Reds paid the penalty

Michael Carrick felt Manchester United deserved a better outcome at White Hart Lane after "putting bodies on the line" to resolutely defend a slender advantage.

The midfielder may have been granted his wish against his former club Tottenham had the officials taken a different view of Steven Caulker's challenge on Wayne Rooney when the Reds were still leading 1-0.

"It was as clear a penalty as you're going to get," Carrick told MUTV. "We're disappointed with that because it would have put us in a great position. Big decisions like that can change games and today it did."

Carrick's team-mate Rio Ferdinand concurred, "One hundred per cent, it was a penalty. I can't believe he didn't give it. The linesman didn't really help us on that side [of the pitch] at all during the second half. We're disappointed the referee didn't give what was a stonewall penalty."

Both United players were involved in a sterling rearguard action, with highlights including Ferdinand's potentially goal-saving tackle on Jermain Defoe and Carrick's jockeying to win a goal-kick against rapid right-winger Aaron Lennon.

"While Tottenham were coming at us, I thought we defended very well as a team," said Carrick. "People were putting their bodies on their line to block shots and we hoped we could see the game out.

"The game-plan worked well. We set up slightly differently today but we defended well as a team and looked really strong.