Ruben Amorim's resurgent Manchester United's good form almost ended as they blew a 1-0 lead at Tottenham but recovered from a late Spurs comeback to draw 2-2.
A nightmare injury was pivotal in them failing not to collect all three points, but they managed to leave with one, after Harry Maguire went off with a suspected hamstring problem in the second half and the Red Devils lost all defensive stability in the England star's absence.
Spurs and United went into the game on 17 points each in the table, knowing that a victory would move either one of them up to second place, just five points behind leaders Arsenal, ahead of the Gunners' teatime trip to Sunderland. The game ended with United in seventh and the home side in third, due to goal difference.
Bryan Mbeumo opened the scoring for United in the first half and they controlled much of the game. But Mathys Tel equalised for Spurs following Maguire's withdrawal and then Richarlison scored what looked like an injury time winner. Yet United were not done there.
In the 95th minute goalkeeper Senne Lammens came up for a United corner and defender Matthijs de Ligt, unmarked at the back post, headed into the net to make it 2-2, sparking rapturous celebrations in the away end and silencing the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
United had started brightly, with Bruno Fernandes pulling the strings and one ball finding Mbeumo, who squared it past the on-rushing Guglielmo Vicario, but there was no team-mate available to capitalise. Richarlison missed the host's best chance of the first half, with a poor header after good work from Brennan Johnson.
But in the 32nd minute, United made them pay for a defensive calamity, as October's Premier League Player of the Month, Mbeumo, struck again. Spurs repeatedly failed to clear their lines, before a stunning ball from Amad Diallo found the Cameroon star, who converted with a precise header.
Premier League pundit and Spurs striking legend Jermaine Defoe observed: "You have to stop the cross if you are Spurs. Man Utd keep it alive well, it's poor marking but it's such a controlled header."
Mbeumo, who has scored five goals against Spurs in the Premier League, his joint-most against an opponent in the competition, continued to shine in the second half, but it was a United team-mate who then stood up to be counted when his side needed him most.
In the 55th minute, Tottenham winger Wilson Odobert whipped in a ball towards the six-yard box, where defender Cristian Romero having surged forward found himself facing away from goal, and backheeled towards the net. United's summer signing Lammens reacted brilliantly to save it with one leg.
And he was called into action again soon afterwards, saving well from Joao Palhinha, as he again showed why Amorim was so keep to replace Andre Onana with the young Belgian.
Former Brighton striker Glenn Murray, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, said: "Lammens' positioning was really good on both chances. They were quite close to him, relatively easy saves but very good positioning."
Johnson thought he had equalised just after the hour mark, but he was a long way offside when he collected a pass from Richarlison and slotted past Lammens into the bottom corner.
Maguire was replaced by Leny Yoro in the 73rd minute and with him went United's defensive stability. Just over 10 minutes later, Spurs were level, thanks to a lovely turn and finish from Tel.
Destiny Udogie played a low ball to him just near the penalty spot, and he took a good first touch and then fired high into the net.
And things went from bad to worse for the visitors when Benjamin Sesko also hurt himself late on and had to be withdrawn, meaning United were forced to finish the match with 10 men.
In the 91st minute, a Spurs corner fell to Wilson Odobert outside the box, and his shot was flicked on by Richarlison past Lammens, who on this occasion could do very little.
Murray commented: "It had to be instinct from Richarlison, he is low on confidence and his little flick has landed in the corner. All of a sudden, the stadium absolutely erupts.
"Sesko had limped off for Manchetser United and he had left them to 10 men after already making five substitutions. If I were Ruben Amorim, I would have left him on to stand out there and be a body."
But the drama was not done there, as De Ligt got up highest to head in from four yards as the clock approached 96 minutes.
And having only had 10 men at the time, huge credit has to be given to United for showing the strength of character to salvage a point from the game.