Ange Postecoglou’s free-scoring Tottenham twice pegged back Manchester United in an entertaining 2-2 Premier League draw.
Richarlison and Rodrigo Bentancur were on target for Tottenham, who cancelled out goals from Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford to earn a share of the spoils at Old Trafford on Monday (AEDT).
Postecoglou’s Spurs have now scored in 33 consecutive Premier League matches since a 1-0 defeat at Wolves in March last season – now the outright longest scoring run in the club’s league history.
Hojlund hammered home the third-minute opener before Richarlison headed in an equaliser from a corner – his sixth goal in as many Premier League matches – but Rashford smartly put the hosts back ahead in the 40th minute.
Cristian Romero rattled the United crossbar in stoppage time and 49 seconds into the second half before Bentancur slammed Spurs level, capitalising on some lax home defending.
“It’s why we are where we are,” Postecoglou said as he praised his players. “We’re not here because everything is running our way.
“I think anyone doing any kind of objective commentary on our season will not say that we’ve had an easy year. The only reason we’re in the position we are is because we’ve had players who are prepared to put aside whatever adversity we’re going through and give everything they have.
“These guys are giving me everything, whoever is out there, whether it’s guys playing out of position, guys who haven’t played in a while, guys coming back from injury, they just give everything.
“It’s not always smooth but there’s no manager on this planet who wouldn’t feel like they’re in the right place when they see the kind of effort these guys are putting in every week.”
Postecoglou’s visitors looked most likely to win it but United avoided a 10th Premier League loss of the season in front of Ratcliffe and his INEOS team.
Things had got off to an ideal start from a United perspective.
Andre Onana – playing his final match before heading off to the Africa Cup of Nations – collected a cross and threw wide to Alejandro Garnacho, who played onto Bruno Fernandes.
The skipper put Rashford behind to drive forward and then cut inside, with Destiny Udogie’s eventual challenge taking the ball into Hojlund’s path rather than halting the counter.
The 20-year-old Dane moved the ball away from Spurs defenders, steadied himself with another touch before thundering a left-footed drive into the roof of the net.
Rasmus Hojlund scores with his first touch of the match!
Marcus Rashford makes a run into the box, and the ball falls to the feet of Hojlund who lashes into the roof of the net #MUNTOT pic.twitter.com/LpVMtTOwgR
— Premier League (@premierleague) January 14, 2024
Rashford tried to add a second when meeting a deep Christian Eriksen corner with an unorthodox volley across goal, but Spurs soon awoke from their slumber.
Pedro Porro’s pot shot may have been easily held but Jonny Evans had to be alert to stop a looping header from Spurs debutant Timo Werner causing problems.
Diogo Dalot cleared Bentancur’s header from the resulting set-piece off the line, but another corner would prove United’s undoing in the 19th minute.
Porro swung in from the left and Richarlison showed strength in a congested six-yard box to glance home, extending Spurs scoring run in the league to a club-record 33rd game.
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 14, 2024
Play settled for a while, only for United to kick on towards the break.
Garnacho’s penalty appeals against Udogie fell on deaf ears but the Spurs left-back was soon breathing a sigh of relief after heading a Rashford cross onto his own post.
United’s pressure continued and brought about a 40th-minute goal.
Rashford played a one-two with Hojlund around the edge of the 18-yard box, then followed a touch with a low snapshot into the bottom corner.
Rasmus Hojlund @MarcusRashford #MUFC || #MUNTOT pic.twitter.com/xb7Pdy8rGM
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 14, 2024
The England forward made a talking gesture with his hand as he celebrated – seemingly a message for those questioning him.
Rashford was blocked out as he attempted to add another but Spurs went close in stoppage time, with Romero launching himself to meet a corner and sending a header crashing off the bar.
Postecoglou’s side were not discouraged by that near miss and drew level moments into the second half.
Werner held the ball up on the left and played across to Bentancur, who drove into the box, past Evans and continued to slam Spurs level.
It was a gut punch Tottenham were determined to add to.
Richarlison forced a low save out of Onana and Werner hooked over as the visitors looked most likely to score, but they could not capitalise on their boatload of set-pieces.
Ten Hag made a pair of changes in quick succession to change the dynamics.
The first, Scott McTominay, drove narrowly wide from 20 yards after replacing Eriksen, before Lisandro Martinez came on for his first appearance since September.
Spurs introduced January arrival Radu Dragusin as the match wound down, with McTominay heading over at the end of five minutes stoppage time.
