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London: Clint Dempsey scored in stoppage time as Tottenham Hotspur drew 1-1 with Premier League leaders Manchester United at White Hart Lane on Sunday.
On an Arctic-like afternoon in north London Robin van Persie's first-half goal appeared to have secured the points for United until Dempsey slid home an equaliser with virtually the final kick of the game.
The leaders have 56 points from 23 games with Manchester City on 51 and Chelsea, who beat Arsenal 2-1 earlier in the snow-hit capital, on 45, four ahead of Tottenham. Dutchman van Persie, often a thorn in Tottenham's side when he was at Arsenal, took his league tally for the season to 18 with a header from Tom Cleverley’s cross midway through the opening period of an absorbing game.
Tottenham, whose strong recent run had seen them establish themselves in the top four, were twice denied equalisers by the outstretched legs of United keeper David De Gea as they attempted a rare league double over Alex Ferguson's side.
United, who began with Wayne Rooney on the bench, showed another side to their character. With resolute defending rather than fluent attacking play, they were content to absorb pressure and the policy seemed to have earned an important victory.
As the snow poured down, Bale also went agonisingly close to a late equaliser with a shot deflected past the post.
However, the hosts kept plugging away and Dempsey was on hand to equalise after De Gea could only punch a clearance to Aaron Lennon and the winger threaded a pass to the American.
Chelsea, meanwhile, enjoyed some much-needed home comfort with goals from Juan Mata and Frank Lampard securing a 2-1 victory over Arsenal.
Arsenal staged a second-half revival with Theo Walcott halving the deficit at a snowy Stamford Bridge but Chelsea hung on for only their second win in six home league games since Rafa Benitez was hired as interim manager.
Mata scored after six minutes after Cesar Azpilicueta’s lofted ball put him through on goal, although Arsenal were seething at the referee’s failure to award a free-kick their way in the initial stages of the move.
Lampard made it 2-0 from the penalty spot after 16 minutes after Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny escaped a red card for bringing down Ramires in the area.
The midfielder’s calm finish was his 195th goal for the club and he is now just seven behind Chelsea’s all-time record goalscorer Bobby Tambling. (Reuters)
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