United’s New Year nightmare

Manchester United 1 Tottemham 2

A goal from the former Manchester City forward, his fourth in five games, since Tim Sherwood took over from the unpopular Andre Villas Boas at White Hart Lane, left the defending Premier League champions languishing in seventh place.

More alarmingly, having beaten just one of the top nine teams in the current league table, United cannot even take solace in the fact that they had won six consecutive matches prior to the Tottenham clash. Indeed, the prospect of United missing out on a top four finish and the lucrative Champions League entry that comes with it is looking increasingly possible as this most frustrating of seasons continues for the self-styled world’s biggest football club.

After Adebayor’s opening goal, Christian Eriksen doubled the Spurs lead before a quick response from Danny Welbeck set up a finale which saw the defending champions fight for their season, although the closest they could come to salvaging a point was a late penalty appeal as Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris chased Ashley Young to the edge of the area and challenged for the ball.

Adebayor was stretchered off in the 70th minute but not even that injury could take the shine off a performance and a result which now leaves Tottenham and their novice manager looking a better bet for a top four finish than their more illustrious hosts.

Tottenham were required to weather a bright and breezy opening from their hosts but, by the time Adebayor struck his 34th minute opener, they were good value for their lead.

The goal came on a blistering counter-attack as Kyle Walker broke up a United attack and Spurs exploited space on United’s left with Eriksen finding Roberto Soldado.

There was still plenty for the forward to do and he duly obliged, picking out Adebayor with a superb cross which the Togo international met, outjumping Chris Smalling in the process, before placing an accurate header beyond the dive of David de Gea.

Adebayor, revelling under the new White Hart Lane management, almost had a hand in a second goal minutes later as he won the ball in midfield and found Aaron Lennon whose cross should have been turned in by Soldado as he slid in but failed to make solid contact.

In truth, a two-goal Tottenham advantage would not have flattered them with Lennon having squandered arguably the best chance of all as he raced clear onto Soldado’s 14th minute pass but, with only de Gea to beat, was denied by the United goalkeeper’s block.

It was all a stark contrast to the opening exchanges which saw Lloris race from his area inside the opening minute to intercept a threatening through ball — the Tottenham keeper being fortunate to escape what appeared to be a handball outside his box as he did so.

Welbeck was then denied by the keeper as Spurs again came under pressure and Lloris enjoyed a slice of luck when he saved Chris Smalling’s fierce shot with the inside of his thigh before the rebound squirmed over the goalline for a corner.

But for all their early possession and swift attacking play, United failed to really test Lloris in the opening hour, with Wayne Rooney’s frustration earning him a 41st minute booking for a petulant tug at Mousa Dembele and Welbeck diving in an attempt to earn a 58th minute penalty as Vlad Chiriches made the slightest contact with him.

Appreciating the dire situation, Moyes made a bold double substitution on the hour, bringing on forwards Shinji Kagawa and Javier Hernandez for midfielder Michael Carrick and full-back Smalling.

The move saw Antonio Valencia move to right-back and looked costly when he responded slowly as Spurs made it 2-0 after 66 minutes.

Again, it was a goal carved out of a counter-attack, with Soldado slipping the ball inside for Lennon whose chipped pass across the area was met by Eriksen’s stooping header as Valencia was found wanting.

Fortunately for Moyes, however, it took less than a minute for Welbeck to respond and haul United back to within a goal as he chased Adnan Januzaj’s perceptive pass in between two defenders and finished confidently over the advancing Lloris.

Januzaj led the charge for the equaliser, shooting just wide from 20 yards then slaloming in from the right before crossing to the near post where Hernandez’s backheel was blocked by the goalkeeper. Lloris also showed a rush of blood in chasing off his line to challenge Young, sparking United penalty appeals, although the goalkeeper made amends with superb stops in quick succession from Rooney and Nemanja Vidic inside the final minute.

MANCHESTER UNITED: De Gea 7; Smalling 7 (Kagawa 61, 6), Evans 7, Vidic 5, Evra 5; Valencia 5, Carrick 7 (Hernandez 61, 6) Cleverley 6 (Young 84), Januzaj 7; Rooney 8, Welbeck 7.

TOTTENHAM: Lloris 6; Walker 7, Chiriches 9, Dawson 7, Rose 8; Lennon 8, Capoue 6 (Bentaleb 64, 6), Dembele 7, Eriksen 7; Adebayor 7 (Chadli 64, 6), Soldado 8 (Kane 74).

Referee: Howard Webb.