A goal from second half substitute Anthony Martial helped Manchester United claim a 1-0 win over Tottenham .
The visitors were forced to make the trip up north without leading scorer Harry Kane, who is nursing a hamstring problem, with Son Heung-min getting the nod upfront.
Both sides were restricted to long shots in the first half, with neither goalkeeper being especially tested.
United began the second half brightly with Henrikh Mkhitaryan seeing a shot parried by Hugo Lloris before Ben Davies blocked Marcus Rashford on the rebound.
But the hosts eventually broke the deadlock thanks to substitute Anthony Martial, who slotted him after he was fed by Romelu Lukaku.
Here are five talking points from Old Trafford.
1. Jose has the last laugh
The United faithful booed when Jose Mourinho brought on Anthony Martial for Marcus Rashford with 20 minutes left.
But Martial came up trumps with a brilliant finish after 81 minutes to decide a tight and intense game.
Sometimes you just have to trust the manager - and so it proved. Just that change, a switch, something different proved to be a master stroke.
And what a top quality substitute to have in Martial.
2. Manchester United needed this fuel injection
Manchester United started the season like a train, they had a real energy and spring in their step which made them look like genuine title challengers.
But they had gone flat in recent weeks, lacking a spark and thrust in attack. Incredibly, they were heading for a third game without a win until Anthony Martial’s late winner.
That is the sort of bad run which puts teams out of the title race. And United found a new momentum which must get them back on track.
3. Another Saturday lunchtime turn-off
At half time, Manchester United’s in house TV channel called it an “intense and exciting” contest. Blimey, don’t know what game they were watching but it can’t have been United v Tottenham.
Maybe Saturday lunchtime kick-offs don’t help as they rarely produce the same atmosphere as midweek or even a 3pm kick off, let alone a Super Sunday.
It was better than United’s recent trip to Anfield but not the classic we were hoping for. Can we not have the fixture of the weekend on a Saturday lunchtime in future, please?
4. Toby Alderweireld is the best centre half in the Premier League
Whether in a back three, five at the back or just part of a flat back four, the Belgian centre half is the best around.
Alderweireld headed, blocked and anticipated everything Manchester United offered in attack. He was the best player on the pitch and would not look out of place in any team in the world.
5. Tottenham can survive without Harry Kane - but they are not as good
They showed they are more than just the “Harry Kane team,” but Tottenham don’t half miss him.
Heung-min Son played up front, Dele Alli pushed higher up to support him, but, while Spurs showed good energy and threat, they miss Kane’s goal threat and him being the focal point of they attack.
Kane has been prolific this season but this showed that he is not just about goals. He adds to Tottenham’s all round performance - and they missed him badly.