Manchester United drew 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Saturday after Dominic Solanke scored a 92nd-minute equalizer, even though Spurs had been down to 10 men since Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off for head-butting Luke Shaw. Bryan Mbeumo had given United the lead midway through the second half.
The United fans who arrived hoping to enjoy themselves at Manchester City’s expense left disappointed. City are embroiled in a scandal, and the home supporters had sung “You cheating bastards, you know what you are” before kickoff. When Mbeumo put United ahead, they added a dig at Spurs with a chant of “You’re going down with the City.” That mood did not last. By the time referee Stuart Attwell blew the final whistle, the home crowd was focused on how Tottenham had salvaged a point.
A Mixed Performance and a Familiar Problem
“Massively disappointed with the result for sure,” he said afterward. “A mixed performance, to be totally honest. I think it was tough. It was challenging for the first period, definitely.”
He added: “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.”
The result leaves United with their worst start to a season after six games since 1986. Manager Michael Carrick does not blame his players publicly, and he did not do so in his post-match news conference, but he expects more. Solanke’s header was the third time this season United have conceded in stoppage time. Two of those late goals, against Everton and Spurs, 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 Under the Microscope
The equalizer came from Sandro Tonali’s cross, which was floated toward Solanke. Lisandro Martínez will not want to see the goal again, as he appeared to dance around the Spurs striker rather than head the ball clear. Senne Lammens could also have done better.
Solanke’s goal means Spurs have joined City as teams to find the net at Old Trafford this season after having a player sent off. 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 United 1-0 at Old Trafford despite playing with 10 men after Idrissa Gueye was sent off for slapping his own teammate.
“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,” Carrick 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.”
Pressure Builds on Carrick
Boos rang out at Old Trafford after just 20 minutes, as Spurs, who had started the day bottom of the table, began brightly. United were outplayed for large parts of the first half. The damning guilty verdict against City in the Premier League had taken the focus off United during the international break, but the frustration returned quickly.
The mood began to change when £70 million summer signing Carlos Baleba, who joined from Brighton & Hove Albion, came on just before the hour mark. His first appearance for United brought more energy and intent, and it was a positive debut. It was overshadowed, however, by United’s failure to close out a game they should have won.
United travel to Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, then face Leeds United next weekend. After that, they have another tough European assignment at Como. Carrick insists his biggest issue is that United have been on the wrong side of fine margins so far this season. He needs that to change quickly if his side is going to head in the right direction.