Manchester United fans who went to Old Trafford on Saturday hoping to enjoy their neighbours’ troubles left disappointed. Their own problems were too pressing. United took the lead through Bryan Mbeumo midway through the second half, but Dominic Solanke scored a 92nd-minute equaliser to give Tottenham Hotspur a 1-1 draw, even though Spurs had been down to 10 men since Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off for head-butting Luke Shaw.
Before kickoff, the home crowd had chanted “You cheating bastards, you know what you are” at Manchester City. Once United went ahead, they turned on Spurs with “You’re going down with the City.” By the final whistle from referee Stuart Attwell, though, the scandal engulfing City had faded from the minds of United supporters. Instead, they were left asking how Tottenham had found a late goal.
The result was a sore one. “Massively disappointed with the result for sure,” one United figure said afterwards. “A mixed performance, to be totally honest. I think it was tough. It was challenging for the first period, definitely. There was a big improvement through the second half as it progressed and we put ourselves in such a good position towards the end of the game. To then not see it through — we should find a way of seeing that through.”
Carrick under pressure
The spotlight will fall on head coach Michael Carrick. The draw leaves United with their worst start to a season after six games since 1986. Carrick has not blamed his players publicly, and he did not do so again in his post-match news conference, but he has every right to expect more.
This was the third time already this season that United have conceded in stoppage time. Two of those late goals, against Everton and Tottenham, have cost them four points.
“It’s a couple of times now when — different ways, obviously — that’s two late, late goals against us to throw away two wins really,” Carrick said. “That changes a lot of things, you know. It changes a lot of feelings for ourselves and it changes points and what [the table] looks like. We need to do better with seeing out games, that’s for sure, once we get ourselves in a good position.”
Defensive errors cost points
Lisandro Martínez will not want to see the goal again. He appeared to dance around Solanke when Sandro Tonali‘s cross came in, rather than heading the ball clear. Senne Lammens could also have done better.
Tottenham became the second side this season to score at Old Trafford after having a player sent off, following City. United have now failed to win any of their past three games against teams with 10 men. In March, they lost 2-1 at Newcastle United after Jacob Ramsey was dismissed. In November, under Ruben Amorim, Everton beat them 1-0 at Old Trafford despite having Idrissa Gueye sent off for slapping his own teammate.
Carrick said the issue went beyond numbers. “It’s definitely something where — 10 men or not 10 men — if we’re ahead in the game, we’ve got to see games out,” he said. “Whether that’s taking the ball, whether that’s controlling the game a little bit more, looking after the ball better in their half and around their box and pinning them in a little bit, or whether that’s defending moments better. Certainly, we need to improve that.”
A promising debut in a frustrating game
Tottenham, who began the day bottom of the table, started brightly, and boos rang out at Old Trafford after only 20 minutes. United were outplayed for large parts of the first half. The frustration built as the focus shifted back to the pitch after the international break.
The change came just before the hour mark, when Carlos Baleba, a £70 million summer signing from Brighton & Hove Albion, made his first appearance. His energy and intent lifted the side. Under other circumstances, his cameo would have been the main story, as it offered hope for the weeks and months ahead. Instead, it was overshadowed by United’s failure to hold on to a lead in a game they should have won.
What comes next
United travel to Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, then face Leeds United next weekend. After that comes another tough European test at Como.
Carrick insists United’s main problem is that they keep falling on the wrong side of fine margins. He needs that to change quickly if the club is to start moving in the right direction.