Manchester United vs Tottenham: Ronaldo hat trick lifts Red Devils into 4th

Manchester United vs Tottenham: A hat trick from Cristiano Ronaldo dragged the Red Devils to three priceless points in the Premier League top-four race at Old Trafford on Saturday.

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The victory sends Manchester United (50 points) above Arsenal (48 points) for 4th in the Premier League table, though the Gunners now have four games in hand. For Tottenham (45 points), it’s a massive blow, as they would have climbed two spots (into 5th) with a win. Instead, they remain 7th, five points out of 4th, with two games in hand of their own.

Final score: Manchester United 3, Tottenham 2

Goal scorers: Manchester United (Ronaldo 12′, 38′, 81′), Tottenham (Kane 35′ – PK, Maguire 72′ – OG)

Shots: Manchester United 10, Tottenham 10

Shots on target: Manchester United 6, Tottenham 3

Possession: Manchester United 43%, Tottenham 57%

1. Spurs dominate when game gets stretched: Perhaps only Liverpool are more dangerous than Tottenham on the counter-attack these days, thus opponents are beginning to defend differently against them. Manchester United — just as Burnley, Wolves and Southampton did in recent victories over Spurs — set up deep, allowed Tottenham to have plenty of possession, betting on their inability to connect passes in tight spaces around the penalty area. It proved hugely effective for the opening 25 minutes, until Spurs turned the midfield pressure up and began to win the ball back higher up the field. Suddenly, Kane and Son Heung-min were finding one another in acres of space and David de Gea was under immense pressure. Tottenham’s penalty came at the end of their strongest period of play, but Ronaldo’s ensuing second goal landed like a gut punch, sucking all of the air from the lungs and