Tottenham Hotspur missed the chance to climb into the Champions League places for a couple of hours as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Manchester United at White Hart Lane.

It was the visitors who came closest to scoring when Juan Mata's free kick hit the post and Vlad Chiriches cleared the rebound off the line.

Phil Jones also had a goal correctly disallowed for offside in a match that saw both sides create chances, but fail to take any of them.

Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at an absorbing clash between two of the league's in-form teams in London.

Match statistics

TOTTENHAM
Shots: 9
On target: 4
Possession: 49%
Corners: 3
Fouls: 11

MAN UTD
Shots: 9
On target: 5
Possession: 51%
Corners: 6
Fouls: 19

Was the result fair?

The statistics suggest that this match was a very even encounter, and that was certainly the case in the second half, but United will feel that they created enough chances to have won this game. Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Radamel Falcao all missed clear openings in the first half, while Mata also blazed over from a great position after the break.

United were on top in the first half and would have been wondering quite how they were not leading at the break, but Spurs grew into the game in the second half and actually finished the match the better team. Ultimately both sides will be content with a point as Tottenham could have easily lost the game on another day, while United looked in danger of letting it slip in the closing stages.

In terms of chances created, there is little doubt that United should have won this game, but they only have themselves to blame for not doing so. At the same time, a draw does not flatter Spurs so, while the hosts needed to ride their luck at times, a point apiece is a fair enough result.

Tottenham's performance

After four wins on the trot, Spurs should have been full of confidence going into this match, even if they have not been producing great performances. However, they really struggled to get into the first half and were second best for much of it, only avoiding falling behind due to clearances off the line, good goalkeeping and the woodwork.

The game became a little more physical after the restart, however, and that suited Spurs. They were a match for United in the second half, and the visitors only really created one or two clear chances during that period compared to five or six in the opening 45 minutes. The hosts struggled to create much themselves, though, with Ryan Mason's late effort their only clear opening of the game.

Once again, though, they finished strongly and looked most likely to get a winner in the final 10 minutes. They were unable to find that, but a draw against United is a decent result for Spurs, who are now unbeaten in five matches and just one point adrift of the top four. They will, however, be slightly aggrieved at missing the chance to move into the Champions League places.

Man Utd's performance

Despite Spurs battling back in the second half, Louis van Gaal may be wondering just how his side did not win this game. They had the chances to be out of sight at half time but, despite such an array of attacking talent, they simply were not clinical enough in front of goal. Van Persie, Falcao and Mata all missed chances that you would expect them to take, and ultimately that cost United this afternoon.

The end product was more or less the only thing missing for United in the first half as they controlled the match and prevented Spurs from really troubling David de Gea. They passed the ball about nicely and Mata in particular was enjoying an influential role pulling the strings in midfield.

However, they could not maintain that dominance in the second half, with Spurs working their way back into the game. The visitors still had their moments, but ultimately would have been happy when the final whistle came having been on the back foot for the final 10 minutes. They are now nine matches unbeaten, but could end the day 12 points behind the leaders, which would surely end any title aspirations.

Sports Mole's man of the match

Hugo Lloris: Mata deserves a mention for his performance in midfield for United, but Hugo Lloris was the main difference between the two sides today. The keeper denied Van Persie when the United striker looked certain to score and also made a string of other important stops in the first half, including a magnificent save to claw an Ashley Young effort behind.

Biggest gaffe

There were precious few gaffes to choose from today, so there is little choice but to pick on Young for committing a foul throw, a rarity in the professional game. The winger let the ball slip out of his hands and stared incredulously at the referee when he awarded the ball to Spurs as a result.

Referee performance

Jonathan Moss himself did not have the best game. He missed a penalty shout for Spurs in the second half and made a number of questionable decisions throughout. Credit must go to his linesman for disallowing Jones's goal, however, as it was not easy for him to spot the offside in a crowded penalty area.

What next?

Tottenham: Things do not get any easier for Spurs. They begin 2015 with a home match against London rivals Chelsea on New Year's Day.

Man Utd: United, meanwhile, travel to the Britannia Stadium to face Stoke City on Thursday.