Inspired by Juan Sebastian Veron, they came out to produce one of football's most remarkable comebacks thanks to a five-star second-half performance that was as astonishingly good as the first half's had been astonishingly poor. Having conceded five goals in 50 minutes - including the two against Deportivo in midweek - their response was five scored in 45.
The gap in status, and achievement, of two of England's most venerable clubs has widened considerably over the past decade but it remains a fixture to quicken the pulse. For United, there was certainly extra edge to the game given their, by their standards, indifferent start to the season.
Ferguson's team selection reflected his desire to build some confidence after the midweek Champions League defeat in La Coru-a. Though Ryan Giggs was rested, it was ambitious - Andy Cole partnering Ruud van Nistelrooy in attack and Paul Scholes withdrawn to midfield - and close to full-strength, Nicky Butt the replacement for the suspended Roy Keane. The Tottenham manager, Glenn Hoddle, gave a debut to his £8 million signing from Southampton, Dean Richards at the centre of his back three.
'I'm sure Deano's going to be a major asset to our defence and to our set plays because he does come up with goals,' Hoddle wrote in his programme notes and it did not take long for the player to prove it. Spurs won a corner on the right and from Christian Ziege's kick, Richards nipped ahead of his marker to glance home a fizzing header at the near post.
It capped a promising start to the game with United moving the ball slickly through midfield with some neat one-touch passing. Tottenham, though, stuck to them and United were restricted to long shots.
Butt, Scholes and Veron were also having trouble coping with a tenacious Tottenham trio in midfield of Darren Anderton, Gus Poyet and Steffen Freund. It meant that Spurs, playing Hoddle's favoured 3-5-2 to Ferguson's trusted 4-4-2, often had a man free in a wide position. In addition they had Teddy Sheringham in a withdrawn role, the former United man testing Laurent Blanc with a series of astute balls forward.
On the right, Mauricio Taricco frequently found room and it was he who began the move that led to Tottenham doubling their lead. Little seemed on, though, when the ball found Anderton but his pass found Poyet, who had not been tracked , and when the Uruguayan clipped a neat ball into space, Les Ferdinand spun sharply off Blanc, slow to react and playing him onside, before driving home a fierce low shot.
United were stunned, by Tottenham's pressing and physical commitment, Butt a victim when he was forced from the field after being clattered in the ribs by Taricco. Ferguson's response was to throw on yet another forward in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but still United looked ragged of shape, still forced to shoot from distance, Neil Sullivan dealing capably with shots from David Beckham - United captain from the start for the first time - and Veron.
When Tottenham broke, United's midfield was often left trailing embarrassingly and Spurs revelled in the space. A third came in added first-half time. Taricco found Poyet on the right and after jinking inside Denis Irwin, he crossed for Ziege to head firmly past Fabien Barthez.
After the Ferguson roasting and re-organisation, United pulled a goal back within a minute of the restart. Beckham sent in Gary Neville for a right-wing cross that Cole dived to head in from the edge of the six-yard box. Now there was intent to United, and a better balance, Solskjaer and Mikael Silvestre shoring up the left, enabling Veron to move more profitably infield.
It wasn't long before Beckham sent in a corner that Blanc planted home with a firm header. Spurs were reeling, scarcely able to get the ball out of their own half as United passed it slickly through and around them.
The equaliser came when Solskjaer found Silvestre on the left and the hitherto subdued Van Nistelrooy rose to head down past Sullivan. From there, the win was claimed when Veron drove low into Sullivan's left corner from 18 yards before Beckham drilled a half-volley into the other. The game may be about deeds, and United's yesterday were as stirring as they come, but it is amazing what a few choice words can do as well.
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