United 2-2 Spurs | Ange’s verdict: “I couldn’t be prouder”

Ange Postecoglou described ‘an outstanding performance’ as we came from behind twice to earn a 2-2 draw against Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday.

We dominated for long periods at Old Trafford with 64% possession, 16-9 efforts at goal and 481-232 passes in our favour. We also had to recover from Rasmus Hojlund firing United ahead after just three minutes and going 2-1 down before the break, Marcus Rashford firing the home side in front again after Richarlison’s equaliser.

It took less than a minute of the second half for Rodrigo Bentancur to rifle home for 2-2 from debutant Timo Werner’s assist – Radu Dragusin also made his debut late off the bench – and there were chances at both ends after that as we continued to enjoy the lion’s share of the ball, with United a threat on the break.

Speaking on our Review Show, Ange reflected: “I’m really pleased with the boys, an outstanding performance. We’ve had a tough week, and the fact that they could deal with what they’ve had to deal with today, not an easy place to come, they were pretty desperate for a result, I thought, and we conceded early, but our response to that and what other adversity we had I thought was brilliant. We played some great stuff, scored a couple of goals, probably unlucky not to win the game.”

He added in his post-match press conference: “I thought it was an outstanding performance considering the challenges we had putting a team out there today. It's a difficult place to come and play, obviously a big game for United as well - a win today would have given them some momentum. We went a goal down pretty early and this group of players, every time we've had to deal with adversity, have just done it in an outstanding manner. I couldn't be prouder of them. It was an outstanding effort and I thought some of our football was fantastic. I thought we were unlucky not to win the game. Irrespective of that, the performance and the effort the boys put in was first rate."

Back on the Review Show, it was put to Ange that it takes some conviction to go and play that way at Old Trafford. “It takes character and real personality, and that’s what this group of players has got,” he said. “There were a million reasons not to play that way or take that approach, but they haven’t settled for that. They want to be this kind of team and I reckon there’s a low of growth to come out of games like that.

“We got hit on the transition a couple of times and, to be fair, they are a good side in transition, their front four is amongst the best in the league, but, again, the way we dealt with that, the way we responded to that... it’s been like that all year, to be fair. The boys have never dropped their heads at any stage when we’ve had to deal with something like that and they didn’t today.”