Manchester United 3-0 Tottenham Hotspur

Wayne Rooney scored Manchester United's third goal

• Rooney responds to reports with 'boxing' goal celebration
• Red Devils score all three goals in first half
• Spurs have no shots on target until 89th minute
• Man Utd pull six points clear of Tottenham

Manchester United cemented their place in the Premier League's top four with the finest display of manager Louis van Gaal's reign as Tottenham were easily dismissed at Old Trafford.

Van Gaal and United were under pressure to produce after Monday's FA Cup quarter-final loss at home to Arsenal left them with a place in next season's Champions League as their only target.

And they did so in style as a performance of pace and verve rarely seen this season ripped top-four rivals Spurs apart, especially in a first half where United raced into a three-goal lead.

Marouane Fellaini and Michael Carrick effectively settled the contest with two early goals before captain Wayne Rooney added a third - complete with a self-mocking boxing knockout celebration after the publication of a video showing him being floored by Stoke City's Phil Bardsley in an impromptu bout in his kitchen.

MOTD2 analysis
Phil Neville: "There were lots of positives for Manchester United to take away from their impressive win over Tottenham but the most pleasing thing for me was to see Marouane Fellaini get a standing ovation when he came off near the end."
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It was Spurs who had the glass jaw here as they were outclassed by United, who now stand only two points adrift of arch-rivals Manchester City, who are in second place behind leaders Chelsea.

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United win is massive - Van Gaal

The pressure now moves back on to Liverpool, who face Swansea City at The Liberty Stadium on Monday night, before meeting United in a vital clash at Anfield next Sunday that could have such a bearing on the eventual top-four placings.

This was the United their supporters have been waiting to see since Van Gaal replaced sacked David Moyes in the summer, full of high-tempo attacking intent, with the recalled Juan Mata delivering a virtuoso display that earned him a prolonged standing ovation from Old Trafford when he was substituted late on.

It was much-needed after the FA Cup setback against Arsenal but was a painful reality check for Spurs, who are now six points off the top four and facing a renewed battle to fight their way into the Champions League positions.

Rooney's knockout form
Wayne Rooney has now scored 14 goals in his last 14 Premier League appearances at Old Trafford. He has also bagged eight goals in his last nine league starts against Spurs.

Mata was back in United's side in place of the suspended Angel Di Maria - and played his part in a scintillating first half that settled what was expected to be a tight contest.

Carrick was also back and was instrumental as United went two up in the first 20 minutes, creating the opener for Fellaini and scoring the second himself.

He demonstrated precision and composure to play in Fellaini, who scored with a low left-footed finish across Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris, who strangely attempted to save with his legs. Carrick then doubled United's lead with a neat header after Fellaini's power in the air caused more trouble in the area.

The match was running away from Spurs at such a rate that coach Mauricio Pochettino made a tactical change after only 30 minutes when Mousa Dembele was introduced at the expense of Andros Townsend, although any number of his hapless colleagues could have been under threat.

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Pochettino: Game over after first goal

No tactical alterations could legislate for the errors and pathetic defending from Spurs that led to United's third, albeit a goal that was expertly taken by Rooney.

Nabil Bentaleb inexplicably gifted a pass to Rooney, who was almost ushered towards goal by a succession of Spurs defenders before beating Lloris with ease, throwing fake punches in the direction of United's celebrating supporters before collapsing dramatically to the floor.

The game was won and the second half was little more than a procession, United's fans basking in the rare luxury of revelling in a comfortable win backed up by a high-quality performance to keep Van Gaal's side right in the hunt for the top four.

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino: "We are disappointed because our performance today was very poor and we have to analyse why.

"After we conceded the first goal it seemed that the game was finished and we never found a way to damage Manchester United. We were never in the game."

Wayne Rooney's son Kai was one of Manchester United's mascots for the game

Marouane Fellaini fired Manchester United into an early lead

Tottenham's Andros Townsend was substituted after just 30 minutes.

Wayne Rooney celebrated his goal by punching the air like a boxer

Rooney then fell to the ground as if knocked out

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Man Utd

• 1de Gea
• 25A Valencia
• 12Smalling
• 4Jones
• 17Blind
• 16CarrickSubstituted forda Silvaat 87'minutes
• 8MataBooked at 32minsSubstituted forPereiraat 77'minutes
• 21Herrera
• 31FellainiSubstituted forFalcaoat 83'minutes
• 18Young
• 10Rooney

Substitutes

• 2da Silva
• 9Falcao
• 11Januzaj
• 13Lindegaard
• 42Blackett
• 44Pereira
• 49Wilson

Tottenham

• 1Lloris
• 2Walker
• 15Dier
• 5Vertonghen
• 3RoseBooked at 72mins
• 42Bentaleb
• 38MasonSubstituted forLamelaat 64'minutes
• 17TownsendSubstituted forDembéléat 31'minutes
• 23Eriksen
• 22ChadliSubstituted forAdebayorat 79'minutes
• 18Kane

Substitutes

• 6Chiriches
• 8Paulinho
• 10Adebayor
• 11Lamela
• 13Vorm
• 19Dembélé
• 33Davies

Referee:

Mark Clattenburg

Attendance:

75,112

Match Stats

Home TeamMan UtdAway TeamTottenham

Possession

Home52%

Away48%

Shots

Home11

Away5

Shots on Target

Home3

Away1

Corners

Home4

Away2

Fouls

Home12

Away10

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Manchester United 3, Tottenham Hotspur 0.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+3'

Second Half ends, Manchester United 3, Tottenham Hotspur 0.

Posted at 89'

Attempt saved. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Erik Lamela with a through ball.

Posted at 88'

Foul by Falcao (Manchester United).

Posted at 88'

Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution

Posted at 87'

Substitution, Manchester United. Rafael replaces Michael Carrick.

Posted at 87'

Offside, Tottenham Hotspur. Danny Rose tries a through ball, but Emmanuel Adebayor is caught offside.

Posted at 85'

Attempt blocked. Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

Posted at 85'

Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Wayne Rooney.

Posted at 84'

Foul by Andreas Pereira (Manchester United).

Posted at 84'

Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Substitution

Posted at 83'

Substitution, Manchester United. Falcao replaces Marouane Fellaini.

Substitution

Posted at 79'

Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Emmanuel Adebayor replaces Nacer Chadli.

Posted at 78'

Offside, Manchester United. Ashley Young tries a through ball, but Daley Blind is caught offside.

Posted at 78'

Michael Carrick (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 78'

Foul by Mousa Dembélé (Tottenham Hotspur).

Substitution

Posted at 77'

Substitution, Manchester United. Andreas Pereira replaces Juan Mata.

Posted at 76'

Offside, Tottenham Hotspur. Eric Dier tries a through ball, but Erik Lamela is caught offside.

Posted at 76'

Attempt missed. Ander Herrera (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Wayne Rooney.

Posted at 75'

Ashley Young (Manchester United) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 75'

Foul by Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur).

Posted at 75'

Offside, Manchester United. Michael Carrick tries a through ball, but Ander Herrera is caught offside.

Booking

Posted at 72'

Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 72'

Ander Herrera (Manchester United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 72'

Foul by Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur).

Posted at 69'

Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Danny Rose.

Posted at 67'

Attempt blocked. Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Posted at 66'

Foul by Daley Blind (Manchester United).

Posted at 66'

Nacer Chadli (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 65'

Attempt missed. Ander Herrera (Manchester United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right.

Substitution

Posted at 64'

Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Erik Lamela replaces Ryan Mason.

Posted at 63'

Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Kyle Walker.

Posted at 61'

Juan Mata (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 61'

Foul by Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur).

Posted at 58'

Foul by Juan Mata (Manchester United).

Posted at 58'

Nacer Chadli (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 57'

Phil Jones (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 57'

Foul by Mousa Dembélé (Tottenham Hotspur).

Posted at 54'

Attempt missed. Ryan Mason (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Nacer Chadli.

Posted at 53'

Attempt blocked. Daley Blind (Manchester United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Wayne Rooney.

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