Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur played to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Saturday, as Tottenham scored a 92nd-minute equalizer despite playing a man down. Bryan Mbeumo had given United the lead midway through the second half before Dominic Solanke headed in the late leveler.
The home fans had arrived hoping to enjoy themselves at Manchester City’s expense, chanting “You cheating bastards, you know what you are” before kickoff. After Mbeumo’s goal, they also taunted Spurs with “You’re going down with the City.” By the final whistle, though, referee Stuart Attwell had long since ended the match, and United supporters were focused on how their side had let the result slip away.
Tottenham had started the day bottom of the table and played with only 10 men after Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off for head-butting Luke Shaw. United had been largely nervous and disjointed for much of the game, and boos rang out at Old Trafford after only 20 minutes as Spurs began brightly.
Carrick Focuses on Closing Out Games
Carrick described the performance as mixed. “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.”
He pointed to improvement as the match went on. “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 in his post-match news conference, but the pressure on him is growing.
Late Goals Costly Once Again
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 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.”
Lisandro Martínez will not want to see the goal again. As Sandro Tonali’s cross floated toward Solanke, Martínez was seemingly 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 City in finding the net 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.
Carrick acknowledged the need for improvement. “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.”
Baleba Debut Offers Hope
The new £70 million signing from Brighton & Hove Albion, Carlos Baleba, made his first appearance just before the hour mark, and United’s energy and intent began to change. His cameo offered encouragement, though it was overshadowed by the team’s failure to hold a lead in a game it should have won.
The Premier League’s damning guilty verdict in City’s case had taken attention away from United during the international break, but the frustration quickly returned at Old Trafford.
Tough Stretch Ahead
United travel to Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, then head to Leeds United next weekend. After that, they face another demanding 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, and he needs that to change quickly.