Manchester United fans who went to Old Trafford on Saturday hoping to enjoy themselves at Manchester City’s expense left disappointed. Their own problems were too pressing for that. Instead, they were left stewing over a 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur, who scored a 92nd-minute equaliser with ten men on the pitch.
The chants of “You cheating bastards, you know what you are” were loud before kickoff. When Bryan Mbeumo gave United the lead midway through the second half, the home supporters also took a dig at Spurs with a chant of “You’re going down with the City.” Yet by the time referee Stuart Attwell blew the final whistle, the scandal engulfing their neighbours had faded from their minds. As they left the stadium, they were preoccupied with how Tottenham, down to ten men after Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off for head-butting Luke Shaw, had salvaged a point.
“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.
“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 spotlight will inevitably fall on Carrick. The result means United have their worst start to a season after six games since 1986. Carrick does not throw his players under the bus, and he did not do so again at his post-match news conference, but he has every right to expect more.
Dominic Solanke‘s header was the third time 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, in different ways, 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 worry is that United cannot close out games. It points to a fragile mentality and an inability to handle pressure when it matters most.
Lisandro Martínez will not want to see the goal again. Only he knows what he was doing when Sandro Tonali‘s cross was floated towards Solanke. Rather than dancing around the Spurs striker, he could have tried to head the ball clear. Senne Lammens could also have done better.
Struggles against ten men
Solanke’s goal means Spurs join City in finding 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 ten men. In March, they lost 2-1 at Newcastle United after Jacob Ramsey was dismissed. In November, under Ruben Amorim, Everton won 1-0 at Old Trafford despite having Idrissa Gueye sent off for slapping his own teammate.
“It’s definitely something where, ten men or not ten 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.
Frustration returns
Spurs, who began the day bottom of the table, started brightly, and there were boos at Old Trafford after just 20 minutes. 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 as Carrick’s side were outplayed for large parts of the first half.
The mood shifted when £70 million summer signing Carlos Baleba, who joined from Brighton & Hove Albion, came on for his first appearance just before the hour mark. United’s energy and intent began to change. On another day, his cameo would have been the story, offering much-needed hope for the weeks and months ahead. It was a positive debut, but it was overshadowed by United’s failure to close out 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 keep coming out on the wrong side of fine margins this season. He needs that to change quickly if they are going to head in the right direction.
