Tottenham 0 Man Utd 1: David De Gea and Marcus Rashford seal Wembley win

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Jack Rosser @JackRosser_13 January 2019

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer passed the biggest test of his short Manchester United career as Marcus Rashford’s goal was enough to consign Tottenham to consecutive home defeats in the lead.

The clash, which saw Solskjaer come up against the favourite to replace him at Old Trafford this summer in Mauricio Pochettino, offered the Norwegian vindication that his more free-flowing approach can work against the big sides, though he had a lot to thank David de Gea for at Wembley as United climbed level on points with Arsenal.

The visitors, defeated on their last three League visits to Tottenham, took advantage of a flat first half but were dragged through the second by their Spanish keeper.

Solskajer has taken the handbrake off at Manchester United since replacing Jose Mourinho, and his front three continued that trend at Wembley. With Rashford and Anthony Martial playing just ahead of Jesse Lingard, the visitors looked to pounce on anything offered up by the Spurs back four, with Ben Davies and Kieran Trippier enduring rather slow seasons and Jan Vertonghen back in for his first start in a month.

There was an early warning when Trippier offered the ball up to Paul Pogba in midfield before the Frenchman sent compatriot Martial on his way down the left, with Hugo Lloris turning his international teammate’s effort round the post. That was a scenario, though, which would eventually repeat and cost Tottenham.

Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko continued their pairing in Pochettino’s midfield but after a demanding run over the festive period the pair looked weary. Sissoko eventually succumbed to what looked a hamstring problem just before the break and was forced off, Pochettino opting to send on Erik Lamela as opposed the more defensive, but inexperienced, Oliver Skipp.

Moments later and Tripper had Tottenham in trouble again. The England international, who Pochettino has said continues to struggle with an injury picked up at the World Cup, looked to whip the ball into the middle, saw it cut out by his Three Lions teammate Lingard who, with his only touch, laid it on for Pogba. The midfielder, seemingly revived under Solskjaer, set himself before whipping the perfect ball through for Rashford, charging past Vertonghen on the break, who then matched the precision of the assist with a low finish across Lloris.

Spurs had looked limp going forward in the first half, but suddenly sparked the game into a real contest after the break, with Harry Kane and Dele Alli both drawing saves from David de Gea in the five minutes following the restart.

Spurs were finally flowing, but were in danger of being caught out at the back as Lloris once again stepped in to deny a fellow World Cup winner, thrice stopping Pogba in quick succession, one being a fine fingertip save to nudge the ball over the bar after the United man had latched onto his own deflected shot in the box. A stop for which even Pogba had to offer congratulations.

United’s chances did not slow Spurs as once again they broke and should have been level, Kane brilliantly playing in Alli who ran at goal but could not beat De Gea at his near post, each of the near 80,000 Tottenham fans at Wembley wishing that exchange had been the other way around.

Spurs were getting closer and closer to a leveller, but De Gea was unwavering in batting away effort after effort, reacting in a flash to keep out Toby Alderweireld’s prod at the near post.

Despite their chances the hosts were not having any joy and Pochettino had seen enough, sacrificing Winks, the only midfielder really capable of playing a holding role left on the pitch, for Fernando Llorente.

As Spurs rallied United dropped off, De Gea called on again and again to stop Kane and substitute Llorente as Trippier continued to get in behind Luke Shaw and pepper the box with crosses.

The Spaniard’s efforts paid off eventually with Tottenham unable to find a finish, passing up the chance of moving above Manchester City before their Monday night game.

As for the managers, one result will have no impact on United’s love for Pochettino, but after a run of comfortable victories, Solskjaer made the biggest step in his quest for the permanent position.

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