Manchester United dropped two points at Old Trafford on Saturday, playing out a 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur after Dominic Solanke scored an equalizer in the 92nd minute. Spurs had been reduced to 10 men after Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off for head-butting Luke Shaw, and United had led since Bryan Mbeumo scored midway through the second half.
The home fans had arrived ready to mock their neighbors, Manchester City, whose case has been engulfed in scandal. Before kickoff, they chanted at City, and after Mbeumo’s goal they taunted Spurs with a chant of “You’re going down with the City.” By the final whistle from referee Stuart Attwell, though, most supporters were talking about how their own team had let the win slip away.
A Familiar Problem in Stoppage Time
United manager Michael Carrick admitted his side had been far from their best. “Massively disappointed with the result for sure,” Carrick said afterward. “A mixed performance, to be totally honest. I think it was tough. It was challenging for the first period, definitely.”
He saw signs of progress. “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. Solanke’s header was the third time already this season that United have conceded in stoppage time, and two of those late goals, against Everton and Spurs, have cost them four points in total.
“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 and a Fragile Mentality
Lisandro Martínez will not want to see the goal again. He was closest to Sandro Tonali‘s cross as it floated toward Solanke, and the Spurs striker was left free to score. Martínez could have headed the ball clear rather than dancing around the striker, and Senne Lammens could also have done better.
Solanke’s goal means Spurs have joined City in scoring 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 sent off, and in November, under Ruben Amorim, Everton won 1-0 at Old Trafford despite playing with Idrissa Gueye 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 recurring late collapses point to a fragile mentality and an inability to handle pressure when it matters most. Carrick has not thrown his players under the bus, and he did not do so again in his post-match news conference, but he has every right to expect more.
Carlos Baleba’s Debut Offers Hope
Boos rang out around Old Trafford after just 20 minutes, as Spurs, who started the day bottom of the table, began brightly. United were outplayed for large parts of the first half, and the frustration returned quickly after City’s damning guilty verdict in the Premier League had briefly drawn attention away from United during the international break.
The mood began to shift when the £70 million summer signing from Brighton & Hove Albion, Carlos Baleba, came on for his first appearance just before the hour mark. United’s energy and intent improved noticeably. His cameo offered real hope for the weeks and months ahead, but that story was overshadowed by United’s failure to get over the line in a game they should have won.
Next Up
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 United’s biggest issue is that they have been on the wrong side of fine margins so far this season. He needs that to change quickly if the club is going to start moving in the right direction.
