Tough Times !!!!!!!!!!
Tottenham claimed a second straight Premier League win at Old Trafford by beating Manchester United 2-1 on Wednesday to drop the champions further out of title contention.
Goals from Emmanuel Adebayor and Christian Eriksen put Tottenham in
control and although Danny Welbeck pulled a goal back Tim Sherwood's men
held on for an impressive win. The defeat was United's sixth in the
Premier League this season and leaves them 11 points behind leaders
Arsenal.
For Tottenham it was their third win in four games under Sherwood as
they moved above United in the table to sixth to boost their top four
hopes. Manchester United started on the front foot and went close to
scoring after just five minutes when Welbeck got in behind the Spurs
defence, but Lloris did well to snuff out the danger.
Moments later Chris Smalling burst into the box and fired in a shot
which squirmed under the legs of Lloris and behind for a corner.
Tottenham almost broke the deadlock on 13 minutes with their first
attack of the game as Roberto Soldado threaded a fantastic ball through
to Aaron Lennon inside the box, but the winger saw his shot blocked by
the legs of De Gea.
United continued to push forward in search of the opener winning a
succession of corners and from one Nemanja Vidic saw his header fall
wide of the target. Adebayor had a sight of goal on 32 minutes when the
ball sat up nicely to him on the edge of the box and he flashed his half
volley over the crossbar.
Two minutes later Spurs stunned the home side with Adebayor netting his
fourth goal of the season as he rose above Smalling to head home
Christian Eriksen's inviting cross into the bottom corner past de Gea.
Spurs wasted a great chance to double their lead six minutes before the
break when Adebayor sent Lennon in down the right and he fired over a
cross which Soldado knocked wide with his shin with the goal at his
mercy.
Welbeck had a sight of goal five minutes after the break when Carrick
picked him out inside the box, but the striker failed to get power on
his effort to trouble Lloris. Spurs doubled their lead on 66 minutes
when Eriksen capitalised on some poor defending from Valencia to get on
the end of Lennon's deflected cross to head home past De Gea from six
yards.
United pulled a goal back almost straight away as Adnan Januzaj split
the Spurs defence to find Welbeck inside the box and the striker clipped
his shot over Lloris to give the home side hope. United laid siege to
the Spurs goal in search of an equaliser and Januzaj curled a shot just
wide before substitute Javier Hernandez saw his flick saved by Lloris.
The home side threw everything at Spurs in the closing stages with
Rooney seeing his shot saved by Lloris before Vidic saw his header kept
out by the Spurs keeper as the visitors held on for all three points.
In Post Match Conference David Moyes Slammed the referee Howard Webb !!!
David Moyes slammed referee Howard Webb's decision not to award Manchester United a penalty after a challenge on Ashley Young as "scandalous".
United lost the game 2-1 and they were chasing an equalizer when Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris came racing out to meet Young, who was charging into the area.
Young got to the ball first, sending an effort towards goal, but was
then sent tumbling to the turf by the on-rushing Frenchman.
The winger was knocked off his feet after clear contact as he attempted
to avoid Lloris, yet Webb remained unimpressed, rejecting United's
penalty claims - much to Moyes' disgust.
"It was scandalous, a scandal," said the United boss. "If you follow
through on a player anywhere else on the pitch with your foot high, it
would be a sending-off and a red card. You couldn't do that anywhere
else.
"The goalkeeper comes out, Ashley Young gets the ball before him and he follows through.
"It's an incredible decision which didn't go our way, in fact probably the one of the worst I think I saw."
Moyes' mood was not improved by Adnan Januzaj's booking, seemingly for
diving, for the third time this season. In mitigation, the challenge
from Danny Rose which preceded the fall was a firm one.
"Have you seen that decision? That is a terrible decision," said Moyes.
"Adnan has got bumped. The boy has tried to edge him off the ball.
"All I can tell you is that (Lloris' challenge on Young) is a stonewall
penalty kick. If that isn't given a penalty kick, I don't think we will
get any more in the league this season.
"It is reckless, it is late, it is in the penalty box. I don't know what else you can say.
"You'd hope the people who put the referees out there would have a look
at it and see if they think the referees are doing as well as they can
be."
The defeat was United's fourth at home in the Premier League this season, which leaves them 11 points behind leaders Arsenal.
"I am not frustrated," said Moyes. "I thought we played really well.
Today was a defeat of course, but we deserved to win, or at worst draw."
The return of Wayne Rooney to the starting line-up was one piece of
good news for Moyes, but he admits the striker may have to be used
sparingly in the coming weeks because of his groin issues.
"If I could (rest him), I would," said Moyes. "But the games are coming thick and fast.
"He has missed a couple with his groin and may well miss some more in the games coming up."
Moyes said it was too soon to know if Robin van Persie, who has missed
the last six games with a thigh injury, will be fit to return for
Sunday's FA Cup tie against Swansea
"I'm not sure yet," noted Moyes.
Moyes insists though that the latest setback will not affect his January transfer window plans.
"The result today would never have any effect on what we do, whether in January or the summer," he said.
"It wasn't our day but it won't change the way we go about our business."
