Man Utd 2-1 Tottenham: How the Red Devils schooled Spurs in 2018 FA Cup semi-final

From the start of the 2023/24 season, 90min will be reviewing class matches and casting a retrospective eye over them, complete with a match report, player ratings and more.

Seeing as Manchester United travel to Tottenham Hotspur this weekend, our first dive back in time sees us review their FA Cup semi-final meeting in 2018.

Spurs were viewed as a young and hungry side on the up, perhaps on the cusp of silverware. They had beaten the Red Devils at their temporary Wembley home a few months prior to this meeting and were largely expected to progress to the final.

The doubts over the outcome came from the dugout, despite Mauricio Pochettino's rise to prominence. Was Jose Mourinho really going to lose a semi-final to such relative novices? Could Harry Kane shake off a recent ankle injury and lead the line effectively? Would Tottenham's home half-advantage matter?

Here's what happened on a warm April evening in 2018.

Match report

Manchester United advanced to the FA Cup final after coming from behind to beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 at Wembley.

Spurs, who scored after just 11 seconds when these sides met in their previous meeting, started brightly and sought to take another early lead, and duly did with 11 minutes on the clock.

Davinson Sanchez - famously targeted by Man Utd in Ajax's Europa League final loss in 2017 - played a searching ball over the top for Christian Eriksen to run onto, and his low, whipped cross was turned in at the far post by Dele Alli.

Mauricio Pochettino's men weren't resting on their laurels and went close to adding a second on two occasions. Son Heung-min's looping cross just evaded Harry Kane who was looking to tap in from close range, while he and Dele combined to set up Eriksen, whose off-balance shot from the edge of the box bounced wide.

Tottenham dominated the opening stages, but were made to pay for not taking their half-chances and failing to create anything more clear-cut when Man Utd equalised midway through the first half.

Mousa Dembele, who to this point had complete control of the midfield battle, was robbed of possession by Paul Pogba, and his wonderful cross was nodded in by Alexis Sanchez, peeling away from Jan Vertonghen and Ben Davies to draw the Red Devils level.

That goal seemed to galvanise Man Utd and spook Spurs, with Jesse Lingard going close to putting his side ahead soon after. Romelu Lukaku worked his way out to the right channel and put a cross straight onto the head of his teammate, only for it to balloon high out of danger.

Shortly before the interval, Pogba nearly fired Man Utd in front. His 25-yard strike took a slight deflection off of Eric Dier and forced Michel Vorm to scramble across his line and push the ball behind.

After nearly turning the ball into the net at one end, Dier's final action of the first half saw him ripple it at the other, with his rocket from a distance similar to Pogba's effort striking the post and leaving David de Gea rooted to his spot.

Spurs were struggling to get Kane involved, but he managed to peel away into some space and pick up a clever pass from Dele just after the break, only for his eventual shot to be blocked by Chris Smalling.

Just after the hour mark, Man Utd grabbed what would prove to be the winner and their ticket to the final. De Gea's kick from the back was won by Sanchez up against Trippier. He managed to swivel and find Lukaku, whose inability to control the ball was to Ander Herrera's gain, with the Spaniard able to lash in a first-time shot under Michel Vorm.

Lukaku nearly got in on the act himself with Man Utd's next wave forward, meeting Pogba's superb 50-yard pass, but the Belgian skewed a shot wide at the near post.

Spurs' push for an equaliser started with Eriksen shaving the post with a fierce strike from distance, with De Gea once more powerless to stop it had the shot been on target.

Their final chance saw Victor Wanyama head over a cross from Erik Lamela as Man Utd held on to secure a final berth.

Manchester United player ratings (4-3-3)

GK: David de Gea - 6/10 - Marshalled Man Utd's sturdy backline well despite the pressure they were under.

RB: Antonio Valencia - 8/10 - Completely took Son out of the game and effectively rendered him a non-entity. A little fortunate not to have picked up a second yellow card for a cynical foul on Dele.

CB: Chris Smalling - 8/10 - Got tight to Kane in the box and silenced his England captain. A rock at the back.

CB: Phil Jones - 8/10 - Similarly untroubled for the most part after scoring an own goal in this fixture during their last meeting.

LB: Ashley Young - 5/10 - A little leggy even from the off and found it hard to nullify Eriksen.

DM: Nemanja Matic - 7/10 - Matched Dembele in setting the tempo in the midfield battle. The calm head that Man Utd needed.

CM: Ander Herrera - 8/10 - Tasked with disrupting Tottenham's rhythm, even resorting to grabbing Dele by the shoe on one occasion. Came up with the winning goal.

CM: Paul Pogba - 8/10 - Not many players are capable of wrestling the ball away from Dembele, but Pogba was able to. Performed better when Man Utd were in the ascendancy, playing with thrust and purpose.

RW: Jesse Lingard - 5/10 - Kept things simple and was never truly able to threaten Spurs, with his best chance seeing a header bounce high into the air.

CF: Romelu Lukaku - 6/10 - More effective when Man Utd played in quick transition as he often was unable to hold the ball up.

LW: Alexis Sanchez - 8/10 - Scored in five straight FA Cup matches at Wembley. Buzzed about the pitch making Spurs nervous and made a difference in front of goal.

Substitutes

SUB: Matteo Darmian (80' for Valencia) - N/A

SUB: Marcus Rashford (83' for Lingard) - N/A

SUB: Marouane Fellaini (90' for Sanchez) - N/A

Subs not used: Pereira (GK), Lindelof, Mata, Martial

Manager

Jose Mourinho - 7/10 - Man Utd could have been overwhelmed early on but they grew into the contest and showed their authority, with their star players looking empowered and stepping up to the occasion.

Tottenham Hotspur player ratings (4-2-3-1)

GK: Michel Vorm - 4/10 - Not his fault that he was suddenly thrust into the limelight, but should have done better for Herrera's winner.

RB: Kieran Trippier - 5/10 - Was desperate to cross the ball or spray a long pass up the pitch as quick as possible, which came across with a sense of panic.

CB: Davinson Sanchez - 6/10 - Won most of his duels with Lukaku though was drawn into helping Trippier out with namesake Alexis.

CB: Jan Vertonghen - 5/10 - Lost the run of Sanchez for Man Utd's equaliser and was unable to open the Red Devils up with his usual penetrative passing.

LB: Ben Davies - 5/10 - Davies and Lingard endured a battle to see who could play the most simple game.

CM: Eric Dier - 5/10 - Like Trippier was harried in possession, even if it proved a little more useful.

CM: Mousa Dembele - 6/10 - For the most part controlled the match but his crucial misjudgement allowed Pogba to cross for Sanchez's equaliser, kick-starting the Man Utd fightback and ultimately changing the game.

RM: Christian Eriksen - 8/10 - Tottenham's most threatening and creative player. Needed further support from some of his attacking co-stars.

AM: Dele Alli - 8/10 - Always asked questions of Man Utd's resolute backline and showed his skills as a creator after putting Tottenham ahead.

LM: Son Heung-min - 4/10 - Got absolutely nothing out of Valencia and Smalling. Notably replaced by Lamela with Spurs needing a goal late on.

CF: Harry Kane - 5/10 - Started sharply but fatigue following an ankle injury caught up with the Spurs captain and he was marked out of the game.

Substitutes

SUB: Lucas Moura (68' for Davies) - 5/10

SUB: Victor Wanyama (78' for Dembele) - 5/10

SUB: Erik Lamela (86' for Son) - N/A

Subs not used: Lloris (GK), Aurier, Alderweireld, Sissoko

Manager

Mauricio Pochettino - 5/10 - Tottenham played pretty well, but his decision to start Vorm over club captain Hugo Lloris was a fatal one.

Player of the match - Alexis Sanchez (Manchester United)

Talking points

Man Utd demonstrate experience and quality in order to progress

Jose Mourinho needed huge performances out of both his star performers and the defenders tasked with quietening Tottenham's star performers if Man Utd were to qualify.

The Red Devils were characterised for their slow starts but fighting back during the Portuguese's first two seasons at the club, and this was no different.

With Pogba and Sanchez leading the way, Man Utd wrestled control of the game back from Tottenham midway through the first half.

It would be a disservice to say that Man Utd's progression was down to Tottenham throwing it away - Mourinho's men were totally deserving of their spot in the final on merit.

Tottenham's trophy woes continue despite growing competitive edge

Likewise, it'd be easy to suggest that Spurs were naive, but they gave Man Utd every blow right back to them. For every cynical Herrera trip, there was a Son shove or a Dembele dig. Gamesmanship is not why Tottenham lost this match.

For the opening 20 minutes, Tottenham looked imperious. If they maintained that trajectory throughout, they would have advanced.

But they ran out of steam, and after Man Utd went in front, out of ideas. Kane, still a little rusty after returning from an ankle problem which would become recurring over the next 18 months, was gobbled up, and Son was clearly missing his shooting and dribbling boots.

Eriksen and Dele had too much of the load to carry. Ultimately, Man Utd were quietly brilliant and Tottenham were not.

Best players on the day

• This was probably Alexis Sanchez's best performance during his maligned time at Man Utd. His dogged pressing unsettled Spurs and he was a tempo-setter for much of the day.

• Paul Pogba faced a lot of criticism during his own senior stint with Man Utd, but he too was excellent in a big game here.

• Ander Herrera, s***house extraordinaire.

• This was as good as it ever really got for the Chris Smalling-Phil Jones partnership. Solid as rocks.

• For Tottenham, Dele Alli and future Red Devil Christian Eriksen more than played their part, just as they did in the previous year's FA Cup semi-final loss to Chelsea.

Interesting stats

• This was Tottenham's eighth straight FA Cup semi-final loss. They have still not reached the final since 1991.

• Man Utd, meanwhile secured a second FA Cup final spot in a three-year span.

• Tottenham were unbeaten in games in which they took the lead in the Premier League during the 2017/18 season, but were eliminated from the FA Cup, EFL Cup (2-3 to West Ham United) and Champions League (1-2 to Juventus) after going ahead.

• Victory saw Mourinho reach a sixth domestic final during his time in England. He was unbeaten in his first five before what happened next...

Iconic quotes

• Jose Mourinho: "Even when they had the ball when we were winning we were totally in control."

• Jose Mourinho: "We should ask ourselves why there are too many critics on all of us? We can finish second [in the Premier League] by getting six points. To do that with all the fantastic teams we play against will be an achievement for a club that couldn't do it for a few years now. And it will be a fourth final in three years. So, maybe too much criticism."

• Mauricio Pochettino: "To create [success] doesn't take a few years, Tottenham needs more time - with me or another [manager]."

Forgotten tidbits

• The FA had to apologise for a tweet (Elon Musk, I will never bow to your idiotic rebrand) about Kane being kept in Smalling's pocket that day.

• This was the first season that VAR was used in England and was trialled in the FA Cup. Referee Anthony Taylor was occasionally seen holding his earpiece but there were few stoppages or contentious decisions.

• Dele celebrated the opening goal by doing 'the floss', which caused weeks of unbearable discourse over whether he should have shown joy at scoring in an FA Cup semi-final.

• Tottenham had used Wembley as their home stadium during the construction of their new ground and there was minor uproar that this was not a fair neutral venue for the semi-final. It didn't really matter in the end.

What happened next?

• Man Utd would go on to lose to FA Cup final to Mourinho's old club Chelsea and long-time adversary Antonio Conte. This was the first time he lost a competitive domestic final.

• Tottenham managed to dust themselves off and beat Chelsea to a top-four finish, finishing third in the Premier League standings, one place behind Man Utd. This was the first time since 1963 that they had finished in the top three for three successive seasons.

• Pochettino was heavily linked with the Man Utd job when Mourinho was sacked later in 2018, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was appointed instead. When Pochettino was fired by Tottenham in 2019, he was replaced a day later by Mourinho.

• Spurs have still not ended their trophy drought which has been ongoing since 2008. They have since lost the 2019 Champions League final and 2021 EFL Cup final.

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