Manchester United were only winning 1-0 when the away end felt emboldened enough to start serenading Harry Kane. At half-time, it looked like the gloating was all worthwhile, but in the end the pleas from the away end went from a bit of fun to a sense of desperation.
As Spurs' record goalscorer toiled without reward in the opening 45 minutes, he would have been casting an envious glance towards the other end of the pitch and the freedom Marcus Rashford was enjoying.
Rashford was back at centre-forward and slammed in his 29th goal of the season late in the first half. It was his third chance of the game and Kane must have been watching and wondering how many he would score in red.
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He didn't add to his tally in white during Tottenham's second-half comeback, but he did create both of Tottenham's goals and he was at the heart of their spirited fightback. It shouldn't really change his future, but United should have left Kane and Spurs with no doubts as to the direction of these two teams.
"Harry Kane, we'll see you in June," came the chant from the away end in the first half, and they weren't talking about sorting him out with a spare ticket for a cup final that will be in demand, despite train strikes making travel to Wembley difficult.
Kane might need to channel his inner Mick Lynch to force the exit door open at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It might take strike action for him to become United's striker. But you feel it would be worth it, despite this stalemate between two teams still separated by just six points in the table.
While United's support serenaded the one signing they want above all others, it was mutinous amongst the home fans. It felt like the entire ground was singing "Daniel Levy, get out of our club" at one point. Selling the club's record goalscorer and the crown jewel is no way to win back those fans, but then there is probably some sympathy for Kane now. He deserves better than this. He can't keep carrying this team on his shoulders.
There is an obvious vacancy at centre-forward for United. Rashford was excellent in the first half. His hold-up play was much improved, he linked well with the midfield and he finished brilliantly, breezing past Eric Dier and scoring with his left foot. But he also missed chances he should have scored, notably at the back post from a Christian Eriksen cross. You'd have fancied Kane to bury it.
Rashford probably remains better on the left, but when he moved there after an hour it meant Anthony Martial came on through the middle. United never looked as dangerous again. The Frenchman just couldn't get up to speed with the game.
You imagine this team with Kane leading the line and Rashford on the left and suddenly it looks like an even more dangerous attack. That team wouldn't have left Tottenham with a pulse on Thursday night.
But the draw shouldn't alter things. Ryan Mason was the third different Tottenham manager to pen programme notes in the space of four home games and it summed up the shambolic unravelling of their season succinctly. For all the spirit they showed, they remain a mess.
It is less than two years since this club decided Erik ten Hag lacked the charisma to be their manager while holding reservations about his command of English. Nobody at United has any doubts about those skills.
His directness is considered a positive at Old Trafford. He tells players and staff members how it is, it's the truth, whether they like it or not. You can be sure he told his players the unvarnished truth about their second-half display in north London.
Mason's stock will rise for this comeback, but Tottenham are still in the market for another permanent manager. Maybe it will be Julian Nagelsmann. Maybe it will be Luis Enrique. But Kane will be 30 in July and he hasn't got time for maybes any longer. One intoxicating 45 minutes shouldn't change that.
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