James Maddison celebrates his goalGetty Images

James Maddison had not played for Tottenham since the Europa League game against Hoffenheim on 23 January

Joe Rindl
BBC Sport journalist

James Maddison scored the winner on his return from injury as Tottenham beat fellow Premier League strugglers Manchester United.

Maddison, who has missed nearly four weeks with a calf injury, was the only player following in after United keeper Andre Onana parried Lucas Bergvall's shot and completed an easy tap-in in the 13th minute.

The visitors did have chances to level, with Alejandro Garnacho lofting an effort over the bar when through on goal in the first half - but this was ultimately another uninspired United display.

Tottenham earned their first win in three games - after cup losses to Liverpool and Aston Villa - and victory will ease some of the pressure on manager Ange Postecoglou. They are now 12th in the table, moving above United.

Ruben Amorim's injury-hit Red Devils, meanwhile, have lost three of their past four league games and drop to 15th - 12 points clear of the relegation zone.

Before the match more than 1,000 Tottenham supporters attended a protest against the club's ownership and chairman Daniel Levy.

Maddison and Tel impress for Spurs

Maddison and Vicario were key to 'important' win - Postecoglou

Tottenham have been on a poor run, but a large part of their form can be attributed to a string of first-team injuries.

Postecoglou will be thankful he was able to start playmaker Maddison as well as goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who impressed on his first game back since breaking his ankle in November.

Long-term absentees Brennan Johnson, Destiny Udogie and Wilson Odobert were also fit enough to make the bench.

Maddison was the only player on his toes after Onana's early save and tapped in to score his first Premier League goal since September.

The England midfielder was brought off in the 63rd minute as a precaution.

Spurs looked good going forward, with new signing Mathys Tel lively on his first league start since joining on loan from Bayern Munich. The 19-year-old Frenchman forced Onana into a low save after Son Heung-min's first-half cutback.

Dejan Kulusevski also went close with a similar effort midway through the second period.

Despite taking the lead, Spurs struggled to assert control over the game at times - particularly in midfield - and United created opportunities to equalise which they could not take.

Tottenham and Postecoglou, though, will take a narrow win however it was earned, having picked up just four points from their previous eight league games and been knocked out of both domestic cups this month.

Depleted United put in wasteful display

Amorim 'not worried' about mounting pressure following Spurs defeat

While Tottenham look to be recovering from their injury crisis, United's continues to get worse.

This week, Amad Diallo, their top scorer in the league, was ruled out for a long spell with an ankle injury, while Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte and Toby Collyer also picked up knocks on the training ground.

With Christian Eriksen and Leny Yoro both missing the match through illness, Amorim was forced to hand veteran midfielder Casemiro his first start since 30 December, and the 32-year-old was often exposed against Maddison, Son and Tel.

Meanwhile, all the players on United's bench, except 30-year-old Victor Lindelof, were teenagers who had not made a first-team appearance for the club.

Amorim did not make a substitution until the 90th minute when 17-year-old striker Chido Obi replaced Casemiro for his United debut.

Still, United had plenty of talent on the pitch and should have equalised when Bruno Fernandes played in Garnacho before the break only for the Argentine to blast well over the bar.

Garnacho had a one-on-one saved by Vicario in the second half, while Joshua Zirkzee headed Noussair Mazraoui's cross narrowly wide from a good position in the closing stages.

Defeat was United's 13th of the season in all competitions and their ninth since Amorim took charge in November.

Player of the match

D. Spence
7.52
24 D. Spence
7.52
10 J. Maddison
7.40
1 G. Vicario
7.14
33 B. Davies
6.67
21 D. Kulusevski
6.61
4 K. Danso
6.57
30 R. Bentancur
6.55
15 L. Bergvall
6.54
23 Pedro Porro
6.51
11 M. Tel
6.28
22 B. Johnson
6.27
7 Son Heung-Min
6.27
14 A. Gray
6.24
8 Y. Bissouma
6.09
29 P. Sarr
6.09
28 W. Odobert
6.09
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