Tottenham Hotspur 1-3 Manchester United: 5 hits and flops as Red Devils seal emphatic comeback win | Premier League 2020-21

Manchester United ran riot in the second half against Tottenham Hotspur.
Manchester United ran riot in the second half against Tottenham Hotspur.

For the ninth time this season, Manchester United came from behind to secure a victory, overcoming Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 in the 2020-21 Premier League after falling behind.

Son Heung-Min opened the scoring for the hosts five minutes from the break after Edinson Cavani had a goal ruled out for Manchester United.

In the second half, though, the Red Devils upped the ante, scoring through Fred, Cavani and Mason Greenwood to turn the game on its head.

With the win, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side have strengthened their grip on second place. But the defeat has jeopardised Tottenham Hotspur' hopes of qualifying for the Champions League next season.

On that note, let's have a look at the five hits and flops in the match:


Hit: Mason Greenwood (Manchester United)

Mason Greenwood produced a fabulous outing against Tottenham Hotspur.
Mason Greenwood produced a fabulous outing against Tottenham Hotspur.

Talk of impact substitutions! Mason Greenwood stepped off the bench in the 72nd minute and turned the game on its head.

The youngster assisted Cavani for Manchester United's second goal before glossing the scoreline with a confident finish in stoppage time, capping off a superb cameo for the Red Devils.

Greenwood stood out for his intent to push forward, his sprightly presence adding more pace and panache to Manchester United's attack.

He hasn't had the most memorable of seasons, but with back-to-back strikes to his name now, Greenwood has provided a timely reminder of his immense potential.


Flop: Sergio Reguilon (Tottenham Hotspur)

Serge Reguilon couldn't make much of an impact at either end.
Serge Reguilon couldn't make much of an impact at either end.

Neither of Tottenham Hotspurs' full-backs were particularly impressive, but Sergio Reguilon was simply disappointing.

He wasn't impactful enough going forward, despite his accuracy with passes, and could rarely link up with the Tottenham Hotspur attackers.

From a defensive standpoint, too, the Spaniard left a lot to be desired. He failed to make a single tackle or clearance and also got beaten by Greenwood for Manchester United's third of the night.

Reguilon is a quality player, but he was no match for Manchester United on the night.

Hit: Edinson Cavani (Manchester United)

Edinson Cavani was on target for Manchester United.
Edinson Cavani was on target for Manchester United.

Even as uncertainty continues to cloud Edinson Cavani's future at Manchester United, the striker showed why he deserves to remain at the club for a while.

In what was arguably a Man-of-the-Match performance, the former Paris Saint-Germain star produced some wonderful touches to Manchester United's build-up play while also reading the game superbly.

The 34-year old was unlucky to see a goal in the opening stanza ruled out for a foul in the build-up to it. But he was unfazed and came back at Tottenham Hotspur after the break.

Cavani's parried shot allowed Fred to pounce on and score the equaliser before the Uruguayan produced an incredible diving header to get on target himself.

He may be in the twilight of his career, but Cavani clearly has it in him to deliver in the big stages. United must pull out all stops to retain him for another season, at the very least.


Flop: Jose Mourinho (Tottenham Hotspur)

Jose Mourinho's time at Tottenham Hotspur is fast drawing to a close.
Jose Mourinho's time at Tottenham Hotspur is fast drawing to a close.

We could've gone with either Tanguy Ndombele, Eric Dier or even Serge Aurier. But no one's currently going through the motion at Tottenham Hotspur like Jose Mourinho.

He cut a listless figure once again on the sidelines, as his team lost to another 'top six' side, with the Spurs boss looking totally devoid of ideas.

For the umpteenth time this season, the North London outfit squandered a game from a winning position. In fact, no team in the Premier League, with the exception of Brighton & Hove Albion (20), have lost more points after taking the lead in a game than Spurs (18).

For all the promise of a top-four return, Tottenham Hotspur seem to have only regressed under Mourinho, who's now running the risk of another sack.

With things starting to go south again, the Portuguese has played his classic 'blame-the-players' card, causing dressing room unrest - a theme that has been seen at so many of his other clubs in the past.

Despite his stellar reputation, Jose Mourinho is no longer an elite-level manager, and it's showing again with his failure at Tottenham Hotspur.


Hit: Paul Pogba (Manchester United)

Paul Pogba dropped a midfield masterclass in the second half.
Paul Pogba dropped a midfield masterclass in the second half.

Paul Pogba has been touted with an exit from Manchester United in the summer but produced a talismanic performance to demonstrate his importance to the team.

Following a quiet first half, in which the Frenchman's only highlight was a nice through-ball for Cavani, Pogba burst to life in the second.

He was at the forefront of Manchester United's attacking play, laying some incisive through-balls and charging into the box with energetic runs to link up with his attackers.

Tottenham Hotspur failed to deal with him all game, but Pogba should have scored a flick at the near post. That was one sore note in an otherwise terrific performance.

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