▁Premier ▁League ▁action ▁with ▁an ▁away ▁match ▁against ▁Tot ten ham ▁Hot sp ur . ▁Despite ▁United ▁having ▁their ▁first - choice ▁centre - back ▁partners hip ▁together ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁since ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁UEFA ▁Champions ▁League ▁Final , ▁Sp urs ▁took ▁the ▁lead ▁after ▁ 3 8 ▁seconds ▁through ▁a ▁J erm ain ▁De fo e ▁b icy cle ▁kick . ▁Ryan ▁G ig gs ▁level led ▁the ▁scores ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 5 th ▁minute , ▁cur ling ▁a ▁free ▁kick ▁past ▁Carlo ▁C ud ic ini ▁in ▁the ▁Tot ten ham ▁goal , ▁before ▁Anderson ▁gave ▁United ▁the ▁lead ▁with ▁his ▁first ▁compet itive ▁goal ▁for ▁the ▁club . ▁In ▁the ▁space ▁of ▁ 1 0 ▁minutes ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁half , ▁Paul ▁Sch oles ▁received ▁two ▁yellow ▁cards ▁and ▁was ▁sent ▁off , ▁although ▁the ▁second ▁book ing ▁was ▁controvers ial ▁and ▁later ▁critic ised ▁by ▁manager ▁Alex ▁Fer g us on . ▁Nevertheless , ▁despite ▁being ▁reduced ▁to ▁ten ▁men , ▁the ▁Red ▁Dev ils ▁increased ▁their ▁lead ▁to ▁ 3 – 1 ▁as ▁Wayne ▁Ro oney ▁sl otted ▁the ▁ball ▁through ▁C ud ic ini ' s ▁legs ▁for ▁the ▁final ▁goal ▁of ▁the ▁game ▁– ▁Ro oney ' s ▁fifth ▁in ▁five ▁league ▁matches . ▁The ▁result ▁took ▁United ▁to ▁second ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁league ▁table , ▁behind ▁un be aten ▁Ch else a ▁and ▁ahead ▁of ▁Manchester ▁City , ▁who ▁had ▁a ▁game ▁in ▁hand . ▁G ig gs '