Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur played out a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Saturday, as Solanke scored a 92nd-minute equalizer for Spurs despite playing the final stages with 10 men. Bryan Mbeumo had given United the lead midway through the second half.
The home fans arrived hoping to enjoy themselves at Manchester City’s expense, and they sang loudly about the club’s rivals before kickoff. Yet by the time referee Stuart Attwell blew the final whistle, most United supporters had forgotten the damning guilty verdict against City, which had taken the focus off United during the international break. They were instead preoccupied with how Tottenham had salvaged a point. Tottenham had been down to 10 men after Rodrigo Bentancur received a red card for head-butting Luke Shaw.
Carrick admitted the performance fell short. “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.”
A Costly Pattern of Late Goals
The result leaves United with their worst start after six games of a season since 1986, and the pressure on Carrick is growing. He does not blame his players publicly, and he chose not to do so again in his post-match news conference. Still, 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 Tottenham, have cost United 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 goal also exposed errors in defense. Lisandro Martínez will not want to see the goal again, as he allowed Solanke space when Sandro Tonali’s cross floated toward the Tottenham striker. Goalkeeper Senne Lammens could also have done better. Solanke’s goal means Tottenham now join City as teams that have scored at Old Trafford this season after having a player sent off.
United have also struggled against teams with 10 men. They have failed to win any of their past three games against sides in that situation. 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 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.”
Baleba Offers Hope
United were booed at Old Trafford after just 20 minutes, as Tottenham, who started the day bottom of the table, began brightly and out-played Carrick’s side for large parts of the first half. 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 changed the game, and his debut was positive. However, that story was overshadowed by United’s failure to close out a match they should have won.
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 keep losing on the wrong side of fine margins. He needs that to change quickly if his team is to start moving in the right direction.
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