Manchester United 1 Tottenham Hotspur 0. Manchester United kicked off the 2015/16 Barclays Premier League with a narrow 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur thanks to a 22nd-minute own goal by Kyle Walker. The Reds were grateful to debutant goalkeeper Sergio Romero for preserving the slender advantage as the visitors showed few signs of tiredness after their midweek friendly exertions in Germany.
Van Gaal should certainly be encouraged, for all the imperfections, by the way his side ultimately made it an afternoon when Sergio Romero, deputising for David de Gea, was only fleetingly troubled. Van Gaal was less impressed that Michel Vorm was involved so infrequently in the opposite goal, but his team did control long passages of play after Kyle Walker had inadvertently put the ball into his own net midway through the first half and, apart from a late flurry, Tottenham’s response to the goal smacked of a team who are undermined by their fragile nerves.
Instead, United had more of the ball without delivering a performance that was ever more than six out of 10. Ashley Young continued where he left off last season and, on the opposite side, Juan Mata was an elusive and difficult opponent. Memphis Depay showed in little flashes why he was Van Gaal’s first summer signing, but Matteo Darmian was probably the pick of United’s new acquisitions, easing himself in as the team’s new right-back.
Lous van Gaal says David de Gea could play for Manchester United again
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United are still lacking the old stardust, and the tempo can feel bland compared to the pinball speed that once bewitched Old Trafford, but their debutants should all be better for the experience and perhaps it was inevitable that, with four new players in their starting lineup – and Bastian Schweinsteiger coming on in the second half – it would not be an entirely cohesive performance. Van Gaal talked afterwards about the new arrivals being too eager to impress and he was almost certainly referring to Morgan Schneiderlin, at the base of their midfield, and Depay, who was operating just behind Wayne Rooney but might be better on the wing. Too often, they could be seen rushing passes.
Spurs were entitled to feel their luck was out, at least to some degree, but more than anything they should regard it as a wasted opportunity. Here was a United side with De Gea sitting in the stand and Spurs really ought to have done more to examine Romero’s credentials, especially in those moments early on when the Argentinian was misplacing passes and looked like he might be suffering a touch of stage fright. Romero had not played a league fixture since Sampdoria against Udinese in Serie A last December but, after an erratic start, he settled down and made a key save in the final exchanges to turn away Christian Eriksen’s drive.
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Spurs were in danger as soon as Nabil Bentaleb presented the ball straight to Mata and, defensively, they could not get back into position in time. Mata’s pass released Young, criss-crossing to the right, and his low centre picked out Rooney, unmarked on the spot and with enough space to take a touch and steady himself for a shot. The striker was pulling his foot back when Walker, sprinting back, jutted out his foot and diverted the ball into the bottom corner
It was United who carried the greater threat after the interval, albeit sporadically, with Chris Smalling keeping Kane in check whenever the visitors sprung forward. Memphis collected a Young pass but was too high with his shot while Vorm made a rare save to keep out Young's attempt on the line when a Rooney cross came all the way to the back post.
A better move, instigated down the right, led to the impressive Matteo Darmian crossing for Rooney but the striker's overhead kick lacked direction. Rooney also drifted a free-kick over the bar as the hosts struggled to kill the game off.
Smalling produced a marvellous tackle to thwart Nacer Chadli and Romero had to pull off a fine save to frustrate Eriksen as the Londoners mounted some late pressure. Romero stopped Kane's header, almost in slow motion, and then beat out a powerful drive as Eriksen hammered goalwards. However, Louis van Gaal's men held out to start the campaign with three welcome points.
Van Gaal should certainly be encouraged, for all the imperfections, by the way his side ultimately made it an afternoon when Sergio Romero, deputising for David de Gea, was only fleetingly troubled. Van Gaal was less impressed that Michel Vorm was involved so infrequently in the opposite goal, but his team did control long passages of play after Kyle Walker had inadvertently put the ball into his own net midway through the first half and, apart from a late flurry, Tottenham’s response to the goal smacked of a team who are undermined by their fragile nerves.
Instead, United had more of the ball without delivering a performance that was ever more than six out of 10. Ashley Young continued where he left off last season and, on the opposite side, Juan Mata was an elusive and difficult opponent. Memphis Depay showed in little flashes why he was Van Gaal’s first summer signing, but Matteo Darmian was probably the pick of United’s new acquisitions, easing himself in as the team’s new right-back.
Lous van Gaal says David de Gea could play for Manchester United again
Read more
United are still lacking the old stardust, and the tempo can feel bland compared to the pinball speed that once bewitched Old Trafford, but their debutants should all be better for the experience and perhaps it was inevitable that, with four new players in their starting lineup – and Bastian Schweinsteiger coming on in the second half – it would not be an entirely cohesive performance. Van Gaal talked afterwards about the new arrivals being too eager to impress and he was almost certainly referring to Morgan Schneiderlin, at the base of their midfield, and Depay, who was operating just behind Wayne Rooney but might be better on the wing. Too often, they could be seen rushing passes.
Spurs were entitled to feel their luck was out, at least to some degree, but more than anything they should regard it as a wasted opportunity. Here was a United side with De Gea sitting in the stand and Spurs really ought to have done more to examine Romero’s credentials, especially in those moments early on when the Argentinian was misplacing passes and looked like he might be suffering a touch of stage fright. Romero had not played a league fixture since Sampdoria against Udinese in Serie A last December but, after an erratic start, he settled down and made a key save in the final exchanges to turn away Christian Eriksen’s drive.
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Spurs were in danger as soon as Nabil Bentaleb presented the ball straight to Mata and, defensively, they could not get back into position in time. Mata’s pass released Young, criss-crossing to the right, and his low centre picked out Rooney, unmarked on the spot and with enough space to take a touch and steady himself for a shot. The striker was pulling his foot back when Walker, sprinting back, jutted out his foot and diverted the ball into the bottom corner
It was United who carried the greater threat after the interval, albeit sporadically, with Chris Smalling keeping Kane in check whenever the visitors sprung forward. Memphis collected a Young pass but was too high with his shot while Vorm made a rare save to keep out Young's attempt on the line when a Rooney cross came all the way to the back post.
A better move, instigated down the right, led to the impressive Matteo Darmian crossing for Rooney but the striker's overhead kick lacked direction. Rooney also drifted a free-kick over the bar as the hosts struggled to kill the game off.
Smalling produced a marvellous tackle to thwart Nacer Chadli and Romero had to pull off a fine save to frustrate Eriksen as the Londoners mounted some late pressure. Romero stopped Kane's header, almost in slow motion, and then beat out a powerful drive as Eriksen hammered goalwards. However, Louis van Gaal's men held out to start the campaign with three welcome points.
MATCH DETAILS
United: Romero; Darmian (Valencia 80), Smalling, Blind, Shaw; Carrick (Schweinsteiger 60), Memphis (Herrera 68), Schneiderlin; Mata, Rooney, Young. Subs: Johnstone, McNair, Pereira, Hernandez.
Tottenham: Vorm; Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies; Bentaleb (Mason 53), Dier (Alli 78), Chadli, Eriksen, Dembele (Lamela 68); Kane. Subs: Lloris, Trippier, Wimmer, Carroll.
Match Reaction: Louis van Gaal
"It was a very difficult game because it was two teams who wanted to press, but today was very special because it was also my birthday and my children are here and my grandchildren are here, and when you lose it’s not a nice day. I will have a good birthday party tonight in my favourite restaurant."
Man of the Match: Matteo Darmian
There were several promising individual displays, so much so Chris Smalling just missed out on the three-man shortlist selected by MUTV pundit and former Reds boss Ron Atkinson. But there was no doubt about the winner in our @ManUtd Twitter poll: Darmian took 64 per cent of fans' votes ahead of Sergio Romero (29%) and Juan Mata (7%).
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