Manchester United Fans Club

Manchester United weren’t at their best, but a Ronaldo double and a Tevez strike proves to be enough for United to come back from 1-0 to win 3-1.

Ronaldo continued his superb scoring spree over Tottenham Hotspurs. The Portugal wizard set a seasonal best tally of 25 goals already as we just have a few days before the end of January 2008 calendar.

Tottenham, in fact are a better team than the scoreline suggest. However, United proved there are deadly in front of goal. Tottenham only have themselves to blame after squandering a number of chances before United come into gear.

Both Rooney and Ronaldo had good efforts in the early minutes, but it was Berbatov almost find the breakthrough through Aaron Lennon corner, Rooney was there in the right post to clear off the line and get a pat on the back from goalkeeper Van der Sar in the 16th minute.

Aaron Lennon skipped away from Patrice Evra in the 24th minute. He delivered the ball into the area and Robbie Keane scored from close range. Keane was the first player to score against United at Old Trafford in 2008.

Tottenham were looking dangerous on the counter attack and Berbatov picked out Lennon in the 32nd minute. As he was being shadowed by Wes Brown, Lennon tried his luck on goal but failed to test van der Sar.

United hit back and Giggs saw a rising shot tipped over by Cerny, but Tevez rifled a first-time shot into the corner of the net to draw United level on 38 minutes after Dawson had failed to head clear a long ball into the box.

Spurs had a great chance to regain the lead just before the interval when Jenas broke clear of the United defence, but Edwin van der Sar pulled off a great fingertip save low down to his right to deny him.

The equaliser came a minute later and Giggs played a crucial role in the build up. He held off the challenge of Young-Pyo Lee and that enabled Carlos Tevez to fire a shot into the corner beyond Cerny.

It was just the boost United were looking for and and Carrick clipped a shot over the bar in the 41st minute. Tottenham again started the second-half brightly, with Evra slipped again and the pacey Lennon raced forward and tried to chip Van der Sar only for his effort to finish on the roof of the net.

Jamie O’Hara then went close with a curling free-kick, while Jenas spooned another opening horribly wide when he again found himself clean through.

Ronaldo then spurned a great chance for the Red Delivs when he got round the inside of O’Hara for the first time in the match but blasted his effort just wide.

But United did take the lead in the 69th minute when Ronaldo bagged his 10th goal in the last eight games when he sent Cerny the wrong way from the penalty spot. The spot-kick was awarded after Dawson had deliberately swatted the ball away from the lurking Rooney in the six-yard box - an offence for which the Spurs man was shown a straight red card.

Spurs pushed forward in search of an equaliser, with Berbatov flicking a shot onto the post after Steed Malbranque’s deft cross into the box.

But United wrapped the game up with two minutes remaining when Cerny allowed Ronaldo’s shot to squirm under his body as Sir Alex Ferguson’s side booked their place in the last 16.