It was practically identical to one of his fantastic free kicks, except that there was no wall in the way, and it was an absolute beauty of a goal.

The game had been played at a comfortable pace until the goal, but Manchester United now have Tottenham Hotspur just where they want them, leading 1-0 after 13 minutes.

The famed number 7 of Manchester United exposed the back of his shirt to the Old Trafford crowd.