Andre Villas-Boas believes Tottenham did enough to take all three points as Manchester United twice came from behind to earn a draw at White Hart Lane.

The Portuguese head coach demanded a response from last week’s 6-0 thrashing away at Manchester City, and his players provided it with a good performance, marred only by two lapses in concentration.

Kyle Walker put Tottenham 1-0 up with a drilled free-kick but it was the defender’s failure to deal with a Phil Jones cross that gifted Rooney a tap-in to level before half time.

Sandro’s superb curled strike gave his side the lead once more but, minutes later, Danny Welbeck won a penalty when he went down under a challenge from Hugo Lloris, allowing Rooney to again level the scores from the spot.

Speaking after the game, Villas-Boas said: “I think we deserved a bit more, we had a very good first and second half, and some great chances to go 2-0 up in the first half.

“We were unlucky to suffer the goals in the fashion we did, with Walker’s unlucky touch on the first one and a penalty decision which is, not difficult to accept, but it could have been another call.

“I think we did enough to win and we had a good response from a heavy defeat at Man City. Perfect would have been to win the game but I think it was a good response from a group of players that want to do well.

“It keeps us in touch with the group at the top and gives us the motivation to go forward.”

Villas-Boas said his team felt hard done by with referee Mike Dean’s decision to award the second half penalty, for which Welbeck appeared to trail a leg to make contact with the goalkeeper.

He said: “It’s difficult because Hugo doesn’t raise his hands. We’ve seen a couple of players have stood their leg out to collide with bodies so it is difficult, it is a decision we have to accept.

“I think the ref was not in a good position to decide the penalty – he sees it from too far off. It was a difficult call for the ref but an unfair decision.”