Dominic Solanke’s stoppage-time header earned Tottenham Hotspur a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Saturday, cancelling out Bryan Mbeumo’s second-half lead and leaving Manchester United with another late setback. Spurs had been reduced to 10 men after Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off for head-butting Luke Shaw.
Before kick-off, the home supporters had been keen to enjoy themselves at Manchester City’s expense, chanting “You cheating bastards, you know what you are” as the scandal engulfing their neighbours dominated the wider football conversation. United had overcome a largely nervous, disjointed performance to take the lead midway through the second half through Mbeumo, and the fans then mocked Spurs with a chant of “You’re going down with the City.” By the final whistle, though, referee Stuart Attwell had sent the crowd home preoccupied with how Tottenham had found an equaliser in the 92nd minute.
Carrick admitted the result left him deeply frustrated. “Massively disappointed with the result for sure,” he said afterwards. “A mixed performance, to be totally honest. I think it was tough. It was challenging for the first period, definitely.”
He pointed to the second half as a clear improvement. “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 worrying pattern
The draw means United have their worst start to a season after six games since 1986, and the spotlight now falls firmly on Carrick. He has refused to blame his players publicly, and he did 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 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.”
That inability to close out games raises questions about the team’s mentality and its capacity to cope with pressure when it matters most. Lisandro Martínez will not want to watch the goal again. He allowed Sandro Tonali’s cross to be floated towards Solanke, and he appeared to be dancing around the Spurs striker rather than heading the ball clear. Senne Lammens could also have done better.
Struggling against ten men
Solanke’s goal means Tottenham join Manchester City in scoring 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, and 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.”
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
Boos rang out at Old Trafford after just 20 minutes, as Tottenham, who had started the day bottom of the table, began brightly and United were outplayed for large parts of the first half. The damning guilty verdict in City’s case with the Premier League had taken the focus off United during the international break, but the frustration soon returned.
The mood began to shift when Carlos Baleba, the £70 million summer signing from Brighton & Hove Albion, came on for the first time just before the hour mark. His energy and intent lifted his side, and his debut was a positive one. On another day, his cameo would have been the story, offering much-needed hope for the weeks and months ahead. Instead, it was overshadowed by United’s failure to see out a game they should have won.
United now travel to Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, before heading to Leeds United next weekend. After that comes another demanding European assignment, at Como. Carrick insists his side’s biggest problem is that they have been on the wrong side of fine margins so far this season, and he needs that to change quickly if United are to start moving in the right direction.