‏Scandalous. That's how David Moyes described the challenge by Hugo Lloris on Ashley Young in the dying embers of Manchester United's 2-1 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

‏United started the game with purpose but fell behind in the 32nd minutes when Emmanuel Adebayor rose above Chris Smalling to head home a Christian Eriksen cross from the right.

‏Eriksen doubled his side's lead in the 66th minute, heading home an Aaron Lennon cross from inside the six-yard box.

‏Danny Welbeck then gave his side a glimmer of hope a minute later, coolly lifting the ball over Lloris following a good pass from Adnan Januzaj.

‏But despite a late onslaught United failed to find to find the back of the Spurs net as Tim Sherwood's side held on for an impressive victory.

‏Defeat ended ended a run of six wins in the league and cup for the Red Devils - their best since a six-match streak between August and September 2012 which ended with a 3-2 loss at home to the Lilywhites.

It also marked the first time United have lost on New Year's Day since 1989.

‏But it was the challenge late on by Lloris on Young inside the penalty area that went unpunished by referee Howard Webb which left Moyes infuriated.

‏He said: "It was scandalous. It's a scandal. If you follow through on a player anywhere else on the pitch with your foot high then it would be a sending off and a red card, you couldn't do that anywhere else.

‏"Goalkeeper comes out, Ashley Young get the ball before him and he follows through.

‏"It's an incredible decision which didn't go our way - in fact it's probably one of the worst I think I saw."

‏For Spurs it was their third victory in four games under Tim Sherwood, who is now unbeaten in the Premier League since taking over from Andre Villas-Boas in early December.

‏But with his side looking like they had shaken the off the shackles that had seemingly impeded them under their previous manager, Sherwood was quick to praise the work his predecessor did at the club.

‏He said: "No slant on what happened previously because I maintain that Andre did a good job at this club because the points suggest he did and the league suggests that.

‏"There are different ways to win a football match. I always like to let the players who can affect the opposition play in the opposition half.

‏"It's about letting them have their head and go and enjoy themselves. We've all played in the street and sometime you need to take it back to that - sometime football is too regimented."