3 Key Talking Points From Manchester United 3-0 Tottenham: Kane Masks Defensive Failings

Manchester United 3-0 Tottenham

Manchester United moved  to within two points off second-placed Manchester City thanks to a comfortable 3-0 win over Tottenham. Louis Van Gaal’s bounced back from Monday night’s loss to Arsenal by putting in their best performance of the season as they thoroughly outplayed Spurs from start to finish. Marouane Fellaini opened the scoring after he calmly converted Michael Carrick’s through ball with his left foot.

Carrick doubled United’s lead as he scored his first goal of the season with a header from 10 yards. The Red Devils went into the break 3-0 up thanks to a sublime solo effort from Wayne Rooney, who danced past the Spurs defense with consummate ease to score his 13th goal of the season.

Here are the major talking points from the game.

1. Carrick returns with United’s confidence

When you ask fans as to who United’s most influential player has been over the past few years, many might go for Wayne Rooney. Some might say David De Gea, others at different points may go for Robin Van Persie or Nemanja Vidic. But you would be hard pressed to find someone say Michael Carrick. But the truth is that United are an infinitely better team with him in it, than without.

There are few central mid-fielders as graceful and elegant on the ball as Carrick and against his former club, he gave United something they had been lacking for a long time, a sense of direction. For all of Daley Blind’s qualities, the Dutchman has a tendency to keep possession and go back if necessary rather than risk losing it by going for a more expansive forward ball. As simplistic as it might seem, Carrick’s return has quickened United’s play immensely and the United vice-captain will be key to their chances of finishing in the top four, especially with a tough run of games coming up.

2. Top four battle heating up

Before  the weekend, the battle for Champions League places, looked relatively straightforward. City were running Chelsea close in second place, Arsenal were cruising in third and United were fourth and leading a pack of three teams, Liverpool, Tottenham, and Southampton, who were just four points behind.

But City’s loss now means that they aren’t a shoe-in for second place anymore and with a derby against United coming up soon, they face a realistic possibility of finishing the season in fourth place. Spurs who were in with a shot of fourth, now look as though they are out of the race. And Liverpool, who play against Swansea on Monday, look like the closest challengers to the current top four. One thing is for sure, the race to play in next season’s Champions League will be more hotly-contested than the title race, which looks as though it is finally over.

3. Kane masks defensive failings

All the build up to the game on Sunday surrounded Harry Kane and whether he was the best English striker at the moment. Unfortunately for the on-looking Roy Hogdson, lack of proper service provided to him, coupled with a bad day at the office meant that the 21-year-old striker did little to enhance his burgeoning reputation. While the striker will certainly get a call-up to the national side soon, the game also highlighted the deficiency in defense for Spurs.

Although Spurs went into the game level on points with Southampton in seventh place, their defensive record this season has been far from convincing. Hugo Lloris for all of his efforts, he has only managed to keep six clean sheets all season long and Spurs have conceded double the goals that the Saints have conceded. A flurry of late winners from Christian Eriksen and goals from Kane has meant that the Spurs defense has largely been devoid of any blame. But after a horror show against United, where their defenders resembled a fish out of water, questions must finally be asked about whether Spurs ever really had a chance of finishing in the top four, given their leaky defense.