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Marcus Rashford\u2019s brace ruined Jose Mourinho\u2019s Old Trafford return as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer\u2019s Manchester United ran out deserved victors against Tottenham.<\/p>\nMarcus Rashford\u2019s brace ruined Jose Mourinho\u2019s Old Trafford return as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer\u2019s Manchester United ran out deserved victors against Tottenham.<\/p>\n
Less than a year after being sacked as background backbiting compounded poor performances, Mourinho returned to the Old Trafford touchline at a time when pressure was increasing on his successor following the club\u2019s worst start to a season since 1988.<\/p>\n
The Portuguese received a warm reception at his old stomping ground but Solskjaer\u2019s name filled the air on Wednesday night, when Rashford goals either side of a fine Dele Alli equalizer sealed United a much-needed 2-1 victory against Spurs.<\/p>\n
The end of Mourinho\u2019s three-game winning start to life at the Tottenham helm provided a timely shot in the arm for his former club, with a trip to reigning champions and bitter rivals Manchester City coming on Saturday evening.<\/p>\n
Solskjaer\u2019s name rung around Old Trafford at the end of a match that started with United on the front foot, with Rashford opening the scoring in the sixth minute after all too easily beating Paulo Gazzaniga.<\/p>\n
The Tottenham goalkeeper produced a number of fine stops, including tipping a long-range effort from the 22-year-old onto the bar, as United dominated a first half they ended on level terms thanks to Alli\u2019s beautiful flick and finish.<\/p>\n
But a lack of cutting edge \u2013 something Mourinho often bemoaned during his United tenure \u2013 did not return to haunt the hosts, with Rashford scoring from the spot early in the second half following a clumsy challenge by Moussa Sissoko.<\/p>\n
Solskjaer and Mourinho shared a warm embrace at full-time, with the latter surely having few arguments with the result given the way things panned out.<\/p>\n
Spurs were behind within just six minutes as Davinson Sanchez flapped, with the Tottenham defender inadvertently backheeling into the path of Rashford under pressure from Jesse Lingard.<\/p>\n
Showing no little skill and confidence, Rashford ran onto the ball and unleashed a low shot that beat Gazzaniga at his near post to send Old Trafford wild.<\/p>\n
Mourinho was quickly on his feet encouraging his team and continued to back his players in the technical area throughout the first half, even after an awkward collision with Daniel James after Harry Winks fouled the rapid winger.<\/p>\n
But whatever the Portuguese was saying had little impact, with United dominating and Rashford sending a dipping free-kick just wide before Gazzaniga stopped 18-year-old Mason Greenwood from close range.<\/p>\n
It was a fine stop bettered in the 25th minute when Rashford took aim from 30 yards, with the Argentina goalkeeper doing superbly to tip that fizzing effort onto the crossbar.<\/p>\n
Rashford was again denied and Lingard bent wide as United smelt blood \u2013 but the hosts\u2019 all-too-familiar inability to stretch their lead offered Mourinho hope.<\/p>\n
Having had precious little to do during the opening period, David De Gea did well to deny Serge Aurier\u2019s volley with his feet when Spurs first mustered a shot on target in the 39th minute.<\/p>\n
However, the United goalkeeper could do little when the ball looped high into the air and Alli met it with an expert clipped touch over his shoulder under pressure from Fred and Ashley Young before firing home an effort cleared by the video assistant referee.<\/p>\n
It was a stunning effort that could have derailed United, only for Sissoko\u2019s clumsiness within 90 seconds of the second half to put Spurs on the back foot once more.<\/p>\n
The midfielder only managed to tread on Rashford\u2019s foot when trying to tackle the forward, with referee Paul Tierney pointing to the spot. After a long wait, the England forward coolly sent the ball into the right-hand corner as Gazzaniga went the other way.<\/p>\n
Son Heung-min and Harry Kane saw efforts blocked as Spurs looked for another equalizer, but the hosts were looking comfortable and playing with confidence.<\/p>\n
Gazzaniga denied James but play was stretched and United were showing composure defensively as they looked to keep Spurs at bay.<\/p>\n
Aurier was denied and De Gea got down to Alli during an end-to-end conclusion, with the Old Trafford faithful erupting at full-time after holding out for a key win.<\/p>\n