Spurs and Manu play to a draw
DOWNER: RATCLIFFE’S FIRST VISIT AS CO-OWNER SPOILT
Manchester United failed to welcome the club’s new co-owner Jim Ratcliffe to Old Trafford with a win as Tottenham twice came from behind to claim a 2-2 draw yesterday.
Ratcliffe was in attendance for the first time since agreeing a deal to take a 25% stake of the English giants for $1.3 billion.
Goals for United forwards in the Premier League have been in short supply at Old Trafford this season but both Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford struck in the first half, either side of Richarlison’s equaliser.
Rodrigo Bentancur’s strike in the first minute of the second half levelled the scores once more.
A point moves Tottenham level with north London rivals Arsenal but leaves them still outside the top four on goal difference.
But they will be the happier with the draw as they remain eight points ahead of United, who edge up to seventh.
Ratcliffe declared before kickoff that taking a share in his boyhood club is the most exciting investment he has been involved in.
But the British billionaire, wo was sat alongside former United manager Alex Ferguson in the directors’ box, got an early introduction to the rollercoaster ride of owning a football club.
Erik ten Hag’s men desperately needed the three points to reel in Spurs in the race for a place in next season’s Champions League.
And the Red Devils could not have wished for a better start.
Hojlund took 15 games to score a Premier League goal after his £72 million move from Atalanta.
But the Dane now has two in as many appearances in the English top flight as he blasted a loose ball high past Guglielmo Vicario after just three minutes.
Tottenham were without captain Son Heung-min, who is off leading South Korea’s bid for glory at the Asian Cup, and Dejan Kulusevski due to illness.
Those absences forced Ange
Postecoglou’s hand in throwing new loan signing Timo Werner straight into his starting line-up,
► In yesterday’s other game Aston Villa’s Premier League title challenge hit a roadblock as Alex Moreno’s strike was controversially disallowed by VAR in their goalless draw against Everton.
Unai Emery’s side would have moved level on points with leaders Liverpool if they had won at freezing Goodison Park.
They are two points behind Liverpool, having played a game more, and sit below second-placed Manchester City on goal difference.
“VAR is very important for the referees. I try never to be frustrated if VAR is not giving us the goal or something because we have to respect and have to be adapting of it,” Emery said.
Emery was named Premier League manager of the month for December, but the Spaniard will hope Moreno’s disallowed goal isn’t a sign he will suffer from the long-standing “curse” that afflicts winners of the award.