Martial strikes late as Manchester United break Tottenham hearts

Anthony Martial struck the winner for Manchester United as they snatched a 1-0 win from Tottenham at Old Trafford to cement second place in the Premier League.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s breakaway effort secured an identical result in this fixture last season after Spurs had dominated possession and it was a similar story here as Mauricio Pochettino’s men struggled without injured talisman Harry Kane.

The England man was absent with a hamstring injury, Pochettino choosing Son Heung-min over Fernando Llorente in attack, but Pep Guardiola’s branding of Spurs as “the Harry Kane team” may be revisited after they failed to break down United’s stiff defence.

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Any suggestion that Jose Mourinho would throw the shackles off after soporific attacking displays in a draw at Liverpool and defeat at Huddersfield Town were quelled as the Portuguese matched Spurs up with a three-man defence.

But the Red Devils grew into the contest, and Romelu Lukaku hit the post late on before his flick-on sent Martial clear to score nine minutes from the end and reassert United in second place, now three points above their visitors.

Pochettino has suggested Kane could return for Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid at Wembley and they will need his goal threat on this evidence.

Key Opta stats

• Manchester United have kept a clean sheet in each of their first five home league games of a season for the first time since 2007/08.

• Spurs have lost consecutive games (in all competitions) for the first time since February (defeats against Liverpool and Gent).

• The Red Devils have kept six consecutive home clean sheets in the league; they last managed more in March 2010 (7).

• United have now scored 10 goals in the last 10 minutes of their Premier League games this season, accounting for 43% of their total.

• Anthony Martial has been involved in five goals in his last five Premier League games at Old Trafford (3 goals, 2 assists).

• Martial has bagged a league-high four goals as a sub in the Premier League this season.

• Romelu Lukaku has had a hand in 10 goals in the Premier League this season (7 goals, 3 assists), a joint-high along with Sergio Aguero.

• Only three of Tottenham’s 13 shots in the game came in the second-half, with none of their four shots on target coming after the break.