One team stayed perfect, the other is in real trouble. All it took was one fateful two-minute stretch.
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Manchester United and Tottenham went back and forth punching and counter-punching, but nobody could break through. Then in a flash, it was all over for the home fans at Old Trafford.
Harry Kane and Lucas Moura scored goals within a minute of each other as Spurs beat Manchester United 3-0 to pile even more pressure on Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho. Kane’s - an absolutely spectacular header - was his second goal ever at Old Trafford, his worst performance at any Premier League venue coming into the match based on minutes played. Moura then capped things off late with his second of the match.
The game exploded off the opening kick, and both teams had opportunities early on. Manchester United started things off as Fred had a dangerous chance on Hugo Lloris’s net just 16 seconds into the match, but he put it just wide right on the volley. Christian Eriksen nearly chipped Harry Kane in down the other end on 12 minutes, but Kane just couldn’t control. Then at 15 minutes there was the biggest missed opportunity, as Romelu Lukaku rounded Lloris but from a relatively tight angle put the ball agonizingly wide of the open net, a chance he should have taken.
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On 25 minutes, Nemanja Matic was caught in possession by Dele Alli who charged forward on net one-on-two, but Chris Smalling went to ground and won the ball to end the chance.
It went end-to-end on the half-hour mark, as Lucas Moura made a marauding run forward before collapsing under a challenge from Phil Jones, but no call was given. Then down the other end, Jesse Lingard rifled a curling shot past Toby Alderweireld but missed just wide. The Red Devils came so close again three minutes later, first with Paul Pogba lashing a low shot saved by Lloris, and a follow-up took a dangerous deflection but skittered just wide.
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Matic was required to make a critical block on a close-range Alli shot on 42 minutes, thanks to his own lack of awareness allowing Alli to slip in behind. Overall, the quality of the first half was severely lacking.
There were 123 failed passes in that 45 minutes (United 58-65 Spurs). The most in the first half of any Premier League game so far this season — pipping Cardiff v Newcastle.
— Adam Bate (@ghostgoal) August 27, 2018
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After halftime, the chances continued to pour in, and finally one side capitalized. Five minutes out of the break, Kane ended his goalscoring hi jinx at Old Trafford with an absolutely brilliant header to put Spurs one-up. Kane’s strike came from a great distance out, perfectly targeted to the far corner leaving David de Gea no chance.
The game would not calm, and Manchester United nearly had an immediate response. Lukaku picked off a back-pass in traffic, and he rifled a shot from a tight angle which Lloris saved expertly. That would not come off, and Spurs would hit back immediately. Down the other end, Christian Eriksen fed the middle of the box from the right-hand side, and Moura struck a low shot into the bottom-left corner past a diving de Gea.
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Alli had another big chance past the hour mark, as he picked off a poor back-pass from substitute Victor Lindelof, but de Gea saved the mistake by coming off his line and snuffing the chance. On the ensuing corner, Kane missed a wide-open header at the far post, putting it wide. The game was finally put away in the 84th minute as Moura killed off the match by taking a pass from Kane near midfield, beating Smalling one-on-one, and striking his shot past de Gea inside the left post.
The loss leaves Manchester United floundering on just three points, meaning they sit six points off the four unbeaten teams at the top which includes Tottenham. Spurs find themselves level in second place with Watford and Chelsea thanks to their +5 goal differential.