Manchester United vs Tottenham, 5 Key Talking Points

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Anthony Martial was the hero of the day at Old Trafford

Score: Manchester United 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur

Goal(s): Anthony Martial 82' (Romelu Lukaku assist)

A hard fought, time-rolling-back kind of physical battle (that surprisingly had just one yellow-card) gave Manchester United a much-needed morale-boosting win over high-flying Tottenham Hotspur.

The game had plenty of ups-and-downs and what it lacked for in quality it made up for in spice, excitement, and the positive attitudes of both teams.

Here then are the main talking points from the clash between the Premier League's nos. 2 and 3 :

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#5 United's defence almost back to it's best but Tottenham's change at the back doesn't work

Chris Smalling looked much more assured with Eric Bailly and Phil Jones on either side of him

After letting in two of the most straightforward goals they will ever concede - against 'lowly' Huddersfield Town, United didn't allow Spurs anything - they got in behind the defence just once (and Alli spurned that one). With the return of Phil Jones and Eric Bailly, United's defense suddenly went from flimsy to impregnable and Mourinho will welcome back Marcos Rojo soon.

Nothing like a fully fit defence to make the Portuguese happy.

Tottenham, meanwhile, tampered with a winning formula and replaced the impressive Davinson Sanchez (who had, of course, kept Marcus Rashford quiet in the Europa League final for Ajax) with Eric Dier and the Englishman looked a touch susceptible when United kept trying to play in their striker's early. He was also guilty of ball-watching when Martial ran in behind for the key moment of the match, and Pochettino may just regret not having played his in-form Colombian in the first-place

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