PREMIER PAST: Top Five Matches

For once Manchester United had started the season badly. In their first six games they had conceded 10 goals and the nation was starting to wonder if this was the beginning of the end for Alex Ferguson's young team.

In an amazing first half, Tottenham tore the United defence apart. Goals from Dean Richards, Les Ferdinand and Christian Ziege gave the home side a 3-0 lead at half-time. For once the Tottenham supporters had something to cheer about as the players went down the tunnel at half-time: surely they were going to beat Man United this time.

However, the Spurs fans should have known that United are never beaten until the final whistle. Alex Ferguson gave them a 'blast' in the dressing room and it had an amazing effect. Within three minutes of the restart Gary Neville charged down the right wing and Andy Cole buried his cross in the back of the net. On 57 minutes David Beckham supplied the same service for Laurent Blanc who calmly put away a header. And in the 71st minute United went level through a cool Van Nistelrooy finish. Juan Veron drilled a shot into the bottom corner four minutes later, and on 86 minutes Beckham cracked an unstoppable drive past Neil Sullivan.

That made five goals in 45 minutes. Spurs were soundly beaten, and people haven't doubted United's quality since.