Chris Armstrong struck twice in seven minutes at the start of the second half to send Tottenham through to the semi-finals of the League Cup at White Hart Lane last night. The in-form striker scored two headers to sink Manchester United.
It is nearly two years since Spurs last beat United when Armstrong landed another double in a 4-1 Premiership match on New Year's Day 1996.
Since then United have racked up five consecutive victories over their north London rivals.
But although Teddy Sheringham, who also scored for Spurs in that previous success, pulled Alex Ferguson's patchwork team of youth and experience back into the match with another powerful header with 20 minutes left - a goal he celebrated with a defiant fist-clenching gesture to the Tottenham fans who had jeered his every touch - it was not enough to deny George Graham's team.
And with four minutes to go David Ginola struck a left-foot 25-yard drive past Raimond van der Gouw to clinch it.
Allan Nielsen missed two decent first-half opportunities to turn the tie Spurs way but two minutes after the break he chipped into the box from the left wing.
Ruel Fox, who had replaced Colin Calderwood in midfield, helped the ball on for Armstrong to head firmly past van der Gouw for his seventh goal of the season and third in consecutive games.
United had an immediate chance to equalise when Nicky Butt's pass found Phil Neville, whose shot was only a yard wide of the target with goalkeeper Ian Walker beaten.
But in the 54th minute Armstrong pounced again. This time Ginola teased and tormented Jon Greening on the left and whipped the ball over waist-high for Armstrong to dive in front ahead of Ronny Johnsen and defeat van der Gouw again.
The contest looked over but it could have been different if Butt, put in by Greening, had not wasted a golden opportunity in the 65th minute, half-volleying wastefully over the bar.
Iversen then spurned the chance to wrap it up completely for Spurs, stabbing wide from three yards after Ginola's cross took out Johnsen and Henning Berg.
Tottenham were briefly on the back foot when Sheringham converted Neville's left wing cross with a decisive 70th minute header but then Ginola came up with the finishing touch which boss Graham had demanded he add to his silky skills and Spurs were on their way to the last four.
As is their custom in this competition which manager Alex Ferguson regards as a poor fourth priority behind the Champions' League, Premiership and FA Cup, United made eight changes from the line-up which started against Leeds on Sunday.
But Ryan Giggs, Sheringham and Johnsen made their comebacks from injury to supplement the youthful ranks of Ferguson's next generation of stars.
They were soon tested by Ginola's exciting wing skills. In the eighth minute the Frenchman showed a supremely polished touch to leave both Greening and Michael Clegg in his wake before delivering a low cross which had United's 35-year-old reserve keeper van der Gouw at full stretch to cut out.
However, United had been first to warm a bitterly cold north London night when Sheringham, whose every touch was jeered by his former Spurs fans, linked smartly with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to release Butt for a 20-yard shot which bounced awkwardly in front of Ian Walker.
But Ginola's magic surfaced once more to kill off United - and keep Graham's hopes alive of repeating his performance with local rivals Arsenal, when he won the League Cup in his first season of management at Highbury 11 years ago.
Tottenham: Walker, Carr, Calderwood (Fox 45), Nielsen, Anderton, Armstrong (Ferdinand 86), Ginola, Iversen, Sinton, Campbell, Young. Subs Not Used: Baardsen, Wilson, Clemence. Goals: Armstrong 48, 55, Ginola 86.
Manchester Utd: Van Der Gouw, Clegg, Curtis (Beckham 86), Neville, Berg, Johnsen, Greening (Blomqvist 86), Butt (Notman 72), Solskjaer, Sheringham, Giggs. Subs Not Used: Wallwork, Culkin. Goals: Sheringham 71.
Referee: P Jones (Loughborough).
