Premier League: Cavani inspires Man Utd to a 3-1 comeback win at Spurs

Man Utd claim fourth straight victory to close gap on leaders Man City. Late goals by Edinson Cavani and Mason Greenwood earned Manchester United a 3-1 comeback win at Tottenham Hotspur that reduces the gap to leaders Manchester City.

Cavani thought he had given the visitors a first-half lead but the goal was overturned by referee Chris Kavanagh, following a Video Assistant Referee review, for a Scott McTominay foul on Son Heung-min in the build-up. 

Solskjaer made three changes to the side that won 2-0 away to Granada with Dean Henderson, Fred and Edinson Cavani coming in for David De Gea, the injured Daniel James and Mason Greenwood, who started on the bench due to carrying a couple of niggles, as confirmed by Ole during his pre-match interview.

Jose makes three changes from last weekend’s draw at Newcastle with Aurier, Dier and Son coming in for Tanganga, Sanchez and Vinicius.

Son opened the scoring after 40 minutes, converting Lucas Moura’s squared pass for his 14th league goal of the season.

Fred then reacted quickest to a Hugo Lloris parry to fire in a 57th-minute equaliser from close range.

Spurs went close to retaking the lead as Son and Harry Kane forced saves from the legs of Dean Henderson but Cavani headed in a superb Greenwood cross with 11 minutes to go to give United the lead.

Greenwood wrapped up the win deep into stoppage time, leaving second-placed Man Utd on 63 points, 11 behind Man City with a match in hand. Spurs stay seventh with 49 points from 31 matches.

Match-Stats:

What Next?

• Jose Mourinho & Spurs will travel to Liverpool to take on Everton on April 16.
• Manchester United will host Burnley at Old Trafford on April 18.

Post-Match Managers reaction :

Jose Mourinho, Tottenham Hotspur manager:

“We lost against a very good team, but I don’t think we deserved it. They had a very strong reaction in the second half, but after 1-1 we had big chances for 2-1, after 2-1, we had a huge chance that I saw the ball inside (the goal) but it wasn’t inside, of course, it hit the post.

“We were always in the game until the last seconds, when they scored their third goal, which I don’t think we deserved. I praise the players for what they gave, for what they put on the pitch, and when they put everything, even if there are problems, even if there are mistakes, even if it ends in a defeat, I always like to praise the players and always have good feelings for them.”

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manchester United Manager:

United manager Ole says, Teams Character is most pleasing aspect of today’s result at Tottenham. He also not impressed with VAR decision and Son’s reaction to the Scott’s foul.

“Character again. When you get the injustice and adversity, that decision [to disallow the goal] is just shocking and to come together. Yeah, we lost our focus for maybe a few moments and minutes and unfortunately conceded a goal. But we came together and composed ourselves. We went there as a team on a mission, we looked like a team on a mission, that this is not going to derail our season.”

“That’s the game is gone. The game has gone if that’s a clear and obvious error. It’s a clear and obvious error that he [referee Chris Kavanagh] looks at it. It was a perfectly good goal, you know, I think that kickstarted us though. I know we conceded a goal just after, but the performance from then to the end of the game was so much better. How is Scott [McTominay] running? I run like this [motions] and use my arms when I run. I have to say if my son stays [down] like this for three minutes and gets 10 of his mates around him, if he gets that in the face from one of his other mates. Yeah, he won’t get any food [from me]!”