Spot-On Van Nistelrooy Earns Win

By David Hobbs
September 25 2004

Sir Alex Ferguson marked his 700th game in charge of Manchester United a 1-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur in London. A penalty kick from Ruud van Nistelrooy was enough to end Spurs' unbeaten record of 6 games in the Premiership, despite a good display from the home side.

Spot-On Van Nistelrooy Earns Win

Sir Alex Ferguson marked his 700th game in charge of Manchester United a 1-0 win against Tottenham at White Heart Lane.

A penalty kick courtesy of Ruud van Nistelrooy was enough to end Spurs' unbeaten record of 6 games in the Premiership.

Goalkeeper Tim Howard wasn't even on the substitute bench yet again, leaving Roy Carroll to continue his run in-between the sticks whilst Rio Ferdinand started in defence.

Mysteriously, there was no place for Paul Scholes in the team presumably because of a last minute injury. Alan Smith took his place just behind Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Spurs players ganged up on danger-man Cristiano Ronaldo straight away in the game and stuck to him for most of the match. Erik Edman was lucky to escape a yellow card with a foul on the Portuguese winger early on.

Pedro Mendes tried his luck from wide on the right wing 20 minutes in but the midfielder's shot sailed over the bar, much to the relief on Roy Carroll. Van Nistelrooy also had a long-range shot saved moments later.

A foul on Ronaldo resulting in a free kick from Roy Keane down the right was almost converted by Ryan Giggs but the Welshman's shot fizzed wide before the half hour mark.

Jacques Santini's plans of playing 3 strikers in Defoe, Kanoute and Keane didn't work out so the Frenchman took off Kanoute to make way for Simon Davies.

Roy Carroll did well to tip a cheeky Mendes volley over the bar, as both teams applied pressure.

The pressure however was a little too much for Swede Erik Edman, who infringed John O'Shea. Referee P Walton had no option to award a deserved penalty.

Dutchman Ruud van Nistelrooy chose power over placement and it paid off. Paul Robinson was left hapless as Van Nistelrooy broke the deadlock 3 minutes before the interval. Alan Smith nearly added a second seconds before the whistle.

Jermain Defoe opened the second interval with a well-struck left-footed shot that floated inches wide of Carroll's post.

A foul by a Portuguese midfielder on another Portuguese midfielder ended up in the referee brandishing a yellow card. Mendes was booked for unsporting behaviour after an incident with Ronaldo.

A controversial decision by an assistant referee denied Ruud van Nistelrooy a second goal. Ronaldo's cross was perfectly converted by Van Nistelrooy, but the linesman deemed it offside.

Paul Robinson did enough to tame Cristiano Ronaldo's goal-bound attempt after the hour mark.

Spurs threw everything at United in the closing stages including an Robbie Keane effort but held on and claimed their first away win of the season.

Full Time - Tottenham Hotspur 0 - 1 Manchester United

Manchester United: Carroll, Brown, Ferdinand, Silvestre, Heinze, Ronaldo, O'Shea, Keane, Giggs, Nistelrooy, Smith
Substitutes: P Neville, Bellion, Kleberson, Miller, Ricardo

Tottenham Hotspur: Robinson, Pamarot, Naybet, King, Edman, Mabizela, Mendes, Redknapp, Keane, Kanoute, Defoe
Substitutes: Davies, Brown, Keller, Gardner, Jackson