Ryan Giggs scored United's headed winner after Paul Robinson had spilled Cristiano Ronaldo's long-range free-kick.
Jermain Defoe and Mido missed simple chances in front of goal. Neil Custis, The Sun
Manchester United rode their luck at times against Tottenham yet passed their first real test of the season.
Most eyes had been on Michael Carrick, who was making his home debut against his former club, but the England midfield player's modest contribution was overshadowed by that of Ryan Giggs.
Deployed as a deep-lying forward behind Louis Saha in the absence of Rooney, Giggs scored the decisive goal against Tottenham and produced a performance that married experience and maturity with vim and vigour.
While Giggs was the embodiment of resolve, this was a victory that owed more to luck than anything else.
United got their first slice of it when Paul Robinson was deceived by the flight of Ronaldo's 35-yard free kick and palmed the ball into the path of Giggs, who headed home.
Edwin van der Sar made a fine double save from Michael Dawson and Ledley King and United were fortunate, too, that Mido and Jermain Defoe squandered inviting headers from close range, although the home side had chances of their own, most notably Saha.
It might have been different had Tottenham been able to call on the injured Aaron Lennon. James Ducker, The Times
If winning games you could just as easily have lost is one of the hallmarks of champions, Manchester United have taken another step towards regaining the Premiership title.
The early leaders extended their perfect record with a less-than-perfect performance. File under 'good result'. It's something Chelsea became experts at.
An early Ryan Giggs goal was the only difference between the two teams in a game that never quite took off. Both teams had chances, but Spurs squandered theirs first. If Michael Dawson, Jermain Defoe and Mido had made more of headed openings, the game could have swung their way.
The early purpose of the home side's attacking play soon got lost in indulgent flicks and solo runs. The extravagant skills of Giggs, Cristiano Ronaldo and Louis Saha were too often displayed individually.
The link-up play of the suspended Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes was badly missed.
It was a big day for Michael Carrick, a home debut against the club who recently sold him. He contributed diligently with and without the ball, but was perhaps too keen to impress with a killer pass.
It was left to Gary Neville to set the tone that carried United through. Whether carrying the fight with bold overlapping runs or defending the lead with belligerent clearances, Neville led like a captain with fingers itchy for trophy lifting.
Martin Jol's way was to pack midfield and deploy Mido as a beanpole left-winger. Only when he freed them from their tactical shackles by reverting to 4-4-2 at the break, did the Spurs start to show him there may be life after Carrick. If the injured Aaron Lennon had been there to add some pace, it might have been a different outcome.
Giggs played left flank, centre midfield, up front on Saturday. He picked up a fat lip and a bloodied nose in order to look more like a centre-forward, but his alert header settled it after Paul Robinson failed to cope with Ronaldo's swerving free-kick. Man of the match: Gary Neville (Man Utd). Clive Tyledsley, The Daily Telegraph
Ryan Giggs took most of the accolades. Nobody could begrudge Giggs the praise but it would be an exaggeration to say he dominated the game. Tottenham, in fact, probably merited a draw considering the frequency with which they found space between Rio Ferdinand and Wes Brown in the second half. Michael Dawson, Mido and the perennial substitute Jermain Defoe were all guilty of taking their eye off the ball with unchallenged headers eight yards out and they were costly misses. Hossam Ghaly did well on his debut in injured Aaron Lennon's place.
The Spurs coach Martin Jol was entitled to be aggrieved, not just with his team's profligacy but also because the goal, nine minutes in, could have been avoided had his players formed a defensive wall to repel Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick. It was a perplexing decision, as was Paul Robinson's to parry the ball rather than punch it clear. Giggs followed up and cushioned in a header off the underside of the bar.
During those early stages United attacked with purpose and penetration but thereafter Tottenham produced a performance that will have pleased Celtic's spying representatives ahead of Wednesday's Champions League tie. United were certainly not without flaws whilst put under sustained pressure.
The more thoughtful United fans will have be perturbed by Louis Saha's skew-whiff shooting.
On this occasion Tottenham were so generous with their own finishing for it not to matter. The sun was shining, there was another record crowd and the fans had taken to the policy of Believe. Old Trafford, once again, felt like a cathedral with something to worship.
Man of the Match: Didier Zokora really caught the eye. Spurs' summer signing gave a performance of robust, astute midfield play with several telling interceptions.
Best Moment: Any one of the many occasions when he broke up United attacks and set Tottenham on their way with his quick passing. Daniel Taylor, The Guardian
Some sections of the Old Trafford crowd who not so long made Ryan Giggs a target for criticism were not carping.
Michael Carrick, making his first home start against his old club, was initially and inevitably the focus and, to give him his due, he did enough to suggest he could become United's best passer from central midfield since Pat Crerand, which is no trifling accolade. Rather than play the holding role, this time Carrick was further forward, proving, as his former manager Martin Jol said, "that he can fill a number of positions. He is very versatile."
United began as if about to rip Spurs apart and then lapsed into an untidy performance from which they were lucky to emerge with three points. Jol will have particularly regretted missed headers by Jermain Defoe and Mido. Man of the match: Jenas. Guy Hodgson, The Independent