Tottenham Hotspur on this Day - 2nd December 1998

Tottenham Hotspur on this Day - 2nd December

2nd December 1998

 

On this day, 2nd December, 1998 Tottenham defeated Manchester United at White Hart Lane in a Worthington Cup 5th Round tie to progress to the semi-finals. Two headers from Chris Armstrong and a special goal from David Ginola helped Spurs on their way.

 

Tottenham Hotpur 3 Manchester United 1 Worthington Cup 5th Round

Scorers: Armstrong (2), Ginola

Chris Armstrong and David Ginola celebrate Tottenhm's goals against Manchester United

This victory enabled Spurs under George Graham to progress to the semi-finals of the competition where they were to face Wimbledon over two legs.

 

An injury-hit Spurs' team’s goals against an under-strength United came from Chris Armstrong who scored twice with two glorious headers in the space of eight minutes at the start of the second half. A final spectacular shot from David Ginola, five minutes from time, secured the win.

 

Spurs' first goal came two minutes after the interval. Allan Nielsen clipped a pass onto the head of substitute Ruel Fox who flicked it on for Armstrong to head powerfully past the goalkeeper. Eight minutes Ginola dazzled the United defenders with his footwork before whipping in a great cross which Armstrong met at the near post to head home.

 

Teddy Sheringham pulled a goal back but Ginola finished off United in the 86th minute with a left-foot strike from 25 yards which left the goalkeeper helpless. Spurs second half display had been too much for United.

 

Team: Walker; Carr, Young, Vega, Sinton; Anderton, Nielsen, Calderwood (Fox), Ginola; Iversen, Armstrong

 

George Graham had taken over from Christian Gross in early October and brought some much needed organisation and fight to the team. This was most evident in the Cup competitions as the team went on the win this competition and were unlucky to lose to Newcastle United in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

 

Commenting after the win over United, Graham said,

"In our position we can’t afford, like some other clubs, to pick and chose what we want to win. We would love to be in that position one day but right now we’ll take anything we can get because Spurs haven’t won a trophy for too long and it’s about time the fans were rewarded."

 

This was the only competition which United didn’t win that season, going on to lift the ‘treble’ – the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.