UNITED SEE OFF SPIRITED SPURS
By Mark Buckingham - Created on 9 Sep 2006
ROONEY - MY STORY SO FAR
For the first time in his own words, you can buy Wayne Rooney's book here.
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Manchester United stretched their 100 percent record with a scrappy 1-0 win at home to Tottenham Hotspur.
Ryan Giggs' early goal was enough to clinch a fourth successive league victory for United in front of a new Premiership best crowd of 75,453.
But Tottenham had chances to claim a deserved point, with Jermain Defoe and Mido both profligate, as the visitors lost for the third time in four outings.
Cristiano Ronaldo was an early threat for the hosts and he cut in from the right to sweep a left-footed curler at goal which Paul Robinson held.
But the Tottenham keeper's handling was less than clean on nine minutes when he could only parry Ronaldo's dipping, swerving free kick from 40 yards.
With the ball bouncing loose, Giggs pounced to head over a stricken Robinson, with his attempt hitting the underside of the bar and landing over the line.
Giggs was then left with a bloody lip after an accidental collision with Didier Zokora as the game rarely rose above a listless tempo.
A slack pass from Rio Ferdinand gifted Spurs possession in midfield, with Jermaine Jenas combining with Robbie Keane before shooting wide under pressure from the United defence.
Kieran Richardson, given a chance on the left flank, turned and shot wide from the edge of the box, but there was a flat atmosphere wafting over the contest.
In the final 10 minutes of the first half, a superb double save from Edwin van der Sar kept United in front.
With Tottenham still pressing from a corner, Edgar Davids clipped a delightful ball into the box, which Michael Dawson tried to lift over van der Sar.
The United keeper stood tall to palm away the attempt before Dawson's centre half partner Ledley King latched onto the rebound, only for van der Sar to spread himself and block the shot.
Giggs delivered a teasing centre which eluded United captain Gary Neville as the half closed with the hosts rarely threatening to build on their early advantage.
Van der Sar was the first keeper to be worked in the second period as he had to scramble to prevent the ball dipping under his crossbar after Pascal Chimbonda's cross took a deflection off Ronaldo.
Tottenham's Egyptian duo Hossam Ghaly and Mido found their way into Mike Riley's notebook just before the hour - the former punished for a late tackle on Patrice Evra and the latter for dissent.
Ronaldo and Louis Saha then combined twice as United upped the ante in search of a second goal.
First off, Ronaldo slipped a ball through to Saha, but the striker could not fully escape the attention of Dawson, before the Frenchman's cross ricocheted out to the Portuguese winger, whose thumping drive was tipped over by Robinson.
The visitors should have drawn level midway through the half when Benoit Assou-Ekotto's purposeful run was followed by a pinpoint cross, but substitute Jermain Defoe mistimed his leap when unmarked and the ball clipped off his shoulder and drifted over the bar.
United survived another scare when Jenas' delightful cross picked out Mido unmarked, but the striker - making his second debut for Spurs - meekly headed towards goal, allowing van der Sar to save comfortably.
The Red Devils could have sewn the game up when Darren Fletcher released Saha, but the forward selfishly blazed off target, with Park Ji-sung and Ronaldo waiting in the box.
Saha had an even better chance minutes later after being played clear, but after shrugging off Assou-Ekotto in time to regain his composure, he could only shoot straight at Robinson
THAT'S 4 OUT OF 4
