Anthony Martial scored the late winner to give Jose Mourinho the last laugh at Old Trafford.

Manchester United fans booed when Mourinho took off Marcus Rashford for Martial - but the substitute quickly made his mark with the 81st minute winner.

United keeper David de Gea launched a huge clearance, Romelu Lukaku flicked on and Martial raced through to fire home as the home side maintained their strong hold over Tottenham.

It was for the large part a tight and intense game lacking the real quality expected from what was supposed to be a huge top of the table clash.

Anthony Martial scored United's winner (
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Action Images via Reuters)
One happy chappy - Martial celebrates (
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OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images)

But Tottenham’s Dele Alli missed a big chance just before Lukaku headed against the foot of the post for United.

However, Tottenham clearly missed the threat of injured striker Harry Kane and United’s victory has put a real dent in Mauricio Pochettino’s title challenge.

United boss Mourinho celebrated by telling the Tottenham fans to “hush” with a silent gesture as they proved a point over one of their main rivals.

Martial grabbed all three points for United (
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Pochettino didn't have the answers (
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Manchester United starting XI: De Gea; Valencia, Smalling, Bailly, Jones, Young; Herrera, Matic; Rashford, Mkhitaryan, Lukaku

SUBS: Romero, Blind, Darmian, McTominay, Mata, Lingard, Martial

Spurs starting XI: Lloris; Aurier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies; Dier, Winks, Sissoko, Dele Alli, Eriksen; Son

SUBS: Vorm, Rose, Sanchez, Trippier, Dembele, Nkoudou, Llorente

Referee: Jonathan Moss

5 talking points

Anthony Martial scored the late winner to give Jose Mourinho the last laugh at Old Trafford.

Manchester United fans booed when Mourinho took off Marcus Rashford for Martial - but the substitute quickly made his mark with the 81st minute winner.

United keeper David de Gea launched a huge clearance, Romelu Lukaku flicked on and Martial raced through to fire home as the home side maintained their strong hold over Tottenham.

It was for the large part a tight and intense game lacking the real quality expected from what was supposed to be a huge top of the table clash.

Read on here.

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Image:
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Martial on his goal...

The match winner has spoken to Sky Sports: “It’s important for us because we lost the last game, it’s important for us to win and I’m happy to score.

“The manager told me to find the space and I know Lukaku is good with his head. I found the space and I scored so I’m happy.”

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Full-time: Manchester United 1-0 Spurs

Substitute Anthony Martial proved to be the difference as Manchester United claimed all three points against Spurs today.

United stepped up in the second half and were eventually awarded for their dominance when the Frenchman was through on goal.

Alli could have given the visitors the lead earlier, but the England international couldn’t direct his volley on target.

Mourinho will be pleased with picking up all three points and his side’s performance.

United’s attention now turn to Tuesday when they face Benfica in the Champions League.

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20 minutes to go...

We’re into the final 20 minutes, can either side get that much needed goal?

United have certainly looked more likely to score, going close through Rashford and Valencia.

The rain has also started to lash it down. Expect mistakes.

Llorente and Dembele have come on in place of Son and Sissoko, and Lingard, who scored a brace midweek, has replaced Mkhitaryan.

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Half-time: Manchester United 0-0 Spurs

United started the game brightly with both Lukaku and Rashford starting up top.

But after the hosts failed to turn their pressure into anything concrete Spurs grew into the game.

Pochettino’s men began to win key battles all over the pitch and started to push towards United’s penalty area.

But with both defences standing firm the score remained at 0-0.

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Why Lukaku had the name 'Crystal' on the back of his shirt...

Romelu Lukaku baffled fans when he walked out onto the Old Trafford pitch with the name ‘Crystal’ written on the back of his Manchester United shirt.

Red Devils supporters took to social media to try and find the answer, after Sky Sports cameras captured the Belgian sporting the name on his jersey.

Cameras only caught the back of Lukaku’s shirt, making it seem like he was the only one wearing a different name, but in fact every Man United player wore another name on their shirt.

So what exactly are they all playing at? We’re glad you asked.

Manchester United sponsors Chevrolet has an initiative called ‘Beautiful Possibilities’, which helps provide children with a stable environment to play football.

Full story here.

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Spurs looking more confident now...

United’s beaming start has fizzled out and Spurs have grown into the game.

Pochettino’s men have now had the lion’s share of possession and they continue to press United’s penalty area.

The Red Devils keep losing key battles in the middle of the park and giving the ball away needlessly.

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United fans loving Mourinho's tactics

For the first time this season Mourinho has gone for two strikers to lead United’s attack - and Red Devils fans are loving it...

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Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Respect from both teams

A minute’s silence was held prior to kick-off to remember those who gave their lives in armed conflict. Touching.

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Pochettino will miss "best striker in the world"

Mauricio Pochettino has been speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the big game...

“We must keep our identity and philosophy. It’s true that Harry is our main striker - I think he’s one of the best striker’s in the world, someone you’re always going to miss.

“Of course, football is a collective sport, always believe your squad is important. Something will always happen during the season and it’s important to be ready.

“The team of course feel that we will miss him but the team is ready to fight, compete and try to win.”

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Mourinho is pumped

Jose Mourinho has been accused of parking the bus against the big teams, but the Man United boss was in a fiery mood prior to kick-off. He is pumped and ready for his side to attack.

Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “We know that we are playing against one of the best, if not the best, team in the league.

“Nothing can stop us to think we can win. We are going to try and be dominant and try to win this match.

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Gutted Kane wishes luck to team-mates

The injured Harry Kane has wished his team-mates all the best ahead of the huge lunchtime clash.

Team line ups

Mourinho opts for five at the back while Spurs go for four as both sides swap formations.

Bailly makes a welcome return to Old Trafford and Rashford is picked over Martial.

Aurier is preferred to Trippier at right-back and Son replaces the injured Harry Kane up top.

Manchester United starting XI: De Gea; Valencia, Smalling, Bailly, Jones, Young; Herrera, Matic; Rashford, Mkhitaryan, Lukaku

SUBS: Romero, Blind, Darmian, McTominay, Mata, Lingard, Martial

Spurs starting XI: Lloris; Aurier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies; Dier, Winks, Sissoko, Dele Alli, Eriksen; Son

SUBS: Vorm, Rose, Sanchez, Trippier, Dembele, Nkoudou, Llorente

The stage is set

Line ups to come in 15 minutes!

Our Robbie's view on the big game...

In the space of a week, Tottenham went from holding Real Madrid at the Santiago Benabeu in the Champions League to losing a two-goal lead against struggling West Ham.

Some people believe Spurs are Manchester City’s likeliest challengers in the title race because Manchester United suffered a surprise setback at Huddersfield.

Oh, really?

United have lost three of their last 38 Premier League games. That’s not much of a crisis.

To date, they have scored more goals, and conceded fewer, than Tottenham. That’s not much of an argument for a power shift from Old Trafford to north London.

There is a perception that Jose Mourinho has resorted to pragmatic, unremarkable football since United ground out a goalless draw at Liverpool. Is that the same Mourinho whose team has scored four on six occasions in 14 competitive games this seasons?

Sure, it could be a cracking shoot-out between Tottenham’s Harry Kane and United’s Romelu Lukaku for the Golden Boot this season.

They have already scored 15 Premier League goals between them and it’s a shame Kane is out because their duel will be an absorbing sub-plot beyond this weekend’s meeting of the clubs at Old Trafford.

Lukaku has made a fine start to his United career, yet he may still have a point to prove: In 58 Premier League games against the ‘big six’ he has scored 15 times, averaging a goal every 289 minutes. Not bad, but not startling.

And Spurs’ Carabao Cup collapse in midweek proved they are not infallible. If Tottenham are genuine title contenders, turning over Mourinho on his own turf without Kane would be a good place to underline it.

But this is a game neither side can afford to lose. If City win at West Brom, whoever finishes empty-handed at Old Trafford this weekend will be eight points adrift.

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The curious case of Luke Shaw

Just what is going on with Manchester United’s £30million left-back?

Shaw was gifted just five minutes against Swansea in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday before comments emerged from the youngster of him hinting at a Spurs move.

In Guillem Balague’s new book: Brave New World: Inside Pochettino’s Spurs, Shaw is full of praise for his former boss.

“He used to call me his son,” Shaw wrote. “That’s how good our relationship was. I’ve had lots of ups and downs, but when I was with Pochettino it was only ever up, up, up.

“He made me feel that I was the best. He’d show me clips of my games and say, ‘You could do this better’. Not in a horrible way. Not I could have done better, but I should have done better, because he knows I can be better.

“I think with Southampton he achieved the impossible. We were one of the best footballing teams in the league… I do hope that I can play for him again one day. And I think he really wants me to play under him again.”

Here’s what Jose Mourinho had to say on those comments in his press conference on Friday.

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David De Gea leads the matchday programme

Will the Spaniard be heavily relied upon today?

Mourino worried by Fellaini contract situation

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has admitted he is “worried about Marouane Fellaini’s contract situation, report the Manchester Evening News.

United triggered an extension in Fellaini’s deal at the start of the year to keep him at the club until next summer but the 29-year-old will be free to speak with other clubs in the January transfer window.

Fellaini scored four goals in eight appearances before he suffered a medial knee ligament injury in Belgium’s World Cup qualifying win over Bosnia and Herzegovina earlier this month. Michael Carrick and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are the only other United players whose contracts do not include the option of an additional year.

Six United players - including Luke Shaw - are technically out of contract next summer but Mourinho has indicated the club will prolong their deals and is not concerned by Shaw’s situation.

“I’m worried about Fellaini and not about Luke Shaw,” Mourinho explained. “Because Fellaini finishes his contract and Luke Shaw doesn’t.”

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Manchester United vs Tottenham combined XI

In a huge title showdown, Manchester United play hosts to rivals Tottenham, with Jose Mourinho looking to close the gap between his second-placed side and noisy neighbours Manchester City, who occupy top spot.

In their last meeting, the last ever game at White Hart Lane, Spurs came out 2-0 victors, but United fans will be desperate to shun Tottenham fans into silence come Saturday lunchtime.

The biggest miss for Mourinho will be the injured Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, as both are on the recovery from long term injury. Marouane Fellaini looks set to miss out, as does Marcos Rojo.

For Spurs, their key man Harry Kane, once, and still a Manchester United transfer target, is ruled out with a hamstring problem.

Here, we pick the best possible combined XI from those available, in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

See the full team.

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Welcome

Mauricio Pochettino takes his Tottenham side to Old Trafford today to take on Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United.

Pochettino revealed in his newly-released book that he and Mourinho sometimes text or speak on the phone, but there will little of that friendliness on the pitch today.

The two sides are level on 20 points in the Premier League table. United sit one place higher due to their goal difference alone.

The last time Spurs and United faced each other was in the final ever match at White Hart Lane - the hosts ran out 2-1 winners.

The last meeting at Old Trafford, however, ended in a United victory. You have to go back to January 2014 for the last time Spurs won away to the Red Devils, will they manager it today?

We’ll bring you live coverage of today’s early kick off plus plenty of build-up before then so don’t go anywhere...