It looked like that was where the north London side were heading for most of the afternoon. Despite their hosts dominating the first half and hitting the woodwork no fewer than three times, it was Tottenham who went in at the break 2-0 up, thanks to two brilliant headers from Beth England and Eveliina Summanen. Spurs had never beaten United but, under the charge of former Red Devils assistant Martin Ho, they had put themselves in an excellent position to break that winless streak, one only strengthened when Martha Thomas, also formerly of this parish, scored her first WSL goal in almost two years to make it 3-0 just past the hour.
There looked to be no hope for United, even when Ella Toone gave the most optimistic fans in the stands some belief with a hooked finish that pulled one back with 74 minutes on the clock. Once Fridolina Rolfo added a second 10 minutes later, though, a comeback looked a little more plausible. United were dominating and creating plenty, while Spurs seemed to have dropped too deep too early. Still, time was on the visitors' side and they almost got over the line, only for Rolfo to pop up at the back post in the fourth of five added minutes and break their hearts, ensuring her side got something from a crazy afternoon.
No side has ever come back from a six-point deficit at the WSL's halfway stage to win the title, a task facing second-placed Chelsea in the New Year, so United's chances of doing so from nine points back is incredibly unlikely. But this point keeps them ahead of Tottenham in the race for the top three, just one point off Arsenal in that final Champions League spot.
GOAL rates Man Utd's players from Leigh Sports Village...
