Erik ten Hag's two bold calls produced Manchester United's best performance of the season

Erik ten Hag looked a man in a hurry, dissatisfied with Manchester United's prudent possession and beckoning them forward. That was inside the first three minutes.

United then played at a tempo seldom seen at Old Trafford in living memory and this was the night they neared their optimum under their new manager.

A flexible front three, buccaneering full-backs, imposing centre-backs and a complementary midfield put United within a point of fourth place. All of this was achieved without the totemic Christian Eriksen and Cristiano Ronaldo.

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It is a disservice to United their goals were via the counter-attack, such was their dominance against a side who did not show a modicum of belief they could end the evening 10 points ahead of them. Lads, it's Tottenham, after all. Unite peppered the visitors' goal with 28 shots.

The home crowd responded to the hardcore faction's rendition of 'We want Glazers out' and to Antony's crowdpleasing play. The players did to Ten Hag's urgent demands. United launched 19 efforts on Hugo Lloris's goal in a first 45 minutes as far removed from Sunday's flat stalemate with Newcastle, bar the misleading goalless scoreline. There were five saves and Antony kissed the post with an elegant effort.

United re-entered the home dressing room with the score 0-0 for the third game running and that was where the comparisons for Ten Hag stopped with his Dutch predecessor. United more than earned the fortuitous deflection off Ben Davies that ended a Premier League drought of four scoreless halves.

As pleasing as the scalp of a third top-six team for Ten Hag will be the vindication of his bold selections. United are better with