Man. United Survive Early Scare To Beat Spurs

Manchester United produced a superb display to fight back from a goal behind and win away at Tottenham, despite Paul Scholes' sending off.

Spurs went ahead when Jermain Defoe fired in an acrobatic overhead kick only 38 seconds in, but Ryan Giggs' majestic free-kick levelled matters.

Anderson fired home his first United goal from the edge of the box, before Scholes saw red for two bookings.

Peter Crouch hit the crossbar, but Wayne Rooney's solo goal wrapped it up.

Rooney's goal was an exhibition of counter-attacking play from the 10 men and a brutal response to those wondering whether United would carry the same threat without Cristiano Ronaldo this season.

It was a thoroughly deserved victory, especially as United were forced to play for over half an hour without Scholes against a team that had won all four of their Premier League games this season.

And until Scholes' unfortunate dismissal, it was the two old stagers of the side in the former England midfielder and Giggs who brilliantly led United's renaissance, after they succumbed to the quickest goal of the campaign thus far.

With only 38 seconds on the clock and White Hart Lane still a veritable cauldron of anticipatory noise, Defoe produced a moment of sheer class to stun the champions.

Under pressure from Crouch as he tried to deal with a long ball into the United box, Nemanja Vidic could only head into the air and Defoe pounced to dispatch a magnificent overhead kick into the bottom corner from eight yards.

The occasionally unplayable Crouch went close with two long-range volleys, but as the game wore on the influence of Scholes and Giggs gradually increased and with 25 minutes on the clock, the Welsh wizard conjured up yet another memorable moment in his stellar career.

After Dimitar Berbatov had been brought down by Wilson Palacios, the 35-year-old, who was captain for the day on his 700th start for United, bent a quite wonderful free-kick into Carlo Cuducini's top corner to keep up his record of scoring in every Premier League season since its inception in 1992.

United were suddenly flying and - prompted by Scholes - some of their football was an absolute joy to behold. In the space of 10 seconds, Cudicini saved from Rooney, Berbatov's shot was blocked on the line by Sebastien Bassong and the Bulgarian then fired over.

The visitors deserved to go in front, but when they did their goal came from a most unlikely source.

A corner from the United right was half-cleared to Scholes and after his shot hit Ledley King, Anderson rifled in his first competitive United goal in his 76th appearance from the edge of the box.

Spurs needed half-time to reassess and the introduction of Jermaine Jenas almost paid immediate dividends, but after he teed up Robbie Keane to shoot the striker's effort was expertly deflected over by Vidic.

Jenas himself went close when Foster tipped away his curling 25-yarder, before Crouch rose highest to power a header against the United crossbar as Spurs piled the pressure on.

United's task appeared to get harder when Scholes was dismissed by referee Andre Marriner for two fouls, the second a very harsh decision after a collision with Tom Huddlestone.

But United and Rooney in particular were proving a real menace on the break and after he saw one shot tipped against the bar by Cudicini, he settled it with their next attack.

Fletcher's long-range pass found Rooney outside the Spurs box and he easily foxed Alan Hutton before keeping his cool to slot between the legs of the advancing Cudicini.

Ominously for the rest of the league, United - so often slow starters - moved up to second in the Premier League.

Anderson celebrating his first goal for Man. United