaw ‘Pokes’ Mourinho With His Performance
One of the talking points around this match was not only Jose Mourinho meeting his former club, but also meeting Luke Shaw. The Portuguese famously ‘threw him under the bus’ publicly when he was the manager at Old Trafford and Shaw back then was very low on confidence and far from a player everyone expected him to become. With Mourinho loving to point out how great of a manager he is, it was a great opportunity to see Shaw in full form against Mourinho’s Spurs, further showcasing how much he has grown in recent years and how consistent he has been for the Devils this season. In fact, it is fair to point out he is one of the most consistent performers in the Premier League this season.
United Keep Starting Slow
Man United have managed to win their eighth game away from home *after* conceding the first goal. That was the case here as well, although Son Heung-Min’s goal came just five minutes after United’s goal was disallowed in incredible fashion. Man United have not done well against the Big Six sides in the league this season and after going 1-0 down, many have expected those problems to continue. But second half resurgence brought United closer to Man City after their 2-1 loss to Leeds. Although that might not be enough to get us a title race, it was about time for Devils to start regularly winning against sides like Spurs.
Tottenham Out Of Champions League Again
This was a perfect chance for Tottenham to start their push for the Champions League spots. A win would have put them on 52 points, as many as Liverpool have and just four points from the third and three points from the fourth place. With seven rounds to go, that was absolutely doable, but this loss has put them in risk even fo the seventh place, considering Everton are two points behind them with two games in hand. Next season will be another one without Tottenham in the Champions League.
Leave a Reply