Tottenham Hotspur snatched a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Saturday, with Dominic Solanke heading in a 92nd-minute equalizer despite playing a man down. Bryan Mbeumo had given Manchester United the lead midway through the second half, but Spurs struck back after Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off for head-butting Luke Shaw.
Manchester United fans arrived at Old Trafford hoping to mock their city rivals, who are reeling from a damning guilty verdict in their case with the Premier League. Their own problems soon dominated the afternoon. The home supporters sang “You cheating bastards, you know what you are” before kickoff and later taunted Spurs with “You’re going down with the City” after Mbeumo’s goal. By the final whistle, however, the crowd had moved on from City’s scandal and focused on how United had let a win slip away.
United had struggled throughout, and Spurs, who started the day bottom of the table, began the match brightly. Boos rang out around Old Trafford after just 20 minutes as Carrick’s side were outplayed for long periods of the first half. The mood shifted only when Carlos Baleba, the £70 million summer signing from Brighton & Hove Albion, came on just before the hour mark. His introduction brought more energy and intent to the team, and his debut was positive, though United’s failure to close out the game overshadowed it.
Late Goals Expose Fragile Mentality
Carrick admitted the performance was mixed. “Massively disappointed with the result for sure,” he said. “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.”
The result leaves United with their worst start after six games since 1986. 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. 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.”
The recurring problem points to a fragile mentality and an inability to handle pressure when it matters most. Defender Lisandro Martínez will not want to watch the goal again. He let Sandro Tonali’s cross float toward Solanke, and he appeared to dance around the Spurs striker rather than head the ball clear. Senne Lammens could also have done better.
Struggles Against Ten Men
Solanke’s goal means Spurs have now joined City in finding the net 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 sent off. In November, under Ruben Amorim, Everton beat them 1-0 at Old Trafford despite losing Idrissa Gueye to a dismissal 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 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 building. United travel to Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, then face 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 heading in the right direction.