Manchester United fans who went to Old Trafford on Saturday hoping to enjoy Manchester City’s troubles left disappointed, as Tottenham Hotspur scored a 92nd-minute equaliser to earn a 1-1 draw. United had taken the lead through Bryan Mbeumo midway through the second half, but Spurs finished the game with 10 men after Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off for head-butting Luke Shaw.
Before kickoff, the home crowd had chanted at their neighbours over the scandal engulfing City. After Mbeumo’s goal, they aimed a jibe at Spurs with a chant of “You’re going down with the City.” By the final whistle from referee Stuart Attwell, though, the fans were more concerned with how their side had let the lead slip.
Carrick under pressure
United manager Michael Carrick was frank about the performance. “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.”
He pointed to improvement after the break. “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. Carrick did not blame his players, but he said he has every right to expect more. Dominic Solanke’s header was the third time already this season that 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 lapses
The equaliser exposed a fragile mentality and an inability to handle pressure when it matters most. Lisandro Martínez will not want to see the goal again, as he was caught dancing around Solanke when Sandro Tonali’s cross came in. Senne Lammens could also have done better.
Spurs now join City in scoring at Old Trafford this season after having a player sent off. United have 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 acknowledged the problem. “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 positive debut in a frustrating afternoon
Boos rang out around Old Trafford after just 20 minutes, as Spurs, who began the day bottom of the table, started brightly. United were out-played for large parts of the first half. The Premier League’s damning guilty verdict in City’s case had taken attention away from United during the international break, but the frustration soon returned.
The mood shifted when £70 million summer signing Carlos Baleba, who joined from Brighton & Hove Albion, came on for the first time just before the hour mark. His energy and intent lifted the side. His debut was a positive one, but it was overshadowed by United’s failure to hold on to a winnable game.
Fixtures ahead
United travel to Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, before heading to Leeds United next weekend. After that comes another tough European assignment at Como. Carrick insists his side’s biggest issue is that they have been on the wrong side of fine margins so far this season, and he needs that to change quickly if United are to head in the right direction.
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