Manchester United vs. Tottenham: 6 Things We Learned

OLD TRAFFORD, MANCHESTER—Manchester United slipped to its fourth home defeat of the season against Tottenham on New Year's Day to cast further doubt over their chances of finishing in the Premier League's top four this season.

It was another difficult afternoon for David Moyes at Old Trafford who watched Emmanuel Adebayor and Christian Eriksen put Tottenham 2-0 up before Danny Welbeck pulled a goal back for United.

It was a huge setback for United after winning six games in a row and left Moyes with plenty to ponder as he heads into the January transfer window.

Here are six things we learned from United latest defeat at Old Trafford.

Chris Smalling Is a Limited Right-Back

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Chris Smalling is going to be a good centre-half, but as a right-back he's limited.

He's not comfortable enough on the ball to join in when United go forward, especially compared to Rafael who is happy to overlap Antonio Valencia down the right.

Moyes might have picked Smalling over Rafael's brother Fabio to add some height against Tottenham's front two of Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado, but it was Adebayor who got across Smalling to put Spurs in front in the first half.

United Are Too Reliant on Wayne Rooney

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When Wayne Rooney plays well, United play well, and normally win. But when he's having a poor game like he did against Tottenham, they struggle to create many chances.

He sat out against Norwich with a groin injury and he didn't look fit against Tottenham.

Moyes dropped him into midfield in the second half to try and get him on the ball but even that didn't work.

Rooney can't be expected to be at his best every week and United need to find another way of creating chances when his form dips.

Patrice Evra Is Not a Fan of Aaron Lennon

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Aaron Lennon has given Patrice Evra plenty of sleepless nights and New Year's Day was no different.

Evra completely lost the Tottenham winger in the first half and was thankful to David de Gea for making a good save to keep the score at 0-0.

Lennon got round Evra again after Adebayor's goal to lay a chance on a plate for Soldado and it was the same man who set up Tottenham's second for Christian Eriksen.

United Are Still Short in Central Midfield

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It's a well-worn theme when it comes to United but when you finish a game with Rooney and Shinji Kagawa in central midfield you've got a problem.

Moyes will point to the injuries he's suffered—to Michael Carrick, Phil Jones and Marouane Fellaini—but United are still short of a creative influence.

Tom Cleverley is busy and energetic but he doesn't create enough or get himself into enough positions to score goals.

He looked better when he was pushed further up the pitch in a five-man midfield against Norwich but he didn't effect the game enough in a two-man midfield against Tottenham.

Antonio Valencia Struggles Defensively at Right-Back

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Moving Antonio Valencia to right-back is a tactic Moyes uses a lot when United are chasing a game but it's cost him two goals against Everton and Tottenham.

Twice Valencia has switched off to let Bryan Oviedo and then Christian Eriksen score decisive goals for Everton and Tottenham when he's been pushed back into defence.

Valencia is a natural winger and it's meant to be an attacking change but it's no good doing it if United are then going to concede.

If Moyes wants to continue using Valencia as a makeshift right-back late in games then he would do well to remind him of his defensive responsibility as well as his brief to get forward.

United Aren't Consistent Enough to Finish in the Top Four

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United looked like they had turned a corner when they won four games on the bounce over Christmas but losing four home games before January 1 isn't the form of a team hoping to finish in the top four.

There are so many teams in the hunt for a Champions League place that United need to string a run of 10 wins together but they don't look capable of doing it at the moment.

Tottenham added their name to a list of teams that have won at Old Trafford that includes West Brom, Everton and Newcastle, and United have still got to play Liverpool and Manchester City at home in the second half of the season.