76 min: United deal with the free kick easily enough, then Martinez launches long in the hope of releasing Diallo through on goal. Souza wins a footrace he had to win. Great anticipation of danger by the young debutant.

75 min: Van de Ven makes good down the left only to be taken down by Dalot. Before the resulting free kick can be taken, United replace Cunha with last weekend’s hero Sesko.

73 min: “As bad as Spurs are I still don’t trust this United not to give away a stupid goal,” worries John Brennan. “Just look at Fulham last week. They almost throw it away.” And right on cue, by way of illustration, the hosts fail to deal with a long throw, but neither Van de Ven nor Solanke can take advantage of a scramble in the six-yard box.

71 min: Thomas Frank is booked for protesting that decision. Then when the game restarts, Diallo jinks down the right, reaches the byline, and nearly squeezes the ball home from a tight angle. Just a corner, from which nothing comes.

70 min: Palhinha slides into a 50-50 with Mainoo. He wins the ball, but then catches his man. Some referees might wave play on; this one shows a yellow to the Spurs man, who is a bit unfortunate there.

68 min: Cunha finds Fernandes with a defence-splitter down the middle. Fernandes feeds Diallo on the right. Diallo slips back infield for Cunha, who slots calmly into the bottom right. But the flag pops up for offside on Fernandes in the first instance. The correct decision. United have now had two goals chalked off in this second half.

66 min: Cunha drives into the Sprus box from the left and cuts back. The ball clanks off Sarr and heads towards the bottom left. Vicario smothers to save his team-mate’s blushes.

65 min: A second goal for United is in the post. The ten men of Spurs can’t get into this match at all. “What a game!” chirps Rob Knap of that match from 1986. “I love Motty’s description of Gary Mabbutt as ‘all-purpose’, making him sound like one of those kitchen appliances which were being flogged on the telly at the time. Scores goals, opens tins, non-stick surface, endearing Bristolian accent, etc.”

63 min: A rabona’d cross from the right by Fernandes. Vicario claims, but United are enjoying themselves here.

62 min: Another penalty shout involving Van de Ven. A Shaw shot hits his arm but that arm’s by his side.

61 min: … there’s a shout for a penalty, Maguire and Van de Ven wrestling. An arm across the United man, but it’s no go. The ball breaks back to Dalot, who curls low and hard towards the bottom right. Vicario saves well again.

60 min: Space opens up ahead of Shaw. He reaches the left-hand edge of the Spurs D and pearls a rising shot towards the top right. Vicario is behind it all the way. He tips over for a corner. From which …

59 min: That’s got Simons going, and he dribbles in from the right, threatening enough danger to draw a foul from Martinez. The resulting free kick leads to some pinball in the United box. Solanke tries to juggle his way into a position to shoot, but can only loop harmlessly into the arms of Lammens. A good couple of minutes for Spurs.

57 min: Perhaps too much confidence? Shaw plays a clueless ball in from the United left, along the edge of his own box. Simons snaffles and launches a shot towards the top right. Inches wide. Not sure Lammens was getting to that.

56 min: Cunha, Mbeumo and Diallo paint some pretty one-touch triangles across the face of the Spurs box, left to right. Fernandes is teed up; his shot is blocked. United are playing with increasing confidence.

54 min: … but if they do, Udogie won’t be a part of it. He’s pulled something, and limps off sadly. He’s replaced by Souza, the 19-year-old making his Spurs debut in testing circumstances.

53 min: Sarr whistles a simple pass into the stand, to ironic jeers from the home fans. Spurs certainly don’t look likely to achieve the unthinkable.

51 min: Since you ask, Mark Hughes scored on 25 minutes, only for Mich d’Avray to equalise on 47. Alan Sunderland completed the turnaround for Ipswich with four minutes to go.

49 min: Fernandes crosses from the right. Shaw cushions it back into the centre. Diallo tidies up from six yards, but the goal won’t stand, because he’s clearly offside.

47 min: A reminder that United haven’t lost a league match at Old Trafford having led at half-time since 1984, when Ipswich Town did a second-half number on them in May 1984.

Manchester United get the ball rolling for the second half. No changes. Just before the restart, TNT had a word with Michael Carrick, who credited coach Jonny Evans with the idea for the corner routine. United’s old boys are doing some solid work right now.

Half-time postbag. “Hopefully for Spurs this may be the humble pie Romero needs in order to get his head down until this summer when he can be sold to Real Madrid, where his jumbo size ego will fit right in. No fluke that Spurs were better after he went off sick against City last week” – John in Norway

“As much as Mbeumo’s goal was lovely, it really took the interest out of the match, for this neutral at least. There seems to be a snowball’s proverbial that Tottenham make a game of it now. If Carrick can’t win against a ten-man Spurs, he shouldn’t get the job” – Kári Tulinius

“I feel for Martin Gamage (35 min). I am always surprised that clubs appoint hotheads as captain. How fortunate for United that in Bruno, like Roy Keane before him, they have a calm, cool responsible role model” – Adam Roberts

“Wonder how that lad who can’t get his hair cut until United win five in a row feels watching this” – Kieran McKintosh

Half-time entertainment. That was a hell of a set-piece goal by United. But it’s not the best they’ve ever managed in this fixture. Here’s Steve Pye on “a live match on BBC1 in December 1986, including a lovely free-kick routine, a comical own goal, a broken nose, a Tottenham comeback, and a brace from Peter Davenport.” Enjoy, enjoy.

45 min +4: The ten men of Spurs have summoned some late first-half energy, pressing forward for the first time in a while. But United are holding their shape.

45 min +2: Gallagher dinks a pass down the inside-left channel for Simons, who flicks infield but can’t quite find Solanke. A better ball and Solanke would have surely scored an unlikely equaliser.

45 min +1: The first of five additional moments. Diallo very nearly gets on the end of a long pass down the middle. He can’t get the touch to round Vicario, who slides in to clear.

45 min: Diallo catches Simon’s standing leg with a late challenge. Just a yellow. It wasn’t the greatest of challenges, though. Some referees might have taken the opportunity to level things up there. Diallo wears the relieved look of a man who momentarily feared the worst.

44 min: Mbeumo curls the corner towards the far stick. Casemiro barrels in, hoping to smash one of his trademark headers home. But it’s flicked out of his road at the last second, and Shaw is penalised for fouling Vicario anyway.

43 min: Diallo works his way down the right and wins another corner. Danger here for Spurs.

42 min: Nothing comes of the next corner. Meanwhile some TNT footage shows Michael Carrick’s response to the goal. He spins around gently to celebrate with his bench, and some supporters, a couple of clenched fists and the widest of smiles. Manchester United are in a good place right now.

41 min: … the ball’s worked back to Mbeumo, who whips a cross to the far stick. Casemiro rises highest and bullets a header towards the top left. Vicario tips over acrobatically. Spurs are in all sorts of bother here. United are rampant.

40 min: Fernandes is sent into space down the right by Diallo. He crosses low. Mbeumo prepares to blast home, but Palhinha slides in to deflect out for a corner. From which …

37 min: United smell blood with Spurs reeling. Fernandes latches onto the ball on the edge of the D and aims a curler towards the top left. It takes a nick and flies out for a corner. From which …

36 min: Fernandes wedges a gossamer-light ball into the Spurs box from the left. Casemiro is on the back foot and therefore unable to meet it, six yards out. The delivery deserved better. “Romero sent off with 60 minutes to go,” sighs Sean Orlowicz. “How long is this week’s brave Instagram post going to be?”

35 min: Everyone’s good to go again. “As a Spurs fan I am livid with Romero,” fumes Martin Gamage. “You’re the captain, man. You cannot follow through with a tackle like that. Romero remains a liability. More than likely lost the game for his team.”

33 min: Casemiro is OK to continue, incidentally. But the game’s stopped again as Gallagher and Shaw both take whacks in the grill/grille. On come the physios with their magic sponges.

32 min: Spurs need defensive reinforcement, so Odobert is sacrificed for Dragusin.

31 min: Romero trudges off. Tottenham’s discipline under Thomas Frank has been little short of appalling. You could have made a case for their being reduced to seven men against Liverpool recently. Romero sent packing in disgrace yet again, just like he was that day.

27 min: Diallo drops a shoulder to swivel his way around Udogie on the left … then is hauled back by it. Udogie goes into the book.

26 min: Cunha barges his way into the Spurs box down the inside-right channel. He goes over Sarr’s leg. He wants a penalty. There’s some contact, but Sarr gets a bit of the ball, and in any case the challenge is just outside the area, so VAR can’t get involved. Cunha nevertheless not happy.

24 min: Simons dribbles in from the left and pings a clever diagonal into the box, hoping to release Odobert on the right. But his team-mate doesn’t read the intention, and the ball rolls harmlessly out for a goal kick.

23 min: Diallo skedaddles down the right and cuts back for Fernandes, who meets the ball first time but flippers it inches wide of the bottom-left corner. Fine move.

22 min: United getting back on top again. It’s a see-saw affair.

20 min: Cunha attempts to casemiro a curler into the top right from 25 yards. He catches it well, but it’s always heading high and wide. Not by much, mind. “I enjoyed the quaint spelling choice of ‘grille’,” begins Joel Biswas. “Any jawing from the likes of Bruno demands the correct hip-hop derived spelling of ‘grill’ which speaks to bared teeth (preferably covered in gold and diamonds bared in a sneer of defiance or menace).”

18 min: Now it’s Spurs who are enjoying the lion’s share of possession. They’re getting a fair bit of joy down the right flank, Gallagher and Simons involved in pretty much everything.

16 min: Udogie fizzes a glorious low cross into the United box from the left. Solanke prepares to sweep home from six yards, but is stopped from doing so by Martinez’s astonishing block tackle. What a defensive last stand. United try to counter through Mbeumo, but Palhinha isn’t having any of his power dribble down the left. It’s good fun, this.

14 min: Simons spins into space. He’s scythed down from behind by Casemiro, but the referee waves an advantage. Gallagher and Sarr take turns to shoot. Both efforts are blocked. Casemiro can consider himself fortunate that the referee forgets about his challenge, because it looked a booking all day long.

12 min: United have enjoyed 73 percent of possession, but it’s Spurs who nearly take the lead. Simon’s wedges a pass into the box from the right, the ball dropping over Gallagher’s shoulder. Gallagher swivels and guides a soft volley goalwards, but Lammens has it covered and smothers at his feet.

11 min: Casemiro, the football having most definitely returned to him, has a whack from distance. He sends an absolute peach of a heat-seeker towards the top left. Vicario does extremely well to extend fully and palm away. That would have been a hell of a goal, and there’s a save to match.

9 min: Romero catches Mbeumo’s ankle in midfield. A garden-variety foul. The TNT coverage switches momentarily to the Ref Cam worn by Michael Oliver. It shows Bruno Fernandes approaching at speed, mid-rant, closing in on Oliver’s grille. It’s not often viewers will feel sympathy for match officials, but there’s an exception.

7 min: Simons and Sarr combine cutely down the inside-left flank. The latter tries to release Solanke into the box, but his slide pass is intercepted by Maguire, who has been on point from the get-go.

5 min: Telling you things you already know here, but it’s raining in Manchester.

4 min: Lammens makes a hash of a clearing kick, his flat delivery intercepted by Gallagher. Fortunately for the United keeper, Gallagher takes a heavy touch, which gives Shaw the opportunity to clank into him and stop him with a foul. Had Gallagher trapped the ball more adroitly, he’d have had the chance to lob Lammens. Nothing comes of the resulting free kick.

2 min: Spurs try to respond with an attack of their own, Simons buzzing down the left flank, but Maguire is over quickly to cover and clear. A bright start.

34 secs: United are immediately on the front foot, Fernandes waltzing down the middle of the park. An absurd amount of space. He slides in Mbeumo to his left. The in-form striker lashes over the bar from a tight-ish angle. It’s far from a missed sitter, but it was a good chance, and Mbeumo will have expected to do better.

Tottenham Hotspur, wearing second-choice yellow, get the ball rolling. They’re kicking towards the Stretford End in this first half.

The teams congregate in the Old Trafford tunnel. Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes helps his manager Michael Carrick to adjust his black armband, a small but touching moment of togetherness. Carrick and Thomas Frank lead their players out, each carrying a wreath which they place on the turf once trodden so elegantly by the Babes. A poignant beat … then a crackle of expectancy and excitement ahead of the big match. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes.

This is also the time of year when thoughts turn to the Busby Babes. The Munich disaster occurred 68 years ago yesterday, and Michael Carrick was among the many club representatives who yesterday honoured United’s fallen heroes in a memorial event. A separate matchday service took place earlier this morning, and flags at Old Trafford will fly at half-mast today, while the team will lay a wreath. Sleep well, Flowers of Manchester.

This weekend’s Premier League card is dedicated to the Premier League With Pride initiative. With Pride aims to “bring together the ongoing LGBTQ+ work the League and clubs carry out across the year to help deliver long-term change … with a focus on embedding three core themes: education, celebration and action.” There will be With Pride-themed handshake boards, ball plinths, assistants’ flags, substitution boards, perimeter LEDs and pin badges, though captains will wear standard Premier League armbands. More details can be found here.

Thomas Frank has talked to TNT. “We can keep building on the consistency and the performances we have shown … not only the City game but the Champions League games … we are ready for this game … [Manchester United] have a massive threat up front but we are ready for it … [Cristian Romero] is our captain and one of our most important players … [Micky van de Ven] is a top centre back … his partnership with [Romero] is very, very good and they are getting stronger and stringer together.”

So smoothly is Michael Carrick’s caretaker stint going, there’s just one change to Manchester United’s squad today. Tyler Fletcher, son of erstwhile United midfielder Darren, nudges out Scouse winger Shea Lacey. And while we’re on the subject of fresh talent on the periphery, here’s Richard Stant: “Great to see Lucá Williams-Barnett getting a spot on the bench. He’s going to be an amazing player … although as he’s at Tottenham he’ll spend most of his career on the treatment table.”

Michael Carrick speaks to TNT Sports. “Ben [Šeško] is going to be a big player here for a long time … everything about him is really encouraging … it was a huge moment for him last week … I’m sure he’ll have more of those … he’ll come on and make a difference again for us … [Tottenham] are a good team with some really good players … we’ve got to be aware of that … it’s not going to be perfect … if we do it with the right intent, and the supporters feel it, and we bounce off each other, we’ve got a good chance … we want to look good with and without the ball.”

Michael Carrick is in an if-it-ain’t-broke frame of mind. His Manchester United are unchanged from the 3-2 win over Fulham. Matthijs de Ligt, Mason Mount and Patrick Dorgu are all injured.

Spurs boss Thomas Frank makes three changes to his starting XI following the 2-2 draw with Manchester City. Micky van de Ven, Wilson Odobert and Pape Matar Sarr are in; Randal Kolo Muani, Radu Drăgușin and Yves Bissouma drop to the bench.