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Old 05-01-2016, 10:49 AM   #7
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Default Man United U-21 Matches 2015/16

U21S: MANCHESTER UNITED 3 TOTTENHAM 1

Barclays Under-21 Premier League | 4 January 2016 | Scorers: Weir 13, A Pereira 65, 91

Manchester United Under-21s kicked off 2016 with an entertaining 3-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur at Leigh Sports Village thanks to a first-half strike from James Weir and a second-half brace by Andreas Pereira.

It was a win that took the young Reds to fourth in the table and coach Warren Joyce will be pleased with his men following a match that - save for Joe Pritchard's header for Spurs - was controlled by the home side.

The game began in a cautious fashion as both sides looked to sound the other out early on. Spurs and England winger Andros Townsend was the first to register a shot on goal, but it would be United who were the early pacesetters, as Warren Joyce's men mounted a sustained spell of pressure on the visitors' defence.

Matty Willock went close when he was picked out by the returning Will Keane, who did well to outfox three Spurs defenders, but the former's shot was easily smothered by Spurs goalkeeper Thomas Glover.

Thankfully, the Reds would not have long to wait before making the breakthrough as Devonte Redmond made the most of James Weir's marauding run forward to pick out the skipper who duly slotted home to hand United a deserved 13th-minute advantage.

Having scored his second goal in two games, Weir almost turned provider shortly afterwards as his cross caused a scramble in the area that was ultimately cleared by the panicked Spurs back line.

A brief lull then ensued following a frantic 15 minutes, before Townsend almost brought Tottenham level when his effort clipped the bar after excellent build-up play from the England international.

The restart brought about a similarly cagey opening to the first, with United and Spurs seemingly content not to overly commit with the score delicately poised. Ro-Shaun Williams went close for United with a header from a corner just past the hour mark, but chances were at a minimum in a much slower second period.

Things soon livened up though when another fine run from the impressive Weir won the Reds a corner and Pereira duly arrowed the setpiece directly into the back of the net to secure a two-goal lead. Spurs keeper Glover will no doubt be disappointed to have been beaten in such a way.

Will Keane then had the opportunity to put the game beyond Spurs after seizing on confusion in their ranks to forge a run on goal, but the forward - recalled from a loan spell at Preston - could only place his shot wide with just Glover to beat.

It was a chance that United may have lived to regret as, having only been on the field for 90 seconds, substitute Pritchard headed Spurs back into contention after latching on to a left-wing cross from Townsend. With the bit between their teeth, the visitors sensed the chance of an unlikely draw and began to put the Reds' defence under serious pressure.

Ultimately that approach would only serve to leave gaping holes for United to gleefully exploit and Pereira raced through to comfortably round Glover and seal the win with a cheeky finish for his second and the Reds' third goal.

United: J Pereira: Weir, Williams, Fosu-Mensah, Varela; Pearson, Redmond; Willock (Riley, 58), A Pereira, Harrop (Rashford, 76); Keane (Fletcher, 85). Subs not used: O’Hara, Rothwell.
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