Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur drew 1-1 at Old Trafford on Saturday, as Dominic Solanke scored a 92nd-minute equalizer for Spurs. Tottenham had been down to 10 men after Rodrigo Bentancur’s red card for head-butting Luke Shaw, and the result left Carrick’s side frustrated after they had taken the lead through Bryan Mbeumo midway through the second half.
Before kickoff, United fans had sung loudly about Manchester City, whose case with the Premier League had produced a damning guilty verdict. Once the match began, though, the home supporters turned their attention to their own team. When the final whistle sounded, they were mostly talking about how Tottenham had found a late goal to take a point.
Carrick Reflects on a Costly Result
Carrick admitted the performance had been far from convincing. “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 pointed to a stronger second half, but he was clearly frustrated that his side had not held on. “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 draw means United have endured their worst start to a season after six games since 1986. Carrick has not thrown his players under the bus, and he again declined to do so in his post-match news conference. Still, he made clear that he expects more from his team.
Late Goals Costing Valuable Points
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. Carrick said the pattern is changing the team’s standing in the table.
“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.”
Lisandro Martínez will have little desire to watch the goal again. He was closest to Sandro Tonali’s cross as it floated toward Solanke, and he allowed the Spurs striker to get in behind him. Senne Lammens could also have done better.
A Struggle Against Teams With 10 Men
Tottenham’s goal means they joined 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. 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,” 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.”
Pressure Builds on Carrick
Boos rang out at Old Trafford after just 20 minutes, as Tottenham, who started the day bottom of the table, began brightly. United were outplayed for large parts of the first half, and the frustration returned quickly after the international break had briefly shifted attention away from the club.
The mood began to change when £70 million summer signing Carlos Baleba, who arrived from Brighton & Hove Albion, came on just before the hour mark. His energy and intent gave United a lift, and his debut was positive. However, that performance was overshadowed by the team’s failure to close out a game it should have won.
United face Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, then travel to Leeds United next weekend. After that comes another demanding European fixture at Como. Carrick insists his biggest problem is that United keep losing out on fine margins, and he needs that to change quickly if the team is to move in the right direction.