Tottenham 2-0 Manchester United: What Did We Learn As Spurs Lay Down A Major Marker In North London?

With all eyes falling on north London on Saturday evening, Tottenham put in a rampant second-half performance as they claimed a deserved 2-0 victory against Manchester United.

Picking up their first Premier League win under Ange Postecoglou, it was Pape Matar Sarr who sent the home support into overdrive as the 20-year-old produced a smart finish just four minutes after returning from the half-time break.

With Argentina international Lisandro Martinez eventually turning into his own net in the final few minutes, Tottenham will take plenty of positives away from what has been a bright start to the 2023/24 campaign.

Ending their five-match winless run against the Red Devils and largely not having to get out of third gear, Postecoglou’s men really laid down a major top-four statement of intent here.

Cashing in on a Manchester United squad that are desperately seeking some much-needed stability over the past week, it will be Erik ten Hag’s latest headache that could steal most of the headlines this weekend.

Heavily outplayed after returning from the interval and set to face a major backlash as they return to Old Trafford, United will know that they didn’t deserve to leave the capital with anything to show for their flat performance.

In what was a showdown between two Premier League giants on Saturday evening, we have taken a look at the main talking points from north London.

Tottenham have finally found their perfect coach

Entirely missing out on a European spot last season and coming under a huge amount of scrutiny, Tottenham would have always been desperate for Postecoglou to make an immediate impact in the capital.

Although some might have felt that the former Celtic boss was a strange pick to replace Antonio Conte on a permanent basis, the Australian tactician has certainly breathed life back into Spurs’ squad.

Gaining a reputation for their free-flowing approach during his successful tenure in Glasgow, Tottenham fans appear to finally have something to cheer about going forward.

Making an immediate impression around the white half of north London and showing some real improvements in the final third, Postecoglou and Tottenham will now be dreaming of the chance to make a top-four charge this time around.

Opening the 2023/24 campaign with an action-packed 2-2 stalemate away at London rivals Brentford, Saturday’s hosts could certainly become a real neutrals favourite this season.

With 20-year-old Pape Matar Sarr forming an eye-catching early partnership alongside former Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma, Spurs will now simply be looking to keep up their recent flurry going forward.

Ten Hag will have a mounting headache

While Manchester United might have eventually dragged themselves to a hugely controversial 1-0 victory against Wolves on Monday night, ten Hag’s side certainly came under a huge amount of scrutiny for a worrying start to the 2023/24 campaign.

Although the former Premier League champions might have signed off their pre-season preparations with some in their camp dreaming of the chance to mount a genuine title charge, the former Ajax boss will be more than aware that he has a real job on his hands.

Despite enduring their six-year trophy drought last season as they were crowned EFL Cup champions thanks to a 2-0 victory against Newcastle at Wembley, the Red Devils have failed to find any kind of stability over the past week.

With big-money summer arrival Mason Mount failing to finding his feet since arriving at Old Trafford from Chelsea, United were second best here and certainly didn’t deserve to leave north London with anything to show for their troubles.

Still yet to find a clinical edge in the final third, the likes of attacking talisman Marcus Rashford have also offered very little in terms of a threat.

Next seen when they welcome Nottingham Forest to town, it appears there is already mounting pressure on ten Hag’s struggling squad.

No Kane? No problem for Spurs

With almost everyone across north London left heartbroken last week as it was confirmed that England skipper Harry Kane would be making the move to German giants Bayern Munich in a deal that could be worth over £100million, many were wondering how Tottenham would fair without their record-breaking icon.

Certainly getting a new era underway last weekend as they opened the 2023/24 campaign with that lively 2-2 draw away at Brentford, Tottenham will be most excited by the fact that they haven’t shown any initial signs of a post-Kane collapse.

While Postecoglou would have undoubtably been desperate to keep hold of their all-time record goalscorer this summer, the former Celtic boss has done a stellar job of filling Kane’s void almost immediately.

Watching summer arrival and England international James Maddison really impress in his first two appearances since making the move from Leicester in a £40million deal, Tottenham have found a way to cover for Kane’s goals.

Notching a pair of strikes in their first two Premier League showdowns and reinvesting Kane’s money well, Spurs should be excited by their new chapter under Postecoglou.

Match Report

Tottenham: Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie, Sarr, Bissouma, Kulusevski, Maddison, Son, Richarlison

Subs: Emerson, Davies, Hojberg, Perisic, Solomon

Manchester United: Onana, Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Shaw, Mount, Casemiro, Antony, Fernandes, Garnacho, Rashford

Subs: Eriksen, Dalot, Martial, Sancho, Pellistri

Goals: Sarr (49’), Martinez OG (83’)

Yellow Cards: Tottenham: Udogie – Manchester United: Fernandes, Antony, Wan-Bissaka

Red Cards: N/A

Referee: Micheal Oliver