Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur drew 1-1 at Old Trafford on Saturday, with Tottenham scoring a 92nd-minute equaliser through Dominic Solanke despite having been reduced to 10 men. Bryan Mbeumo had given United the lead midway through the second half.
Before kickoff, United supporters had chanted at their Manchester City rivals, and during the game they taunted Spurs with a chant of “You’re going down with the City.” By the final whistle, however, referee Stuart Attwell had overseen a match that left the home fans frustrated rather than gloating. Tottenham, who had started the day bottom of the table, had lost Rodrigo Bentancur to a red card for head-butting Luke Shaw. They still found a way back into the game.
“Massively disappointed with the result for sure,” the United camp 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.”
The result leaves United with their worst start to a season after six games since 1986. Head coach Michael Carrick is under growing scrutiny, although he has not sought to blame his players publicly. He chose not to do so again in his post-match news conference, but he has made clear that he expects more.
Late goals costing points
Solanke’s header was the third time already this season that United have conceded in stoppage time. Two of those goals, against Everton and Spurs, have cost the club 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.”
The concern is that United cannot close out matches, which points to a fragile mentality and an inability to handle pressure when it matters most. Lisandro Martínez will be unhappy with his part in the goal. He was closest to Sandro Tonali’s cross as it floated towards Solanke, and he appeared to be dancing around the Spurs striker rather than heading the ball clear. Senne Lammens could also have done better.
Solanke’s goal means Spurs have joined Manchester City as the sides to score at Old Trafford this season after having a player sent off. United have now failed to win any of their past three matches against teams with 10 men. In March, they lost 2-1 at Newcastle United after Jacob Ramsey was sent off. In November, under Ruben Amorim, Everton won 1-0 at Old Trafford despite Idrissa Gueye being dismissed 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.”
The last time United had fewer than six points after six games, Ron Atkinson was sacked as manager. Carrick is not there yet, but the pressure is mounting.
A debut to build on
Spurs began brightly, and there were boos at Old Trafford after only 20 minutes as Carrick’s team were outplayed for large parts of the first half. The guilty verdict against Manchester City with the Premier League had briefly shifted attention away from United during the international break, but the frustration soon returned.
The mood began to change when Carlos Baleba, the £70 million summer signing from Brighton & Hove Albion, came on just before the hour mark. He made a positive debut, and his impact offered some hope for the weeks and months ahead. On another day, that would have been the main story. Instead, it was overshadowed by United’s failure to hold on to a lead in a match they should have won.
United travel to Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, then head to Leeds United next weekend. After that, they face another tough European assignment against Como.
Carrick insists his side’s biggest problem is that they have been on the wrong side of fine margins this season. He needs that to change quickly if United are to start moving in the right direction.