Harry: United not invincible
TOTTENHAM (0) vs MANCHESTER UTD (0)
TOTTENHAM manager Harry Redknapp believes it would take a “miracle” for Manchester United to go the whole Premier League season unbeaten.
Ten-man United, who had full-back Rafael sent off for two bookable offences with 16 minutes remaining, went back to the summit on goal difference courtesy of the hard earned point they salvaged from White Hart Lane.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s side have now avoided defeat in each of their 21 league matches this term, but Redkanpp (right) is unconvinced they will emulate Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ of 2003/04.
“I think it would be a miracle if Sir Alex got them through the season unbeaten,” he said. “That’s not knocking them. They are still above us and where we want to be. But you can’t be as good a team as you were a year or two ago when you had Ronaldo and Tevez.
“I couldn’t say United are on another level and are going to walk away with the title. We are not a million miles behind the rest. We have to believe we are not inferior.”
Spurs certainly more than matched the visitors, for whom Nemanja Vidic was imperious, in a match that fizzled out after an electric opening 25 minutes.
Peter Crouch stabbed wide and Rafael van der Vaart hit the side netting with a near post header, while at the other, end a couple of Wayne Rooney attempts aside, Heurelho Gomes was largely untroubled.
United appeared to be happy to play for a draw in an uneventful second-half, livened only by Rafael’s harsh dismissal.
Redknapp still hopes to bolster his squad in January, although he all but admitted defeat in his attempts to broker a loan deal for David Beckham and ruled out a move for Newcastle’s Andy Carroll.
The Tottenham manager also revealed the club would be unlikely to match the personal terms Chelsea are believed to have offered Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar.