Dominic Solanke scored in the 92nd minute to give Tottenham Hotspur a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, leaving Manchester United with their worst start to a season after six games since 1986. Tottenham had been down to 10 men after Rodrigo Bentancur’s red card for head-butting Luke Shaw, and United had taken the lead through Bryan Mbeumo midway through the second half.
The home fans arrived at Old Trafford on Saturday hoping to enjoy themselves at Manchester City’s expense, with chants of “You cheating bastards, you know what you are” ringing out before kickoff. City are dealing with a damning guilty verdict in their case with the Premier League. Once Mbeumo’s goal went in, United supporters aimed a dig at Spurs with “You’re going down with the City.” By the final whistle from referee Stuart Attwell, though, those chants had given way to frustration over how United had let the win slip.
Tottenham, who started the day bottom of the table, were the brighter side early on, and boos rang out around the stadium after only 20 minutes. United were out-played for large parts of the first half and struggled to create a cohesive performance.
Carrick Stresses the Need to Close Out Games
United manager Michael Carrick admitted the result was hard to accept. “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. 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.”
Carrick is not one to blame his players publicly, and he chose not to do so again in his post-match news conference. Still, the pressure on him is building. This was the third time already this season that United have conceded in stoppage time, and two of those late goals, against Everton and Tottenham, 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.”
Questions Over Mentality and Individual Errors
The repeated late collapses raise concerns about United’s mentality and their ability to handle pressure when it matters most. Lisandro Martínez will not want to see Solanke’s goal again. He was caught out as Sandro Tonali’s cross was floated toward the Tottenham striker, and he did not head the ball clear. Senne Lammens could also have done better.
Solanke’s goal means Tottenham joined City as the only 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 games 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 having 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.”
Baleba Offers Hope as United Look Ahead
United’s best moment of the afternoon came when Carlos Baleba, a £70 million summer signing from Brighton & Hove Albion, was introduced just before the hour mark. His arrival changed the energy and intent of the team. It was a positive debut, but it was overshadowed by United’s failure to hold on to a lead in a game they should have won.
United face a demanding run of fixtures. They travel to Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, then head to Leeds United next weekend. After that comes 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. The last time United had fewer than six points after six games, Ron Atkinson was sacked as manager. Carrick is not there yet, but he needs those margins to start falling his team’s way quickly.