From White Hart Lane Tottenham h 0 Man Utd 0 Att: 35,882 SPURS showed a stubborn streak to frustrate champions Manchester United and finish with a deserved point from Saturday evening s entertaining scoreless draw. The Lilywhites went into the clash with
From White Hart Lane
Tottenham h 0
Man Utd 0
Att: 35,882
SPURS showed a stubborn streak to frustrate champions Manchester United and finish with a deserved point from Saturday evening's entertaining scoreless draw.
The Lilywhites went into the clash without skipper Ledley King and were soon forced into a hasty defensive reshuffle when stand-in captain Jonathan Woodgate departed with a back injury. But Michael Dawson and Vedran Corluka stood tall against the returning Dimitar Berbatov, Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez.
Tottenham's other hero was much-maligned goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, who pulled off several key saves.
Yet, it was United's Edwin van der Saw who was first called into action, turning away a superbly struck volley from David Bentley.
Soon after he beat off a stinging drive from Aaron Lennon. He also saved Roman Pavlyuchenko's follow up. And Luka Modric came within inches of scoring with a diving header before substitute Tom Huddlestone's goal-bound drive unfortunately hit Pavlyunchenko right in front of goal.
United stepped up the tempo after the break but could find no way past Dawson or Gomes. After Ronaldo had a goal disallowed for hand ball the Spurs keeper saved brilliantly from Ji Sung Park before tipping a Ryan Giggs free-kick on the to the bar in the final minute.
SPURS PLAYER OF THE GAME: Michael Dawson. Proved himself a leader in the absence of Ledley King.
Team: Gomes 8, Corluka 7, Dawson 9, Woodgate 7 (Huddlestone 7, 10), Assou-Ekotto 7, Bentley 7, Modric 7, Zokora 7, Jenas 6 (O'Hara 62, 7), Lennon 7, Pavlyuchenko 6 (Bent 6, 54). Not used: Cesar, Bale, Gunter, Boateng. Booked: Huddlestone.
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