Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Manchester United: 3 things we learned

Two of the Premier League’s big guns went head to head at White Hart Lane today. Here are 3 things we learned from the Premier League clash.

1. Sandro is the midfielder Spurs have been searching for

Tottenham’s best player on the day, Sandro’s wonderful performance was topped off by a 25-yard Thunderbolt which left David de Gea a spectator. The Brazilian broke up play and kept the Tottenham midfield ticking over and often spread out play to the impressive Aaron Lennon. After bringing in Etienne Capoue and Paulinho in January, it is still Sandro and Moussa Dembele that are keeping Spurs going.

Although Capoue hasn’t had a great chance to impress due to a lengthy injury lay-off, Paulinho hasn’t been bad, but he’s not been worth the reported £17m transfer fee either. Sandro seems to have finally found his form and place at Tottenham, and that could prove more valuable than Paulinho’s signing ever will.

2. Luck still carrying United in the Premier League

All in all it wasn’t a bad United performance, but to rely on a great defensive error and a penalty to snatch a point, it wasn’t exactly a champions performance. Spurs may have the second or third best squad in England, but it was pretty much the same side that Manchester City mauled 6-0 at the Etihad last week that Manchester United travelled to, and if they want to keep their name in the list of title contenders, they must improve.

Thrashing Bayer Leverkusen 5-0 in Germany shows that progression is being made, but either side of that huge win was a draw with a Cardiff City side Arsenal cruised past and a draw against a Tottenham side that had only managed 9 league goals so far this season, something has to change. With United now sitting in 8th and 9 points behind leaders Arsenal, Moyes’ men must pick themselves up if they are to realistically compete with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City for a Champions League spot.

3. United must keep Wayne Rooney at all costs in January

The form of the England and United striker has been pivotal to David Moyes this season, and without him in January, their attack that is already lacking something may completely fade away. Under Moyes and after Alex Ferguson’s criticism, Rooney is in the form of his life and is currently outperforming everyone else in the United squad.

It is no doubt that his market value will have risen with his performances this season, and if the former Everton man is still hellbent on leaving, Moyes may think that he would be worth losing for the potential £30m transfer fee to the likes of Chelsea, but that must not enter his mind, without Rooney this season, United would be languishing a lot lower in the table.