Dempsey Scores as Spurs Top United

Clint Dempsey tallied the match winner for Spurs (Action Images)

It's safe to say that things did not go according to script for Manchester United today as they lost at Old Trafford for the first time in the calendar year.  Ultimately a lackluster defensive effort in the first half led to their downfall to a surging Tottenham side.

In the opening minute it looked the like the match would be off to a tentative to start with both sides probing around the edges of the midfield.  However in the second minute Spurs conjured a goal seemingly out of nothing.  Jan Vertonghen took a ball from Gareth Bale and charged into the United penalty area almost totally unchallenged.  In the end he fired off a low shot that took a slight deflection off a United player and nestled in the bottom corner for a 0-1 lead.

One might think that conceding a goal so early at home might prod United into action.  That didn't happen though.  The Red Devils sniped around the edge of the Spurs area a couple times, and had a couple of half hearted shouts for penalties, but that was about it.  They continued in a lull and it cost them.  In the 32nd minute Bale took a ball from midfield and ran into the United box, drifting a lazy right footed shot toward the far post.  The 'keeper had no chance at the angle and the ball dribbled over the line to give Spurs the 0-2 advantage going into halftime.

The second half started in an absolute flurry as Sir Alex had likely given his team the blow dryer treatment at halftime.  Truth be told, he probably came across more like an army of blow dryers.  He also inserted Wayne Rooney into the match, which paid off almost immediately.  In the 51st minute Rooney sent a gorgeous cross into the six where Nani was waiting to knock it home from close range and cut the lead to 1-2.

But before United could even think about trying to pull level, Tottenham restored their 2 goal lead.  In the 52nd minute Gareth Bale once again torched the United defense getting free and sending a low blast in on Anders Lindegaard.  The United keeper saved the shot, but gave up a rebound that fell right to an onrushing Clint Dempsey who banged the shot into the open net to make it 1-3.  It was the American's first goal for Spurs.

United weren't about to lay down though, and they fought right back. In the 53rd minute Robin Van Persie slipped a through ball to Shinji Kagawa, and the former Dortmund man put it just into the lower right corner of the goal to make it 2-3.

United were never able to get the equalizer though.  Their best chance came in the 61st minute when Wayne Rooney stepped over a free kick in a dangerous situation.  He seemed to have Brad Friedel beaten on the shot, but it clanged off the post and out of danger as Spurs held on to the 2-3 win.

The win is Spurs first at Old Trafford since 1989, and was their first win over United since 2001.