Manchester United beat Tottenham for the first time in eight attempts as they won 2-0 at Old Trafford
Michael Carrick immediately felt the step up in standards when he moved from Tottenham to Manchester United in 2006. On his first day through the door at Old Trafford, he knew he was at a different beast when it came to football clubs.
So it was no surprise that Carrick the coach was the man to end United's dismal recent run against Spurs. The iconic Sir Alex Ferguson phrase "lads, it's Tottenham" hasn't really been working recently. They had failed to beat Spurs in any of their last eight games.
That reached a nadir in May in what was a rotten Europa League final in Bilbao. United didn't turn up, and Tottenham won a wretched game, but in some ways, maybe that is now helping Carrick. He is putting the free midweeks to better use than Ruben Amorim ever was, anyway.
There was again evidence of United getting things right between games, though this match changed when Cristian Romero was shown a red card for catching Casemiro on the ankle after half an hour. It summed up the way things are going for Carrick at the moment that any worries about having to break down 10 men were quickly put to bed with an excellent set-piece routine.
Things threatened to get nervous before Bruno Fernandes killed the game off nine minutes from the end, securing Carrick a fourth successive win in charge. Not all of this performance was convincing, but if he keeps winning, then the job will be his. Champions League football certainly feels like it is getting closer.
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That was the prize on offer in that Europa League final. United have suffered financially without it, but there is an argument they are now better placed as a result of that defeat. Had Amorim enjoyed the sort of European campaign that Thomas Frank has, then he would surely still be in charge at Old Trafford.
Instead, the Stretford End is belting out 'it's Carrick, you know' and positivity is flowing around Old Trafford again. Kobbie Mainoo couldn't get a look in under Amorim but was once again outstanding here.
Most importantly, United have shown the benefits of time on the training ground under a coaching staff with a plan that suits them. Carrick is hands-on at Carrington, and Steve Holland's experience has been invaluable. Some of the football they produced against Tottenham had the hallmarks of training time all over it.
The front three of Amad, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo played off the cuff but with an understanding of what they were trying to do and where they would be. They were close in distance, and that allowed for the kind of interchanges that can trouble any defence.
Amad and Cunha nearly prised open the Spurs defence with one slick first-half exchange, before Mainoo and Amad linked up to scythe through the midfield and open up space.
United had looked enterprising, but the challenge changed when Romero was sent off. Although the advantage was now United's, Old Trafford held its breath as Casemiro rolled around in agony. The success of this season might just hinge on his fitness, so the sigh of relief when he picked himself up was audible.
The sending-off meant United now had to break down a low block. The best way to do that is often from set-pieces and it took just nine minutes to do so. Jonny Evans has been in charge of set-pieces on Carrick's coaching team and he deserves credit for this routine, as do the analysts who spotted the space to exploit.
Mainoo's run across the goalmouth created space, and from Fernandes' low pass, he turned it back to the edge of the box, where Mbeumo was unmarked with room to run on the ball.
His low, left-footed finish was perfectly placed and was a particularly painful blow for his former Brentford boss Frank, who tried to hijack Mbeumo's move to Old Trafford in the summer. The forward only had eyes for Old Trafford and although Spurs' interest pushed the price up, he has looked to be worth every penny of the £65million it cost United to sign him.
He is certainly making an impact in the big games as well. He has scored home and away against Tottenham this season, as well as finding the back of the net against Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal.
His goal gave United the cushion they needed, but driving home the advantage proved difficult. Luke Shaw and Diogo Dalot had shots from distance saved by Guglielmo Vicario around the hour mark, and Harry Maguire could feel aggrieved he didn't get a penalty when Micky van de Ven channelled the Six Nations spirit to rugby tackle his fellow centre-back.
Things were threatening to become nervous and anxiety was seeping in, but Fernandes relieved the pressure valve. Sub Benjamin Sesko couldn't connect with Dalot's cross but Fernandes produced an instinctive finish to steer the ball back across goal and inside the post to put the game to bed.
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