Manchester United has done the unthinkable and pressure as they returned to the top of the Barclays Premier League table following their 3-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.
Ryan Giggs scored his first two Premier League penalties in the win, but it was a very well taken goal by Nani that really propelled United to all three points in this do-or-die match and ultimately the top of the league.
United had the honors of playing before Chelsea this weekend, so Sir Alex Ferguson knew if they were unable to get a positive result over Spurs it would have really given the West London club the confidence they were going to win the title.
Ahead of the match, Spurs were in the same predicament that United were in because they are in a heated battle for fourth place and the final UEFA Champions League birth with Manchester City, so unlike most managers when they come to Old Trafford, Harry Redknapp played a very attack-minded formation.
Redknapp has done terrifically well since joining Tottenham in 2008, and the attacking options on his bench somewhat surprisingly dwarfed Ferguson's option of just Federico Macheda.
On the Spurs bench was Peter Crouch, the fit-again Aaron Lennon and Eidur Gudjohnsen, who scored three goals in five games at Old Trafford during his time at Chelsea.
United was again without his top goal scorer, Wayne Rooney, after the 34-goal hitman picked up a groin injury in training on Thursday, which forced Ferguson to shuffle his lineup.
Despite all the pre-match build up, the game did not really kick into gear until the half-hour mark, when both teams had decent chances to test either goalkeeper, but Roman Pavlyuchenko, Antonio Valencia and Dimitar Berbatov could not convert their chances.
The Bulgarian, who has been under a lot of scrutiny following his big money move from Tottenham, had the majority of the chances for either side, but he was unable to test Heurelho Gomes.
The teams went into half-time goalless and both sides knew the game needed to open up in the second-half, and 13 minutes in United were ahead.
United upped their intent and began bossing the tempo of the match, and Berbatov made a very promising run at the Spurs defense and once they began to close his path to goal, he cleverly back heeled the ball into the path of Patrice Evra.
The French full-back, who was seen throwing up his half-time fluids, was only able to make one touch before being wiped out by Benoit Assou-Ekotto, and without hesitation, the referee, Andre Marriner, pointed to the spot.
Since Rooney was watching the match from one of the United luxury boxes, the spot kick duties fell to Giggs, and the 36-year old perfectly placed his penalty into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.
Costly
Sir Alex desperately wanted to hang on to this priceless goal advantage, so he brought on his reliable utility man John O'Shea for the sickly Evra to cope with Aaron Lennon down the Tottenham right-hand flank.
However, the decision to take Evra off did not cost United in the battle of the pacey winger, but he was missing for the Tottenham goal.
Ledley King out jumped the out-of-favor Michael Carrick to head Tottenham level and gave his side the confidence they needed to go on and win the match.
Evra and Paul Scholes, because of their height and quick feet are put on the posts for corner kicks, but his replacement on Edwin van der Sar's post was the inexperienced Rafael.
Rafael is filled with energy, but his anxious style of play pulled him off the post and King's header flew passed the sprawling leg of the young full-back.
Changes
Redknapp smartly noticed that United's formation was out of sorts following Antonio Valencia being forced off with a lower leg injury, so he threw on big Peter Crouch to show real determination to not settle for a draw and get all three points.
Ferguson countered Redknapp's move and put on his only fit forward, Macheda for Rafael, and then shifted Darren Fletcher to right-back.
It was the combination of those two players that sprung Nani through for the decisive goal of the match.
Fletcher, Nani and Macheda combined well down the right flank to pull apart the Spurs defense and the Portuguese winger burst into the area with an eye for goal and did he ever take it well.
Macheda's through ball gave the United winger a step on King, but Nani's first and second touch showed exactly why Ferguson has given him a new long-term contract.
Nani's first touch allowed him to blow pass and go clean through with just Gomes to beat, and with his second touch, he audaciously chipped the ball over the goalkeeper to send Old Trafford into raptures.
With Tottenham forced to push forward in search of vital equalizer, the match opened up and United took full advantage of the advanced defenders.
Berbatov, Macheda and Nani were all tormenting the defenders with mazing runs through in behind the midfielders, but it was the latter than got behind the defense and forced another Tottenham penalty.
Nani cut and dashed into the area and held his run up just enough to be barged over by Wilson Palacios, and Marriner pointed to the spot again.
Giggs decided to go Gomes left this time and again his spot kick was again perfectly placed.
When the Welshman's penalty buckled the side netting, the noise of the Stretford End was not only a sense of relief, but also a sense of belief that United have a perfect chance to retain their Premier League title with just two matches to go.
United held off any threat thrown forward by Tottenham to ease to the victory with organizational team defending.
Now with a two point lead at the top of standings - albeit a match in hand - United is now in a very good position to at least force pressure on Chelsea to get maximum points from their game against Stoke City tomorrow.
Matchball
Despite being constantly ripped apart for his lack luster approach, Berbatov inspired United to the victory against his former employers by involving more of his teammates in the offensive third.
Berbatov, who has been linked with a move to AC Milan recently, was put in charge to lead the United attack with the absence of Rooney, and he did fantastic combining with Giggs, Nani and Valencia in the second-half.
His run led and optimistic back heel led to the opening goal and he supplied his teammates with great balls to run onto, and he showed his desire by overpowering Michael Dawson and winning headers in the Spurs penalty area.
Sir Alex Ferguson stated that he and the United players thought that they threw away their opportunity to secure their fourth consecutive title by losing to Chelsea and the goalless draw against Blackburn, but maximum points from their last two matches against inform teams, Manchester United has a glimmer of hope.
Ratings
E. van der Sar - 7; Rafael - 6 (F. Macheda - 6), J. Evans - 7, N. Vidic - 8, P. Evra - 6 (J. O'Shea - 6); A. Valencia - 6 (M. Carrick - 5), P. Scholes - 7, D. Fletcher - 7, R. Giggs - 7, Nani - 7; D. Berbatov - 8
Goals
R. Giggs (58'), (86'), Nani (81')
Statistics
Possession: 56%
Corners: 4
Shots (on goal): 19 (6)
Bookings: Nani (35')
Schedule
May 01 - Sunderland - Stadium of Light - 11.00 EST - Premier League
May 09 - Stoke City - Old Trafford - 11.00 EST- Premier League
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