Sir Alex Ferguson hailed Ryan Giggs' 'sensational' performance as Manchester United emerged from their fortnight from hell to land a morale-boosting 3-0 win over Tottenham.
It was United's first home league win since January and their first clean sheet for 10 games.
But while the new-found defensive resolve that kept Spurs at bay will provide much-needed confidence ahead of back-to-back meetings with Arsenal, it was Giggs who stole the show.
The long-serving Welshman is one of the men being earmarked as the victim of a summer clear-out as Ferguson seeks answers to a season which has disintegrated since the turn of the year.
On this evidence though, the 31-year-old will be around for a bit longer yet and he was certainly too much for Tottenham, scoring the opener and setting up David Bellion for an injury-time third as United bagged a deserved win.
"On that form, Ryan is a sensational player," said Ferguson.
"He has spent 14 years running up and down that left wing and maybe we expect too much of him at times.
"You have to take into account the injuries he has had and the amount of rehabilitation he has had to do. It really takes it out of you, which is why I am so pleased with his performance today."
Desperate to bounce back from last Sunday's humiliating derby-day defeat at City, Ferguson also pitched skipper Roy Keane into the fray, even though the Irishman is still not fully over his recent hamstring trouble.
But Keane was fit enough to hold the Red Devils' midfield together and ensure the beleagured United defence never seriously looked like being breached.
"Roy was starting to show a bit of tiredness at the end but his desire and hunger gets him through. He wanted to play, which I was happy about and I thought he was superb."
After such a dismal recent run, there was a sense of foreboding in the United camp as they ran out into the teeth of a ferocious gale that was so strong at one point it blew a Paul Scholes shot away from goal.
Both teams deserved credit for their attempts to make light of the conditions but it was the hosts who always looked more threatening and Ruud van Nistelrooy might have put them in front before Giggs, who had created the Dutchman's chance, ghosted to the near post and met Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's low cross with an impudent back-heeled flick that left Kasey Keller with no chance.
Giggs' failed to find a finish to match an impressive mazy dribble after half-time and Diego Forlan also blew a couple of decent opportunities before substitute Cristiano Ronaldo powered home an angled drive in the final minute, leaving Bellion to round off the win with a neat stoppage time finish after Giggs had provided the killer pass.
"We felt we had a chance today and I thought United were getting nervous at times in the second half," said Spurs temporary boss David Pleat.
"But Roy Keane was so important for them. He has so much character and he wanted the ball in the second half.
"People have been saying a lot of things about Manchester United recently but not many teams operate to the same high standard as they do.
"The problem for them is that of the three teams at the top, they are having their blip first but I'm pretty sure they will still win a lot more games than they will lose."
Pleat highlighted a wayward Wes Brown tackle on Jermain Defoe in the first-half as a potential turning point.
While the incident occurred outside the box, Defoe would have been through if he had not been sent sprawling and the subsequent dismissal would have changed the course of the game.
"Dermot will probably say he didn't see it, which is an easy thing to do," observed Pleat. "But if that had gone in our favour, the result could have been very different."
Instead, United got their win and while they remain in a hopeless situation 12 points adrift of Arsenal, victory at Highbury next weekend would at least provide them with the satisfaction of preventing the Gunners setting a new record for unbeaten games from the start of the season and also set them up for the even more important FA Cup clash between the pair at Villa Park on April 3.
"The next two games are ones that Manchester United should revel in," said Ferguson.
"I am sure Arsenal will not underestimate us but we intend to go there and win and win again at Villa Park the following week." |
