The champions came back from two goals down to secure an emphatic victory over Spurs that sends them back to the top of the table.
Manchester United 5-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Manchester United welcomed Tottenham Hotspur to Old Trafford hoping to regain the lead of the Premier League after watching Liverpool knock them off the top of the table after victory at Hull City.Sir Alex Ferguson welcomed Rio Ferdinand back into the side as well as Rafael Da Silva with Dimitar Berbatov partnering Wayne Rooney up front.
Spurs, meanwhile, included Ledley King in defence but were again without Roman Pavyluchenko so Darren Bent continued his partnership with Robbie Keane in attack.
Yet the visitors began the game brightly and Bent could have grabbed a goal in the first 10 minutes.
The striker beat Rio Ferdinand to an Aaron Lennon cross before heading back across goal but just wide of Edwin Van der Sar’s goal.
United slowly grew into the game and also went close mid-way through the first period after Cristiano Ronaldo headed a Nani cross just wide.
However, it was Spurs who took the lead minutes later with Bent grabbing his 17th goal of the season.
Some neat work down the right between Vedran Corluka and Lennon saw the Croat cross for Bent.
The United defence failed to clear the danger and the former Charlton Athletic man was on hand to smash the ball home to open the scoring.
The home side were stunned but minutes later it was about to get much worse as Spurs doubled their lead.
Again the threat came down the Tottenham right with Lennon crossing for Bent.
The striker flicked the ball to the back post where an unmarked Luka Modric was on hand to smash the ball home.
Ferguson’s men attempted to respond and they might have had a goal back before the break but for a wonderful piece of goalkeeping from Heurelho Gomes.
A Ronaldo free-kick was driven straight into the wall but fell kindly to the Portuguese who fired a wicked shot that appeared destined for the top corner before the Spurs stopped acrobatically tipped it behind.
Perhaps unsurprisingly Ferguson opted to change his side at the break sending on Carlos Tevez for Nani.
The home side began the second half with greater urgency and Tevez almost found his name on the scoresheet less than 10 minutes into the second period.
Some lovely football between Berbatov and Ronaldo saw the Portuguese play in Tevez but his shot was well-saved by Gomes.
Minutes later and United were handed a way back into the game after referee Howard Webb awarded a penalty.
A super ball by Rooney found Carrick sprinting into the box and he went to ground under Gomes’ challenge, although the Spurs keeper did appear to get a touch on the ball.
It may have been a generous decision but Ronaldo made no mistake, slamming the ball down the middle to hand the champions a glimmer of hope.
United ramped up the pressure, sending on Paul Scholes for Darren Fletcher and within 10 minutes they had hauled themselves back on level terms.
Some good hold up play by Berbatov saw him feed Tevez who in turn found Rooney on the overlap on the left and the England striker cut inside Corluka before beating Gomes at his near post.
Yet the champions were far from finished and less than a minute later they found themselves in front for the first time of the afternoon.
More super play from Rooney out on the left, saw him beat Lennon before sending in a delicious cross to Ronaldo at the far post who headed past Gomes on the stretch.
The home crowd went wild with delight but incredibly Ferguson’s men were to extend their lead even further.
A Ronaldo ball in from the right found Rooney at the far post and his shot beat Gomes and just crept over the line despite Woodgate’s attempted block.
United were rampant against a Tottenham side clearly shaken and with less than 10 minutes to go they put the game out of sight.
Again Rooney was the tormentor in chief, strolling down the left before chipping a super ball into Berbatov to bundle home and send United back to the Premier League summit.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Rafael Da Silva (O’Shea, 70), Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Fletcher, Nani (Tevez, 46), Berbatov, Rooney.
Tottenham: Gomes, Corluka, Woodgate, King, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Palacios, Jenas, Modric (Bale, 85) Keane (Huddlestone, 86), Bent.
GOALS
5-2 Manchester United (Berbatov, 79)
4-2 Manchester United (Rooney, 71)
3-2 Manchester United (Ronaldo, 68)
2-2 Manchester United (Rooney, 67)
1-2 Manchester United (Ronaldo, pen 57)
0-2 Tottenham Hotspur (Modric, 31)
0-1 Tottenham Hotspur (Bent, 28)
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