Tottenham Hotspur emphatically concluded their seven-game winless home league streak (D2, L5) with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the Premier League (PL). This result was significant, as it marked the first time since the 2012/13 season that the Red Devils have suffered three defeats at the hands of the same opponent within a single campaign, a testament to Spurs’ resurgence against a traditionally formidable rival.
Both teams, typically contenders for European qualification, found themselves in an unusual position, battling it out in the lower half of the league standings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Injuries have hampered the Spurs this season, yet the welcome return of goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario injected optimism into their performance. Vicario made crucial saves, first denying Rasmus Højlund with a reflex stop and then thwarting Alejandro Garnacho’s effort before Ben Davies exhibited tenacious defending by clearing Diogo Dalot’s follow-up attempt. Capitalising on this defensive stand, Spurs broke the deadlock; André Onana, the United goalkeeper, parried Lucas Bergvall’s powerful shot, allowing James Maddison to pounce on the rebound and confidently score his first goal in 11 Premier League appearances.
In response, United’s Joshua Zirkzee attempted to bend a shot towards the corner, only to see it narrowly miss the target. Shortly afterwards, Garnacho squandered a prime opportunity from inside the box, failing to hit the target and extending his goal drought, which has now reached November. The first half was engaging, with numerous chances created at both ends. However, only one goal distinguished the teams at halftime, following PL debutant Mathys Tel’s inability to redirect Son Heung-min’s clever cut-back past Onana.
The second half resumed with both teams showing intensity. Tel had another chance early in the half but stabbed narrowly wide after Djed Spence made an excellent run down the right flank. United then enjoyed a spell of pressure. Garnacho tested Vicario again, shooting under pressure from Pedro Porro before forcing the goalkeeper into a low save with a fierce shot aimed at the near post. Amorim hesitated to utilise his inexperienced bench, composed mainly of teenagers and opted to maintain his starting XI until the 91st minute. The absence of Amad Diallo, likely sidelined for the remainder of the season due to injury, was deeply felt, limiting United’s attacking options in crucial moments.
As the match drew to a close, a glancing header from Zirkzee drifted just wide of the far post — a near miss that encapsulated United’s late struggle for an equaliser. Onana was once again required to showcase his skills, meeting Dejan Kulusevski’s close-range effort with a strong save. Another disheartening afternoon concluded for Amorim as his side fell to a disappointing 15th place in the league standings. In contrast, Tottenham climbed to 12th, celebrating back-to-back Premier League victories after a challenging run of seven games without a win (D1, L6), reigniting hope for their supporters.
