Manchester United have produced arguably their most complete performance under Erik ten Hag by beating Tottenham 2-0 to move within a point of the Premier League’s top four.
While victory prompted a rapturous response from the crowd — all eyes were on Cristiano Ronaldo who threatened to steal the headlines when he walked off to the changing room before the final whistle blew. The Portugal star was an unused substitute as United impressed without him.
“If he’s done that, it’s an absolute disgrace,” former England defender Danny Mills said on Sky Sports. “I think that’s disrespectful to the team, the manager, the fans.
“He clearly thinks he’s bigger than the football club … I think that’s absolutely disgraceful.”
The storm-off follows from Ronaldo sulking on the sidelines when he was substituted during United’s last match against Newcastle.
Second-half goals from Fred and Bruno Fernandes ensured victory on Wednesday night in a game that saw Hugo Lloris pull off a string of fine saves to keep the score down.
If not for Lloris, United would have held a sizeable lead by halftime, with the goalkeeper coming up with a host of impressive saves. But he was finally beaten by Fred and Fernandes after the break after United’s dominance paid off.
United now sit one point behind fourth-place Chelsea, who drew 0-0 at Brentford, and four off Tottenham, who have played a game more.
Earlier, Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez’s first goal at home in the league capped an impressive individual performance as a 1-0 win over West Ham was secured thanks to Alisson Becker’s penalty save. The 23-year-old Uruguayan, who arrived in the summer, has had a disjointed start to his Liverpool career but is already becoming something of a cult figure, thanks no-less to his 22nd-minute header.
The result helped extend Hammers boss David Moyes’ winless run at Anfield to 19 matches and the club’s woeful record to one victory since 1963 and just 10 points out of a possible 111. But they may have eked out a point had another South American – Brazil international Alisson – not come to the home side’s rescue by denying Jarrod Bowen’s penalty late in the first half.
The Reds moved up to seventh on the table while West Ham drop to 13th. Newcastle United and Southampton also recorded 1-0 wins. Newcastle’s Paraguayan international forward Miguel Almiron scored a superb goal over a toothless Everton, curling a shot from the edge of the box into the top corner just past the half-hour mark as the sixth-placed home side claimed a fourth win of the campaign and moved to 18 points from 11 games.
It was the third defeat in succession for Everton.
Southampton eased the mounting pressure on manager Ralph Hasenhuttl by climbing out of the relegation zone thanks to a nervy 1-0 win over Bournemouth. Che Adams’ early header proved decisive at Vitality Stadium as Saints ended a five-match winless run and kept a first clean sheet in 17 top-flight games, dating back to April.
© AAP
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