Manchester United needed a last-gasp equaliser to claim a point as Tottenham came within seconds of defeating the champions.
Dawson own goal denies Tottenham
Manchester United needed a last-gasp equaliser to claim a point as Tottenham came within seconds of defeating the champions at White Hart Lane.
United, who have now slipped two points behind new leaders Arsenal, were well below their best and only exerted any real pressure on the Spurs goal in the final 10 minutes of an enthralling fixture.
Juande Ramos' men looked set to hold out for a deserved three points only for their defence to switch off in the fourth minute of added time, when Carlos Tevez got in front of Michael Dawson to convert Nani's late corner.
Dimitar Berbatov had given Ramos' side the lead in the 21st minute, knocking home from close range after Edwin van der Sar had parried Aaron Lennon's cross into his path.
A fractious encounter saw 10 yellow cards issued, including one for Wayne Rooney, ruling the striker out of the Manchester derby as it was his fifth for the season.
Quiet
Cristiano Ronaldo - who was kept quiet for much of the match - drifted into the centre to help create the opening chance, in the seventh minute, with Wes Brown eventually firing over from the edge of the penalty area - but Spurs then started to build momentum.
Their first glimpse of goal came from the left flank after a quarter of an hour when Berbatov skipped around Rio Ferdinand but Owen Hargreaves cleared the low cross.
Tom Huddlestone then tried to play Robbie Keane behind the United defence but Nemanja Vidic slid in to clear for a corner. But they were not made to wait long for the opener.
Huddlestone started a counter-attack, Keane played Jenas through and his surging run was halted in the area by Hargreaves. The ball brushed his hand as he fell, with Lennon then taking the ball into the box and Berbatov tapping in after Van der Sar had parried the cross.
Lennon's corners were causing United problems, Dawson almost getting on the end of one only for Vidic to clear, and Berbatov heading wide from another.
Berbatov also volleyed over when he met a Lennon cross first time after Huddlestone's vision had created the attack.
Frustration
United were looking to move through the gears and Ronaldo headed wide when found free from a Rooney cross. Their frustration was illustrated by Brown's booking for a late tackle on Chimbonda.
Patrice Evra wanted a penalty in the final stages of the half when challenged by Lennon but Clattenburg awarded a corner. Hargreaves was booked for handling as Spurs broke when the set-piece broke down.
Ryan Giggs got on the end of a Ronaldo free-kick before the break but Radek Cerny did not have to move to make the save.
After the break, Cerny was also required to cut out a dangerous Ronaldo cross as Tevez looked to pounce, and Vidic headed over after Spurs failed to clear a corner.
At the other end, Huddlestone's long-range effort dipped wide. Keane was also sent through by Berbatov but his finish lacked power and Van der Sar claimed.
Booked
Ferguson responded by taking off his veterans, Paul Scholes and Giggs, for his youngsters signed in the summer. Nani and Anderson came on as United went for all-out attack.
Steed Malbranque had a shot straight at Van der Sar and Spurs also had a penalty shout when they felt Evra handled.
Cerny palmed Anderson's drive around the post, while Rooney was booked for diving.
Deep in injury time, United rescued a point when Tevez struck.
| Tottenham Hotspur |
Team Statistics |
Manchester United |
| 1 |
Goals |
1 |
| 1 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 3 |
Shots on Target |
5 |
| 2 |
Shots off Target |
8 |
| 5 |
Blocked Shots |
6 |
| 8 |
Corners |
9 |
| 17 |
Fouls |
12 |
| 1 |
Offsides |
1 |
| 3 |
Yellow Cards |
7 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 72.5 |
Passing Success |
81.4 |
| 38 |
Tackles |
26 |
| 55.3 |
Tackles Success |
76.9 |
| 38.8 |
Possession |
61.2 |
| 48.5 |
Territorial Advantage |
51.5 |
|
