Manchester United fans arrived at Old Trafford on Saturday hoping to mock Manchester City, but they left frustrated by their own team. Tottenham Hotspur, who started the day bottom of the table, earned a 1-1 draw after Dominic Solanke scored a 92nd-minute equalizer, even though they were down to 10 men.
The home crowd had sung loudly before kickoff about City’s scandal, and when Bryan Mbeumo gave United the lead midway through the second half, they added a jab at Spurs with a chant of “You’re going down with the City.” That mood evaporated as referee Stuart Attwell blew the final whistle. Supporters streamed out of the stadium talking about how Tottenham had found a equalizer after losing Rodrigo Bentancur to a red card for head-butting Luke Shaw.
“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 added: “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.”
A Costly Pattern of Late Goals
The result leaves United with their worst start after six games since 1986, and the spotlight will fall on head coach Michael Carrick. Carrick has not blamed his players publicly, and he did not do so again in his post-match news conference, but he has every right to expect more from his side.
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 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 concern goes beyond one result. The pattern points to a fragile mentality and an inability to handle pressure when it matters most.
Defensive Errors Under the Microscope
Lisandro Martínez will not want to watch the goal again. He had space to deal with Sandro Tonali‘s cross, but he chose not to challenge for the ball, and Solanke made him pay. Perhaps Martínez should have headed the ball clear instead of dancing around the Tottenham striker. Senne Lammens could also have done better.
Solanke’s goal means Tottenham joined City as the only sides 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 teams with 10 men. They lost 2-1 at Newcastle United in March after Jacob Ramsey was dismissed, and in November, under Ruben Amorim, they lost 1-0 to Everton, who had Idrissa Gueye sent off 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.”
Baleba’s Debut Offers Hope
Tottenham were the brighter side for much of the first half, and boos rang out around Old Trafford after just 20 minutes as Carrick’s side struggled. The guilty verdict against City in the Premier League case had briefly drawn attention away from United during the international break, but the frustration returned quickly.
The mood began to shift when Carlos Baleba, the £70 million summer signing from Brighton & Hove Albion, came on just before the hour mark. His energy and intent lifted the home side. On another day, his cameo would have been the main talking point, as it offered much-needed hope for the weeks and months ahead. Instead, his positive debut was overshadowed by United’s failure to close out a game they should have won.
A Difficult Run Ahead
United travel to Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, then head to Leeds United next weekend. After that comes another demanding European assignment at Como.
Carrick insists that his biggest issue is that United keep losing out on fine margins this season. The Old Trafford faithful and the club’s owners will expect that to change quickly if United are going to start moving in the right direction.