Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw by Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Saturday, as Dominic Solanke headed an equaliser in the 92nd minute. Tottenham had been reduced to 10 men after Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off for head-butting Luke Shaw, and the result left Michael Carrick’s side frustrated after they had taken the lead through Bryan Mbeumo midway through the second half.
Before kickoff, the home supporters had targeted Manchester City, chanting about the club’s neighbours and the Premier League verdict against them. Once United took the lead, the chants turned on Spurs, with fans singing “You’re going down with the City.” By the final whistle, however, the talk among the departing fans was about how Tottenham had found a late equaliser.
A mixed performance
Carrick admitted that his side had struggled. “Massively disappointed with the result for sure,” he said afterwards. “A mixed performance, to be totally honest. I think it was tough. It was challenging for the first period, definitely.”
United did improve after the interval. “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,” Carrick said. “To then not see it through — we should find a way of seeing that through.”
The result means United have their worst start to a season after six games since 1986. Carrick has not been quick to blame his players, and he did not do so in his post-match news conference, but the pressure on him is growing.
Late goals costing points
Solanke’s header was the third time this season that United have conceded in stoppage time. Two of those goals, against Everton and Tottenham, have cost the club four points in total. Carrick acknowledged the pattern.
“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,” he 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 games, which points to a fragile mentality and an inability to cope with pressure when it matters most. Lisandro Martínez will be unhappy with his part in the goal, as he allowed Solanke to get across him when Sandro Tonali’s cross came in. Senne Lammens could also have done better.
Struggles against ten men
Tottenham’s equaliser means they have joined Manchester City as teams 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 dismissed, and in November, under Ruben Amorim, Everton won 1-0 at Old Trafford despite having Idrissa Gueye sent off for slapping his own team-mate.
“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.”
Baleba’s debut offers hope
Spurs, 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 energy began to change when Carlos Baleba, the £70 million summer signing from Brighton & Hove Albion, came on just before the hour mark. His debut was positive, but it was overshadowed by United’s failure to win a match they should have won.
United now face Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, before travelling to Leeds United next weekend. They then face another demanding European assignment against Como. Carrick insists that his biggest issue is that United have been on the wrong side of fine margins this season, and he needs that to change quickly.
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