Premier League: Spurs earn draw against Man United; Villa drop vital points in top four
Tottenham came back from behind twice in a pulsating Premier League encounter to deny Manchester United a victory in front of new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Ratcliffe, attending his first game since a proposed 25% purchase of his boyhood club was confirmed on Christmas Eve, said beforehand that he was “very excited” to be there.
And he saw Rasmus Hojlund drive United into a third-minute lead but Ratcliffe’s pre-match assertion that United “normally do well against Spurs” wasn’t quite borne out here.
Brazilian striker Richarlison levelled with his sixth goal in as many Premier League games for the visitors, who were without three players, including captain Son Heung-min – away with South Korea at the Asian Cup.
Marcus Rashford put the hosts ahead before the break, but Rodrigo Bentancur wiped out the advantage a minute after the restart with a blistering shot, his first goal since April, during which time he has recovered from a cruciate knee ligament injury and an ankle problem.
The rest of the game would have been an education for Ratcliffe, who sat next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the directors’ box.
United had less than 40% possession, nine shots against Tottenham’s 16 and only a third of the visitors’ six on target.
A draw was not enough to take Tottenham above rivals Arsenal and into the top four. But it did allow them to maintain an eight-point advantage over their hosts, who could drop to 10th before they are next in action against Wolves on 1 February.
Aston Villa’s Premier League title challenge hit a roadblock as Alex Moreno’s strike was controversially disallowed by VAR in Sunday’s 0-0 draw against Everton.
Unai Emery’s side would have moved level on points with leaders Liverpool if they had won at freezing Goodison Park.
But the decision to rule out Moreno’s effort for offside forced Villa to settle for a point that leaves them in third place.
The offside call means Villa have only one win from their last four league games as their unexpected title bid falters.
They are two points behind Liverpool, having played a game more, and sit below second placed Manchester City on goal difference.
Emery was named Premier League manager of the month for December, but the Spaniard will hope Moreno’s disallowed goal isn’t a sign he will suffer from the long-standing ‘curse’ that afflicts winners of the awar
