Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur 2 Man. United 2

United came from behind twice to secure a point in a fluctuating encounter with Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

Wayne Rooney grabbed both goals, the first after Kyle Walker had opened the scoring with a free kick on 18 minutes, the second cancelling out Sandro’s long-range strike.

The result changed little in terms of United jostling with a clutch of other sides in the Barclays Premier League table. However this week’s home dates with Everton and Newcastle, two of the aforementioned sides, give David Moyes’ men a chance to build on this platform.

Danny Welbeck made his first start for United since the draw with Shakhtar Donetsk on 2 October, but following his excellent contribution in midweek, Ryan Giggs was rested completely two days after his 40th birthday and was not in the matchday squad.

United had the better of the opening phase of the match without threatening Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, but it was the home side who went ahead on 18 minutes.

Paulinho won a free kick on the edge of the area under challenge from Jonny Evans, and as the four-man defensive wall jumped in expectation that Walker would try to bend the ball over it, the right-back smashed his effort underneath and past David De Gea’s right hand into the net.

The goal lifted the home support, understandably edgy earlier on in the wake of their side’s humiliation at Manchester City a week ago, but Roberto Soldado wasted a good chance 10 minutes after the goal, the striker failing to hit the target after Paulinho had set him up.

De Gea then made a crucial block to deny Aaron Lennon, and within seconds later the Premier League champions were level thanks to brilliant work from Phil Jones.

The versatile England international, operating in midfield, won the ball from Mousa Dembele on the right flank and whipped an excellent cross into the Spurs area. A poor touch from Walker knocked the ball back into the path of the lurking Rooney, who stretched out his right foot to place the ball past Lloris for his seventh league goal of what is already an outstanding season for United’s talisman.

But Spurs re-took the lead after the break in similar, against-the-run-of-play circumstances to their first goal when Sandro cut onto his right foot to elude Tom Cleverley before unleashing an unstoppable shot that flew past De Gea from 25 yards out.

The Reds hit back within three minutes when Lloris caught Welbeck inside the area, referee Mike Dean immediately pointing to the penalty spot. Rooney kept a cool head amid the noise to drive the ball straight in as the Spurs keeper went to his left.

The game became stretched in the latter stages as both sides searched for the decisive blow. Welbeck could not quite turn a fine run to the byline into a meaningful chance, while substitute Andros Townsend was just short of reaching a cross inside De Gea's six yard box.

A neat exchange in the area between Nani and Javier Hernandez late on briefly raised hopes, but a block from Michael Dawson snuffed out the chance for the Mexico striker. Spurs applied pressure at a free kick and corners in stoppage time, however the Reds' defence held firm to extend the unbeaten run in all competitions to 12 games.