Great escape: United so lucky to grab crucial point in the dying seconds at Tottenham

Under Juande Ramos, Tottenham are becoming a well-drilled and organised outfit, while retaining the element of attacking ingenuity that the club's traditions demand.

They are still Spurs, though. After Old Trafford target Dimitar Berbatov's 14th goal of the season, his ninth in the League, had looked to be the day's decisive moment, United threw everyone forward — including goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar — and up popped Carlos Tevez with a priceless added-time equaliser.

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Now it will seem less onerous for the United manager as the club prepare for the derby against Manchester City at Old Trafford next Sunday against the emotionally draining backdrop of the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster.

For a side so buoyant after four consecutive League wins — six in all competitions that included victory over Spurs in the FA Cup last Sunday — United began in a strangely listless and lethargic manner that they laboured to snap out of.

They should have been improved by the return of Owen Hargreaves and Tevez but, instead, they searched for the momentum of the midweek win over Portsmouth, when Cristiano Ronaldo produced that astonishing free-kick to begin the debate about how lofty his perch in the Old Trafford pantheon should now be. Yesterday, United struggled to get him on the ball and, consequently, struggled to look potent as an attacking force.

With Spurs a much different proposition these days — Jonathan Woodgate bringing solidity to their defence and £8million signing Alan Hutton making an assured debut — the game developed into a remarkably one-sided first half.

So under pressure were United that Hargreaves, rather than more exotic talents, stood out as their most effective player just in front of the back four. He did most to spark United in attack and to halt Spurs in defence, but in both roles he was unfortunate as Tottenham took the lead, his team-mates going absent.

Woodgate blocked Hargreaves' shot on the edge of the Spurs penalty area and sent it forward to Robbie Keane, whose neat lay-off found Jermaine Jenas.

As the England midfielder strode on, Hargreaves got back to challenge, but the ball broke to Aaron Lennon, who reached the byeline before sending in a low cross that Van der Sar could only push out to Berbatov, who gleefully dispatched the ball home from six yards out.

The Holland goalkeeper was later booked for protesting that Jenas had handled the ball.

Spurs might have doubled their lead before the break, such was their dominance, thanks to a vibrant Jenas and an assured performance from Tom Huddlestone in the centre of midfield. Michael Dawson and Berbatov sent attempts from Lennon corners just wide, and the elegant Bulgarian also volleyed Lennon's cross over the bar.

Surely United would emerge with more urgency and penetration in the second half? Ronaldo, who wasted their best chance of the first 45 minutes by sending wide a free header from Wayne Rooney's cross, had hinted that he would finally be a force just before the interval when Woodgate, then Huddlestone, were forced to bring him down and both were cautioned.

But it was a setback when Hargreaves was not fit to take his place after the restart, Michael Carrick replacing him, and again United were forced to cling on. Huddlestone's shot was deflected wide by Nemanja Vidic before Berbatov, after a neat run, supplied an unmarked Keane. The Irishman fluffed a marvellous chance, however, shooting straight at Van der Sar.

Now Ferguson withdrew the ineffective Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, hoping that the youthful exuberance of Nani and Anderson would save the day. Nani, though, merely mirrored United's frustration by joining those United players in the book with a late tackle from behind on Pascal Chimbonda.

Anderson, though, was more positively conspicuous when he forced Radek Cerny into his first save, the Czech turning aside a low shot from 25 yards. Nani then thumped a shot into Cerny's chest when he would have been better crossing.

Now Spurs were under the cosh and United grabbed their undeserved point in the dying seconds of added time. It came from Nani's corner and the ball was bundled home at the near post by Tevez.

'I think there were 20 bodies in that box for the corner,' said a relieved Ferguson. 'Van der Sar went up and I just said get the ball in the middle of the box. Unfortunately it went to the front . . . but thankfully we still scored.

'We never stopped going because we knew we needed to get a good result and people have to be prepared to gamble.'

Ferguson admitted that the point could be 'massive' in the context of the title race. 'It's an important time, February, March and April,' he added.

'It's going to be nip and tuck all the way. There are a lot of big games to come.'

Wayne Rooney was one of seven United bookings and is suspended for Sunday's derby against Manchester City at Old Trafford.

Wenger was full of praise for Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who took his tally to 21 with two goals in the win which ended City's unbeaten home League record.

'The biggest compliment I can give him is that he has filled the void left by Thierry Henry,' said Wenger, who said he would not even swap him for United's Cristiano Ronaldo.

'I have a lot of respect for Ronaldo,' Wenger added. 'But I'm happy with the players I have. Adebayor is a real centre-forward.'