Two late goals in the space of 78 seconds at White Hart Lane yesterday enabled Manchester United to lay the ghost of Eric Cantona that was threatening to stroll over Teddy Sheringham's grave.

Sheringham's missed penalty drew the loudest cheer of the afternoon from his recent admirers, but for Spurs supporters this proved to be a bad case of premature jollification.

A smart piece of opportunism by Nicky Butt closely followed by a hapless own goal from Ramon Vega, Tottenham's Swiss centre-back, saw the Premier League champions open their defence of the title with a sound if unspectacular win.

White Hart Lane was left to ponder again the implications of the Tottenham chairman, Alan Sugar's, widely-reported hint that another season of non-achievement would not be tolerated now that Gerry Francis, the Spurs manager, has spent around £10 million strengthening the squad.

Losing to Manchester United was neither a disgrace nor cause for undue alarm. After all, Tottenham had only beaten United once in 14 previous league encounters. But the lack of immediate impact of both Francis's big summer signings from Newcastle, Les Ferdinand and David Ginola, posed questions about whether his visits to the transfer market should end there.

The better the scoring potential up front the better the service from mid-field needs to be. Arsenal are already aware of this and yesterday Tottenham's mid-field failed to find the imagination and accuracy of pass to bring out the best in Ferdinand's strongest merits - speed, athleticism and the capacity to catch defences square.

Ginola was a more predictable disappointment. A change of shirt was never likely to bring a change of playing habits. Denis Irwin and those in support simply waited for the Frenchman to bring the ball inside on to his stronger right foot, leaving him facing a queue of defenders. After half-time Ginola was more inclined to move to the middle but by then Manchester United were controlling the game between the penalty areas.

Until he gave way to Andy Sinton in the 73rd minute the 19-year-old Steve Clemence, son of Ray Clemence, the former Liverpool, Spurs and England goalkeeper and a product of the Football Association's soon-to-be-closed school at Lilleshall, was Spurs' likeliest new face. Otherwise Sol Campbell, superb in defence throughout, was their outstanding player.

The timing of Campbell's interceptions, whether in cutting out centres or making tackles, his sense of positioning and all-round speed would have confirmed the watching Glenn Hoddle's impression of the player as England's coming answer to Marcel Desailly. Francis still needs similar excellence elsewhere if Tottenham are going to make a serious impact in any competition this season.

Sheringham was always going to be saddled with comparisons to Cantona, regardless of the fact that he is a different type of player both in temperament and style. Certainly the former enabled him to deal calmly with the boos and jeers of Spurs fans who for six years had worshipped the ground he trod.

Until the heat slowed the ability of both teams to crowd each other out in midfield even Sheringham's perception failed to create space amid the perspiring throng.

Ryan Giggs occasionally made ground on the left but Campbell and Vega were no more likely to allow anything through the middle than Gary Pallister and Ronny Johnsen at the other end.

The first half was a confusion of tumbling bodies and vain attempts to thread the ball through the eyes of countless needles. Such chances as there were amounted to little more than snatched shots and thinly-glanced headers, with neither goalkeeper seriously disturbed.

After half-time, however, Manchester United's passing and movement started to assert itself in the old manner. Giggs and Sheringham were finding more space in the approaches to goal and either might have scored before the game was an hour old. In fact both wafted shots over the bar, Sheringham to inevitable chants from the home crowd of "what a waste of money."

Then in the 61st minute Sheringham prepared to have the last laugh. Justin Edinburgh, having legally won a ball from Jordi Cruyff, then scooped it away with a hand. Ian Walker, dancing on his goal-line in the now-permitted manner, skipped the wrong way, but only for Sheringham's penalty to rebound from the foot of the left-hand post.

"You pick people to take penalties who'll show the right character if they miss," said Ferguson later. Sure enough, in the 82nd minute Sheringham's was the deflected through ball which found Butt slipping through to beat Walker.

Then David Beckham aimed a centre towards Giggs which dropped over the Welshman's head. Vega's attempted interception merely guided the ball into his own net. Thus did United, and Sheringham, enjoy their day - eventually that is.

Tottenham Hotspur: Walker, Edinburgh, Howells, Nielsen, Ferdinand, Carr, Ginola, Vega, Iversen, Campbell, Clemence (Sinton 75). Subs Not Used: Calderwood, Scales, Fenn, Baardsen. Booked: Vega, Edinburgh.

Manchester United: Schmeichel, Irwin, Johnsen, Pallister, Butt, Sheringham, Giggs, P. Neville, Cruyff, Keane, Scholes (Beckham 66). Subs Not Used: G. Neville, McClair, Poborsky, Van Der Gouw. Booked: Scholes, Cruyff. Goals: Butt 82, Vega 83 og.

Referee: G Poll (Tring).