Tottenham Hotspur snatched a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Saturday, with Dominic Solanke scoring a 92nd-minute equalizer after Spurs had been reduced to 10 men. Bryan Mbeumo had given Manchester United the lead midway through the second half.
The home fans had arrived hoping to mock Manchester City, whose neighbors are dealing with a damning guilty verdict in their case with the Premier League. Before kickoff, they sang loudly about 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, the mood had shifted. Fans streamed out preoccupied with how United had let the points slip away.
Spurs, who started the day bottom of the table, had lost Rodrigo Bentancur to a red card for head-butting Luke Shaw. Even so, they pressed well and United were out-played for large parts of the first half. Boos rang out at Old Trafford after just 20 minutes.
“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.”
Pressure builds on Carrick
The result leaves United with their worst start to a season after six games since 1986, and the spotlight falls squarely on head coach Michael Carrick. He has not blamed his players publicly, choosing again not to do so in his post-match news conference, but the expectations are high.
This was the third time already this season that United have conceded in stoppage time. 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,” said Carrick. “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 recurring problem points to a fragile mentality and an inability to handle pressure when it matters most. Lisandro Martínez will not want to replay the goal, which came after Sandro Tonali‘s cross floated toward Solanke. Martínez appeared to dance around the Spurs striker rather than head the ball clear, and Senne Lammens could also have done better.
Record of struggling against 10 men
Solanke’s goal means Tottenham join City as teams to find 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 sides 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,” said Carrick. “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 last time United had fewer than six points after six games, Ron Atkinson was sacked as manager. Carrick is not there yet, but the pressure is mounting.
Baleba offers a glimpse of hope
United’s energy and intent began to change only when Carlos Baleba, the £70 million summer signing from Brighton & Hove Albion, came on for the first time just before the hour mark. His cameo offered much-needed hope for the weeks and months ahead. It was a positive debut, but it was overshadowed by United’s failure to hold on in a game they should have won.
United travel to Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday before heading to Leeds United next weekend. After that, they face 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. He needs that to change quickly if they are going to start moving in the right direction.
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