davidshoytan: Dempsey saves the day for Spurs

By ROB HARRIS

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 2:17 p.m. ET Jan. 20, 2013

LONDON (AP) -LONDON (AP) - Clint Dempsey scored a second crucial goal of the season for Tottenham against Manchester United on Sunday, striking deep into stoppage time to secure a 1-1 draw against the Premier League leaders.

The United States forward, who gave Tottenham its first win at Old Trafford in 23 years in September, gave the hosts something to show for their dominance by canceling out Robin van Persie's first-half header.

"It looked like it was going to be one of those days but I am happy we got a point," said Dempsey, who joined from Fulham in August.

Dempsey swept the ball home in the third minute of stoppage time after being set up by Aaron Lennon, who had pounced after goalkeeper David de Gea only punched a shot by Benoit Assou-Ekotto.

The game was played under a steady snowfall and was in danger of being postponed before officials determined that the pitch was playable.

The four points Spurs have claimed off United this season is the most since beating them twice in the 1989-90 campaign.

Despite salvaging a point, Tottenham fell four points behind third-place Chelsea after its London rival beat Arsenal 2-1 earlier in the day.

United remains top but its lead has been trimmed to five points this weekend after second-place Manchester City beat Fulham 2-0 on Saturday.

"We should have killed them off on the counter-attack in the second half," United manager Alex Ferguson said. "It was the final ball that was letting us down. It was a difficult tie, teams will drop points here, there is no doubt about that."

United, though, rarely threatened Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris after Van Persie rose to meet Tom Cleverley's cross and head in his 22nd goal of the season in the 25th minute.

As well as ruing his team's lack of ruthlessness in front of goal, Ferguson turned his fury on assistant referee Simon Beck for not awarding a penalty after substitute Wayne Rooney was caught by Steven Caulker in the second half.

"It was definitely a penalty - he has put his leg right in there," Ferguson said. "The linesman is facing it. I thought he had a very poor game, the linesman. I thought he was disappointing.

"We have got that history with him. He never gave offside with (then-Chelsea striker Didier) Drogba at Old Trafford (in 2010) when he was three yards offside. Everyone remembers that. I certainly do."

But United had been heavily reliant on center backs Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, as well as De Gea's blocks, to protect its lead.

"We dominated the whole game, played well and deserved to win to be fair," Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas said. "We had 60 per cent possession against United, 15 shots against four and should have won.

"Champions like United have to go through moments like this but I think we deserved this last-minute goal."

More newsClive Mason / Getty Images

Dempsey saves the day for Spurs

Clint Dempsey scored a second crucial goal of the season for Tottenham against Manchester United on Sunday, striking deep into stoppage time to secure a 1-1 draw against the Premier League leaders.

Glyn Kirk / AFP - Getty Images

Chelsea holds off?Arsenal, wins 2-1

Chelsea held off a stirring second-half fightback by London rival Arsenal to claim a 2-1 win on Sunday, tightening its grip on third place in the Premier League.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46620194/ns/sports-soccer/

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