Attempt 21: Tottenham Hotspur beat Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Premier League.

Yes, it really has happened. Across the country Spurs fans will be nursing sore forearms as they repeatedly pinch themselves to check it’s not another repeat of that familiar dream.

Goals from Jan Vertonghen, Gareth Bale and Clint Dempsey have entered North London folklore, and will go a long way to restoring football’s belief that Andre Villa-Boas is worthy to manage in the Premier League.

Oddly enough the luck that had often deserted Tottenham at Old Trafford – just ask Pedro Mendes and Heurelho Gomes – flowed in abundance as United twice struck the woodwork and had two penalty shouts waved away by Chris Foy.

The away side started brightly and took the lead inside two minutes when Vertonghen’s strike hit Jonny Evans and flew into the net. Summer signing Moussa Dembele, having come so close to winning at Old Trafford with Fulham earlier in the season, was a colossus in midfield linking up play and winning back possession.

And it was the Belgian who assisted Tottenham’s second, releasing Bale who tore past a pedestrian Rio Ferdinand and passed the ball into the bottom corner. The goal finally spurred United into life and they were denied a penalty when Vertonghen appeared to haul Nani to the floor but an unsighted Foy ignored the Portuguese’s protests.

Spurs were dropping deeper by the minute, but they almost grabbed a third goal on the stroke of half-time when Bale’s whipped costless kick found Vertonghen. Perhaps fortunately for Spurs the ball flew harmlessly over the bar – they needed little reminder of what happened the last time they led 3-0 against United at the break.

Wayne Rooney, back from injury, was the substitute Sir Alex Ferguson charged with the responsibility to start the comeback United fans were so used to. And the second half began with an incredible passage of football as the pendulum of momentum shifted from red to white, and then back to red again.

First Nani turned in Rooney’s cross from close range, then Dempsey tapped in after Bale’s initial shot was saved by Anders Lindegaard, before Shinji Kagawa capped a mad 139 seconds when his shot beat Brad Friedel to make it 3-2.

Old Trafford was rocking and, with Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick bossing the midfield, the comeback was surely inevitable. Tottenham teams of old would have crumbled but Andre Villa-Boas’ men somehow held firm, albeit thanks to a heavy helping of good fortune.

The Spurs back four (or back ten as it was by the end of the match) should seriously consider having a whip around to provide the Old Trafford goalposts with a nice new lick of paint after they were twice saved by the woodwork. First Rooney’s costless kick cannoned off the post with Friedel beaten and then Carrick’s looping header evaded everyone and hit the crossbar before bouncing clear.

United had another penalty appeal turned down when the ball unintentionally struck Sandro’s arm but Chris Foy showed immense bottle to ignore the cries of the partisan Old Trafford crowd. They almost grabbed a deserved equaliser when Kyle Walker inexplicably pushed up to allow van Persie to run through but the Dutchman’s finish was surprisingly wayward. A late tame header from Patrice Evra was then saved by Friedel as a resolute Spurs side held on to claim a historic win.

The victory catapults Tottenham back into the Champions League equation whilst defeat for United leaves them four points adrift of Chelsea at the Premier League’s summit.