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Hello, and welcome to today’s liveblog.
We’ll have team news for you shortly.
I can also confirm that it’s just ended Chelsea 1-1 Southampton.
Here are the teams, as promised…
Some pre-match reading…
- It’s 10 years since Roy Carroll’s gaffe against Spurs but where are the players now?
- Louis van Gaal: ‘If the chemistry between me and the players is not good anymore, I’ll leave’
- Video emerges which seems to show Wayne Rooney being knocked out by Phil Bardsley
- Are there parallels between Chelsea now and the 2000 United side?
- David de Gea’s girlfriend agrees Manchester is ‘uglier than the back of a fridge’
- With 10 gameweeks to go, here’s how our writers think the Premier League will finish
- Roy Keane wants Man United to re-sign a midfielder Alex Ferguson let go
Some interesting stats, which compare Harry Kane to United’s strikers.
We’re underway…
Straight away almost, Phil Jones plays a very dodgy backpass that De Gea has to clear for a corner.
From the ensuing set piece, United clear nervously.
Radamel Falcao and the Manchester United team leave The Lowry Hotel earlier. The Colombian international is on the bench today.
MAN UNITED 1-0 TOTTENHAM (FELLAINI 8)
Great through ball from Carrick to find Fellaini, who slots the ball home to give United the lead.
Following a shaky start, the Red Devils have improved considerably in recent minutes.
Warning: there could well be more goals to come.
Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney with his son Kai (front) before the game.
MAN UNITED 2-0 TOTTENHAM (CARRICK 18)
A United corner is only half-cleared and Michael Carrick is on hand to head superbly into the corner.
It’s well deserved, as the hosts have dominated the opening 20 minutes.
It’s still early days, but this has easily been one of United’s performances of the season so far, even if Spurs have been distinctly poor.
Michael Carrick, in particular, has stood out, controlling the midfield and ensuring Man United dictate the game’s tempo.
It’s been three months since United have beaten a team in the top half of the table (Liverpool in December).
By the looks of it, that unwanted record is set to end today.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Spurs are already making what appears to be a tactical substitution, with Townsend being replaced by Dembele.
It seems as if Spurs are trying to shore up the midfield, with the ex-Fulham player a slightly more defensive option than the England international.
MAN UNITED 3-0 TOTTENHAM (ROONEY 32)
More sloppy play from Tottenham as the ball is given away cheaply.
Wayne Rooney subsequently punishes them, as he dribbles through on goal, before finishing coolly.
His celebration makes references to his recent boxing antics.
Man United are now practically toying with Spurs, passing the ball around confidently.
The visitors really have made it easy for their opponents today.
HALF-TIME: MAN UNITED 3-0 TOTTENHAM
So half-time, and save a dodgy Phil Jones backpass, United have produced the kind of performance that was much more commonplace in the Ferguson era.
They’ve overpowered Tottenham with their skill and attacking verve, with Michael Carrick especially instrumental in midfield.
Spurs, meanwhile, have played more games than any other Premier League side this season, and at the moment, they look decidedly jaded.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side have been far too open and have made it easy for United, with a series of defensive errors.
The second half is underway…
Spurs have had one or two put shots early in the second half, but in truth, barring a major United collapse, this game looks beyond them now.
As I type, a Rooney snapshot fails to hit the target.
Tottenham have certainly looked less vulnerable since Dembele’s been introduced, however it’s perhaps more a case of United easing off as it is a sign of the visitors’ improvement.
United are still looking dangerous.
Some good interplay down the right, with Valencia at the centre of it, leads to a cross, which Spurs clear nervously.
Down the other end, Mason finds space on the edge of the United box, but drags his shot wide.
As perhaps is to be expected, the second half has been quieter.
United are still looking comfortable and confident, even if they’re not threatening the Spurs goal as much.
Érik Lamela replaces Ryan Mason for Spurs.
It’s been a difficult day for the young English midfielder.
Chance for United!
A cross falls to Herrera, but the Spaniard can only find the side-netting from a tight angle with his attempt.
Roy Hodgdon is in the house!
Incredibly, Mauricio Pochettino’s side have managed just two touches in the United area today.
United, by contrast, have managed 19 touches in the Spurs are, which gives an indication of how one-sided this game has been.
More evidence of how disappointing Spurs have been today.
Herrera drives a shot just wide.
This game now has all the intensity of a pre-season friendly.
LVG seems to acknowledge the match is effectively over, by handing 19-year-old Andreas Pereira a Premier League debut.
The youngster replaces Juan Mata, who has impressed today.
Meanwhile, Emmanuel Adebayor makes just his second appearance in 18 Premier League games, as he comes on for Nacer Chadli.
Kane finds himself on the edge of the box but then loses the ball meekly.
It hasn’t been the young England striker’s day.
Now Falcao, who is playing a Spurs team for the second time this week, is coming on for Fellaini.
The Belgian international has been at his most effective today.
Eriksen crosses towards Kane, but Rooney is well positioned to head away for a corner.
Spurs are showing some signs of life, even if it is too little too late.
Man United make their final substitution, as Rafael takes the place of the influential Michael Carrick, with Blind moving from full-back to midfield in the veteran’s stead.
The Englishman — competing against his former club — has arguably been the best player on the pitch today.
Kane gets his first real glimpse on goal, as Lamela plays him through.
However, De Gea gets down well to stop the English striker’s shot.
There will be two minutes of stoppage time for Spurs to endure, before they are put out of their misery…
FULL-TIME: MAN UNITED 3-0 TOTTENHAM
So it’s all over, in a game that in truth, was all but over at half-time.
Spurs barely had a sniff in attack, as United showed glimpses of their old class to expose the visitors’ defensive carelessness and misguided, overly adventurous approach to this game.
Michael Carrick starred as United dominated midfield, meaning the likes of Christian Eriksen and Harry Kane seldom had the service to do damage.
Wayne Rooney has responded to boxing-gate.
“That’s the world we live in,” he tells Sky Sports. “It was me and a few friends joking about… It was more interesting for other people rather than myself
“Unfortunately, it’s made the front page of the newspaper.”
Right, that’s all from me for now, but we’ll have more reaction to follow.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
