Tottenham Hotspur fought back from two goals behind to draw 2-2 with Manchester United in Thursday's pulsating Premier League clash in North London.
Man United appeared to be heading for all three points when first-half goals from Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford gave them a comfortable lead at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
However, Ryan Mason's side were much improved in the second half and halved the deficit through Pedro Porro before Son Heung-min levelled the scores in the 79th minute.
The result has left Man United fourth, six points clear of fifth-placed Spurs in the table with two games in hand, with Erik ten Hag's team still in a strong position when it comes to securing Champions League football for next term.
Tottenham entered the match off the back of successive Premier League defeats, including the 6-1 hammering at Newcastle United on Sunday, which led to Cristian Stellini being removed as interim head coach, with Mason now in charge on a caretaker basis for the second time.
Mason was previously in charge of Spurs between April 2021 and June 2021, winning four and losing three of his seven games at the helm.
© Reuters
Man United, meanwhile, bounced back from their Europa League disappointment by overcoming Brighton & Hove Albion in the semi-finals of the FA Cup on Sunday afternoon.
Sancho for Anthony Martial was the only change to the Red Devils side that started against Brighton, with club captain Harry Maguire out due to an injury that he suffered in training, and Bruno Fernandes passing a late fitness test despite concerns over an ankle issue.
Meanwhile, Fraser Forster, Clement Lenglet and Richarlison came in for the home side, with Hugo Lloris out through injury, and both Pape Sarr and Dejan Kulusevski dropping to the bench.
Man United took the lead in the seventh minute of the contest, and it was a brilliant strike from Sancho, who worked some space down the left before cutting inside and curling the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
Rashford was next to try his luck for the Red Devils, with the England international firing a low free kick wide of Forster's post in the 12th minute, before Richarlison tested the gloves of David de Gea down the other end after working some space in a forward area.
Man United had a golden chance to double their lead in the 19th minute when Sancho was found by Fernandes inside the Spurs box following another slick move, but the attacker's first effort was blocked by Cristian Romero before Ivan Perisic headed his second attempt off the line.
© Reuters
Another clever passing move from the visitors ended with Fernandes having a shot blocked behind in the 24th minute, with Antony, Rashford and Sancho all causing plenty of problems in the forward areas.
Fernandes then tested Forster with a powerful left-footed strike from distance after brilliantly breaking clear in the middle of the park, with the Portugal international running the game for the visitors.
Richarlison broke into the Man United box in the 28th minute, but the Brazil international decided to look for the pass when he might have had a go himself, and Luke Shaw was on hand to make the block; De Gea then made a brilliant save from the resulting corner, clawing away a header from Perisic.
Forster made an excellent save to keep out a close-range Rashford effort in the 39th minute, with the Englishman being found by Fernandes, before Harry Kane smashed a dangerous low cross into the Man United box moments later, but there were no takers.
Tottenham's number two goalkeeper made another smart stop to keep out a powerful Rashford drive in the 41st minute, before Christian Eriksen missed the crossbar with a free kick from distance.
De Gea then had to make a brilliant save to keep out a thumping strike from Perisic in the 43rd minute, before the visitors doubled their advantage through Rashford.
© Reuters
Man United's leading goalscorer for the 2022-23 campaign was released by Fernandes, and he shifted the ball past Eric Dier before hammering home to make it 2-0 to the 20-time English champions.
Tottenham came close to levelling early in the second period, but Lindelof made an excellent defensive clearance to nod clear under pressure from Lenglet, who then headed over the crossbar from close range when the ball was delivered back into the penalty box.
Spurs were much improved after the restart, and the home team managed to halve the deficit in the 56th minute, with Porro expertly finding the back of the net from inside the box; Richarlison was actually on the floor next to De Gea, but the goal was allowed to stand after a VAR check.
Fernandes almost scored a third for Man United in the next attack after dancing into the Tottenham box, but he somehow crashed the ball against the crossbar from close range before Wan-Bissaka's header was kept out by Forster.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg had two attempts in the spell that followed, but his first effort was wide before De Gea kept out the midfielder's second shot in quick succession.
Son then had a golden chance at the far post after being found by Kane, but the forward fired his attempt wide, much to the relief of the away team, who had been carved apart again.
© Reuters
Kulusevski was next to break into the Man United box, with the Sweden international missing the far post with a low effort, before Dier somehow headed a Perisic cross wide from close range, with Tottenham continuing to create openings in a much-improved second-half display.
Forster kept out a powerful Fernandes drive in the 70th minute, before Victor Lindelof was slightly fortunate to escape a second yellow card down the other end for a challenge on Son in the 74th minute.
Tottenham had another chance from the resulting free kick, with Lenglet just failing to make contact on a cross from Kane, who then tested De Gea with a powerful drive in the next attack.
Spurs were really pressing for a leveller, with Man United dropping deeper and deeper, and the home side finally managed to level in the 79th minute when Son turned a low cross from Kane into the back of the net from close range.
Rashford fired one just over the Tottenham crossbar in the 84th minute, with Man United putting the pressure on in the latter stages; Casemiro also headed over in the final exchanges, but the points were ultimately shared in the English capital.
Next up for Spurs in the league is a trip to Liverpool on Sunday, while Man United will be in action on the same afternoon at home to an in-form Aston Villa, who are flying under Unai Emery.
Matt Law
