It’s been a good month for United. Started the month well, but as we got further into February, the performance deteriorated, but we still managed to grind out some results. Is this the blip that Chelsea have longed for? The mark of champions is grinding out result’s, sometimes even in games which we don’t deserve to win.

It wasn’t difficult choosing a game to cover for my match report. We have struggled in every game this month, with the exception of one. Ironically the one many thought would be our hardest. I have gone for the United Vs Spurs game at White Hart Lane on Sunday 4th February.

White Hart Lane is usually a good place for United to visit. This time around there was a bit of doubt as by that time, Spurs had only been beaten once at home. Even the Champions had lost 2-1. Spurs started on top in the game without creating any serious chances to trouble Edwin Van Der Sar. The excellent Aaron Lennon was troubling on the right, but with no real end product and Berbatov diving around like he had been shot. No real chances of note. The best chance in the opening 30 minutes fell to Cristiano Ronaldo. A corner from Ryan Giggs was flicked on by Rio Ferdinand into the path of Michael Carrick who’s header was saved by Robinson. The bal rebounded to Ronaldo who clipped the bar from 6 yards out.

United were improving and should of had a penalty when Henrik Larsson was held back in the box by Anthony Gardner. Nothing was given by referee Mark Clattenburg. At the other end Berbatov managed to wriggle past Rio Ferdinand and fire a shot at Van Der Sar which he just managed to keep out.

When Ronaldo had space on the right he put in a cross which was headed straight back out to him. He took the ball worked some magic and drove into the box only to be brought down by Malbranque. Penalty. Replay’s show it may have been harsh but Ronaldo placed the ball down and hit it past Robinson. 1-0 and just before half time.

United came out for the second half in the same mood. Vidic finding himself in room outside the box and hitting a superb shot tipped over by Robinson. The resulting corner fell to Carrick who managed to have a header tipped over again by Robinson. From this corner, taken by Carrick, Nemanja Vidic headed past Robinson for his 4th of the season. Only minutes later, Ronaldo took the ball on the right, drew the defender towards him and put a low cross into the box for the excellent Paul Scholes to bundle the ball over the line, unchallenged from about 1 yard out. 3-0 without breaking a sweat.

United went looking for number 4 with Wayne Rooney hitting a magnificent shot which went inches past Robinson’s post and at the other end, Berbatov looked to have been shot again with a challenge under Rio Ferdinand. He then managed to get in behind Rio but his shot was well saved by Edwin Van Der Sar follwed by a header which was saved again. Spurs finally came to life, but this spark had gone shortly after. United’s forth came after Louis Saha appeared from the bench who slid a quality through ball to Ryan Giggs who finished easilly past the England goalkeeper.

Another 3 points for United. In the final 10 minutes Robbie Keane manged to work his way into the box only to be denied by Edwin Van Der Sar who took a blow to the head and a boken nose for his trouble. With no substitute goalkeeper on the bench, John O’Shea stepped in for a cameo in the United goal. and did very well. Rio Ferdinand put him in trouble with a poor backpass which fell to Keane. O’Shea darted out of his goal and made an excellent challenge to the delight of the United suport.

Game over. 6 points clear. The game could have gone either way at 0-0 with chances for penalty’s for both sides, but once Ronaldo scored, Spurs collapsed and United went on to earn the points with an excellent second half showing.

United 4 Tottenham Hotspur 0

Tottenham: Robinson, Chimbonda, Young-Pyo Lee, Dawson, Gardner, Lennon, Huddlestone, Zokora (Ghaly 56), Malbranque, Defoe (Keane 56), Berbatov.
Subs Not Used: Cerny, Murphy, Rocha.

Booked: Chimbonda, Keane.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Neville, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Ronaldo (Park 68), Carrick, Scholes, Giggs (O’Shea 80), Rooney (Saha 64), Larsson.
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Heinze.

Booked: Vidic, Rooney, Larsson.

Goals: Ronaldo 45 pen, Vidic 48, Scholes 54, Giggs 77

Att: 36,146.

Man of the match: Hard one to call but in the end I had to go for Paul Scholes who was excellent. A few rash challenges but all in all a good days work for the ginger Prince. He bossed the midfield and worked tirelessly throughout with some crisp passing and a goal for good messure. He continued the form that has placed him in the running for player of the season.

Written by ManUtd99 for RoM.org