Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeeeeep! It’s all over. After a good first half, the second half was comparatively turgid, with both sets of players looking understandably weary, constantly giving the ball away. It’s finished goalless and all square at White Hart Lane, where both teams will almost certainly be happy with a point. Manchester United bossed proceedings, but were hanging on towards the end, with Spurs bossing the final 10 minutes.

90+2 min: Michael Carrick attempts to dink the ball over the Spurs defence in the general direction of Robin van Persie, but the Dutchman concedes a free-kick.

90+1 min: We’re in the first of three minutes of added time.

89 min: Manchester United remain on the back foot as Spurs continue to press for a late winner. Luke Shaw is forced to stick a foot in and hack clear off the toe of Vlad Chiriches. Throw-in for Spurs, deep in United territory.

87 min: Manchester United are hanging on here, as the superior fitness of Tottenham’s players begins to show. Wayne Rooney wrestles Harry Kane to the ground in the Manchester United penalty area as another dead ball is floated in. That should have been a penalty for Spurs.

85 min: Rafael goes through the back of Eriksen and gets booked. Moments previously, Spurs had a free-kick that was swung into the United penalty area, where Fazio complained with some justification that he couldn’t get his head to the ball because he was being wrestled to the ground by Chris Smalling.

83 min: Radamel Falcao gets booked for some indiscretion or other.

83 min: Harry Kane finds himself alone with the ball in the Manchester United half, surging forward and waiting for reinforcements to arrive. As he holds the ball up, they duly arrive in the form of Ryan Mason, whose overlapping run into the United penalty area is picked out by Kane’s wonderful reverse pass. From a tight angle but with plenty of goal to aim at, Mason skies the ball over the bar. He should have scored.

81 min: Ashley Young plays the ball up the left channel for Rooney to chase. He’s crowded off the ball and Spurs embark on the counter-attack.

80 min: Tottenham double substitution: Erik Lamela and Moussa Dembele on for Nacer Chadli and Andros Townsend.

79 min: Eriksen’s dipping effort is decent and on target, but David de Gea leaps to his right to punch clear for a throw-in.

78 min: Christian Eriksen wins a free-kick in a good position after being dragged to ground by Juan Mata. He’ll take this free-kick himself, from about 25 yards out, a mite to the left.

76 min: Manchester United substitution: Paddy McNair off, Luke Shaw on. Are United switching to a back four?

75 min: David de Gea charges out of his penalty area to hoof clear a through ball that Harry Kane was attempting to chase down.

72 min: David de Gea is forced to save from Fazio, shortly after Paddy McNair had been booked for a foul on Harry Kane. Manchester United substitution: Chris Smalling on for Jonny Evans. He takes up position on the left of the back three.

71 min: Ooh! Ashley Young and Andros Townsend tussle as the latter attempts to sprint clear of his marker to chase a through-ball. Townsend goes to ground and it looks like Young, who is on a yellow card, might get sent off. Referee Jon Moss is having none of it, much to Townsend’s disgust. Was it a foul? I thought so, but I’d need to see a replay to be sure.

70 min: Not for the first time in this match, Jonny Evans slices an attempted clearance into Row Z, earning himself a big cheer from the Spurs fans.

68 min: Juan Mata sends the ball into outer space from about six yards out after getting on the end of a pulled back cross from Rafael. He really lashed at that one, when a bit more nuance or finesse might have served him better.

66 min: Andros Townsend pounces on a breaking ball about 30 yards out, drives forward and unleashes a rasping, dipping shot. David de Gea is forced into action and saves well, diving low to his left.

64 min: “It’s getting quite attritional out there,” says BT Sport commentator Ian Darke, with whom I’m not about to disagree. It is attritional and increasingly scrappy, we could do with a goal.

63 min: Spurs have played a lot better in this second half than they did in the first, but have created little in the way of scoring opportunities. Stambouli, who is on a yellow card already, fouls Phil Jones and concedes a free-kick.

61 min: Ben Davies blocks Radamel Falcao as the Colombian attempts to get past him, but also avoids a yellow card for a fairly cynical bit of defending.

59 min: Vertonghen is shoved by Robin van Persie, who is unlucky to escape a yellow card, which would have ruled him out of Manchester United’s next game. After today’s round of Premier League games, there’s a yellow card amnesty for all those players currently walking the four-card tightrope.

59 min: Mason plays the ball wide to Chiriches from midfield and he then picks out Townsend on the right flank. He cuts inside and tries his luck, but his shot is blocked.

56 min: Ashley Young looks incredulous after being penalised for a foul throw. He had the ball between his hands over his head in the traditional style, but managed to lose his grip and drop it to the ground from one hand as he dithered over where to throw it. It’s a fair cop.

55 min: Great build-up play from United, which ends with Robin van Persie getting on the end of a fine cross to the near post from Michael Carrick, but failing to keep his volleyed effort down from eight yards out. He should have done better.

54 min: Harry Kane goes to ground in the penalty area and the Tottenham 35,000 appeal for a penalty. McNair had charged towards the striker, but didn’t tackle or even touch him.

53 min: Harry Kane drills a low cross towards the near post, where Fazio is lurking. The ball’s put out for a corner by Phil Jones, who was alert to the danger.

52 min: A corner for Spurs. The ball’s sent into the Man United penalty area, where Paddy McNair heads clear.

50 min: Ashley Young gets booked for a foul on Nacer Chadli.

48 min: Jan Vertonghen concedes a corner kick, which Juan Mata takes. He swings the ball towards the near post, where Michael Carrick sends the ball over the bar courtesy of a looping header that takes deflection off Vertonghen. Another corner on the other side, which Rooney takes. He sends the ball into mixer, where Hugo Lloris claims it comfortably.

47 min: Scrappy play in the centre of the pitch, with both sides winning possession then giving it away repeatedly. Eriksen gets his foot on the ball, only to be dispossessed by Jonny Evans.

46 min: Jones plays the ball into the Spurs penalty area, where Vlad Chiriches hacks it clear.

Sorry, I’m talking cobblers. Phil Jones is of course already in the heart of the three-man central defence that I’m clearly having as much trouble getting used to as Manchester United’s players. Rafael on for Valencia, perhaps? We’ll see ...

Hmmm. Looking at that Harry Kane chance from earlier, I think he should have done better. Ashley Young sent in an inch-perfect first half, Paddy McNair was all over the place and allowed the Spurs striker a free header, which he missed completely. It being Christmas, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and suggest the low sun may have got in his eyes and impaired his vision. Ominously for McNair, who hasn’t played particularly well, Rafael is warming up at half-time. He may come on at full-back, allowing Phil Jones to move into the centre of defence in place of the youngster from Northern Ireland.

Half-time at White Hart Lane: It’s scoreless as the players troop off after an entertaining first half. Manchester United have dominated and should probably be ahead, but goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has played well for Spurs, who have ridden their luck from time to time. They’ve had chances of their own, though. Andros Townsend and Harry Kane have both looked lively.

45 min: From the corner, Spurs break and charge down the other end of the pitch, courtesy of Christian Eriksen. Juan Mata is forced to do a spot of last-ditch defending.

44 min: Mata plays the ball wide to Young again, who cuts inside from the left flank and sends a shot curling goalwards. It’s a fine effort, which Hugo Lloris saves brilliantly, sending the ball out for a corner off the goalpost.

43 min: More good work from Ashley Young, who canters down the left flank with the ball at his feet, before sending in a cross. Wayne Rooney leaps and sends a powerful header goalwards, but Lloris dives to his left to smother the ball and save.

40 min: Robin van Persie darts behind the Tottenham defence to latch on to a ball over the top from distance. Lloris remains rooted to his line and about six yards out, Van Persie’s first touch is a good one. Sadly, gravity gets the better of him and the ball doesn’t drop in time for him to poke it past Lloris. He ends up having to take a second touch before he can fire off a shot, allowing the goalkeeper to push the ball clear.

39 min: Falcao plays the ball wide to Young on the left touchline, but his cross is cleared.

36 min: Vertonghen and Van Persie have a bit of needle going this afternoon and clash shoulder to shoulder over by the sideline, in line with the Spurs penalty area. Much to Van Persie’ displeasure, Vertonghen is awarded a free-kick.

34 min: Federico Fazio gifts possession to Falcao in a dangerous position and the Colombian gallops into the penalty area and attempts to curl the ball around Hugo Lloris and inside the far post. His effort is fairly feeble and the goalkeeper saves easily. Interestingly, Robin van Persie was on hand to pick up a pass, should Falcao have chosen to pick him out.

32 min: Seconds before he’d had his long-range effort saved by Hugo Lloris earlier, Andros Townsend had sent in an excellent cross for Harry Kane, who was this close to getting a touch on it and diverting it past David de Gea. I was attempting to bring you this news when my computer decided to turn itself off, presumably in a fit of anti-Spurs bias.

27 min: So, that Manchester United “goal” that wasn’t: Phil Jones had a header that was only half-saved by Hugo Lloris. The ball was hooked off the line by Vertonghen. Various United appealed that the ball had crossed the line (replays show it had), but the offside flag went up because Falcao and Jones were in offside positions when the ball came into the penalty area.

26 min: Andros Townsend gets booked for a really bizarre foul on Ashley Young. The Manchester United wing-back had the ball at his feet near the halfway line and was going nowhere, when the Spurs No17 clattered into the back of him for no reason whatsoever.

25 min: Well, that was odd - my computer switched itself off for no reason, just as I was describing Andros Townsend bringing a save out of David de Gea. My thanks to my colleague Tom Bryant for stepping in while I swore loudly and at great length. Strombouli gets a yellow card for a foul on Michael Carrick.

24 min: Young drives up the left wing and his cross is deflected behind for a corner. Rooney takes it and there’s more chaos on the Tottenham goalline. Some United players are appealing that the ball crossed the line but the linesman has an offside flag up.

22 min: A free-kick from Juan Mata is deflected onto the post and causes all manner of chaos on the Spurs goalline. Van Persie is inches away from giving Manchester United the lead.

20 min: End to end stuff here, with Andros Townsend featuring prominently. He brings a save out of David de Gea with a low drive from distance.

18 min: Juan Mata plays a wonderful through ball into the Spurs penalty area between centre-back and full-back. It’s played perfectly into the path of Radamel Falcao, who can’t get his feet organised and ends up shooting tamely straight at Hugo Lloris when he really should have scored.

16 min: Falcao goes to ground holding his face after a tussle with, I think, Jan Vertonghen. It was something and nothing and the the player is quickly back on his feet. Before resuming play, Jon Moss has a lengthy, one-sided word with Wayne Rooney, presumably because various Manchester United players are complaining about what they believe to be a series of 50-50 decisions that have all gone to Spurs.

14 min: Phil Jones goes through Ben Davies and Spurs win a free-kick on the left side, in a dangerous position. Christian Eriksen whips the ball towards the far post, where Wayne Rooney heads clear. It’s been a lively, entertaining, but occasionally scrappy encounter so far.

13 min: Robin van Persie looks to have been fouled on the edge of the Spurs penalty area as he brings down a pass from Mata with a nice touch. Jon Moss doesn’t blow for a free-kick.

10 min: From the throw-in, Falcao and Young contrive to win a corner, which Rooney sends into the mixer. Benjamin Strombouli heads clear and the SPurs defenders gallop out of their area as one. Rooney plays a reverse pass back into the area for Juan Mata, but he’s offside.

9 min: Free-kick for Manchester United, wide on the right. Mata curls it towards the back post, where Hugo Lloris punches it clear for a Manchester United throw-in deep in Spurs territory.

7 min: Juan Mata plays a deft pass over the Spurs defence. Rooney’s run is perfectly timed to beat the offside trap, but his attempt to bring the ball down is poor. He’s forced to check his run, allowing various Tottenham defenders to regroup and crowd Radamel Falcao off the ball when it’s finally passed his way from the boot of Rooney.

6 min: Scrappy but combative play in the midfield area leads to Harry Kane picking out a good run from Christian Eriksen. He slides in to try to poke the ball beyond David de Gea in the United goal, but Phil Jones is back covering and averts the danger.

5 min: From the left flank, Ashley Young cuts a cross to Radamel Falcao on the edge of the Tottenham penalty area. Ryan Mason steps in to clear.

4 min: Referee Jon Moss incurs Ashley Young’s ire by denying him a corner, when the Manchester United man though his attempted cross had goner out of a Spurs shin. The referee correctly decided it had ricocheted off Young last.

2 min: From the centre of the park, Nacer Chadli plays a ball into space down by the corner for Andros Townsend to chase. He gets a cross into the penalty area, aimed in the general direction of Chadli, but Antonio Valencia clears.

1 min: Manchester United kick off, their players togged out in red shirts, white shorts and black socks. Tottenham’s wear their usual home kit of white shirts and socks, with navy blue shorts.

A minute’s applause: The players convene around the centre-circle for a minute’s applause for Ron Henry, the left-back in Spurs’ Double-winning side, who has died at the age of 80.

Not long now ... The teams are out on the White Hart Lane sward going through the pre-match niceties. It’s a nice afternoon in North London: chilly, but bright with [min-by-min reporter looks out window of Kings Cross office] ne’er a cloud in the sky. It’s a perfect day for playing football.

Normally at this time on a Sunday I’m co-presenting a very cerebral and high-browed radio show called The Warm-Up on Talksport with Soccer AM’s Max Rushden. We’ve been bumped today ...

An email from Magnus Lind: “Hello, hope you’re enjoying the holidays,” he says, possibly oblivious to the fact that this is my third day working on the spin! “It’s really odd to force the players to play three times within six days but i do love the unpredictability that can occur when they are knackered. Any predictions on the score?” Prediction? I’ll go for an outlandish Spurs 2-4 Manchester United.

Season’s greetings, everybody. Welcome to our minute-by-minute coverage of Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United at White Hart Lane. The matches come thick and fast at this time of year and come kick-off time this afternoon, it’ll have been just over 43 hours since they finished their respective matches on Boxing Day. Both teams were victorious: Tottenham beat Leciester City by the odd goal of three at the King Power Stadium, while United swatted Newcastle aside at Old Trafford.

United arrive at White Hart Lane unbeaten in their last eight matches, while Spurs have been on something of a run themselves, having won their last four in all competitions. A win for United today would help them close the gap between themselves and second-placed Manchester City to four points for a few hours at least, while three points for Spurs would move them past Arsenal, West Ham and Southampton into fourth place in the table. Kick-off is at noon.