Manchester United ought to have beaten Spurs, and failing to do so shows how deep a hole Carrick and his side are in.
Manchester United drew 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Saturday, as Dominic Solanke scored in the 92nd minute to cancel out a lead from Bryan Mbeumo, despite Tottenham playing the final stages with 10 men.
The United fans who arrived hoping to enjoy themselves at Manchester City’s expense left disappointed. Their own problems were too pressing. The chants of “You cheating bastards, you know what you are” were loud before kickoff. When United overcame a largely nervous, disjointed performance to take the lead through Mbeumo midway through the second half, the home supporters aimed a dig at Spurs with a chant of “You’re going down with the City.”
By the time referee Stuart Attwell blew the final whistle, though, the scandal engulfing their neighbors had faded from fans’ minds. As they streamed out, they were preoccupied with how Tottenham had earned a point. Spurs had been reduced to 10 men after Rodrigo Bentancur was shown a red card for head-butting Luke Shaw, yet they still scored a 92nd-minute equalizer.
“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.”
Carrick Under Pressure
The spotlight will inevitably fall on Carrick. The result leaves United with 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 in his post-match news conference, but 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 goals, against Everton and Spurs, 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 inability to close out matches points to a fragile mentality and an struggle to handle pressure when it matters most.
Defensive Errors Cost Points
Lisandro Martínez will not want to see the goal again. Only he knows what he was doing when Sandro Tonali‘s cross floated toward Solanke. Rather than dancing around the Spurs striker, he could have tried to head the ball clear. Senne Lammens could also have done better.
Solanke’s goal means Spurs joined 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.”
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 Hope
Boos rang out at Old Trafford after just 20 minutes, as Spurs, who started the day bottom of the table, began brightly. The damning guilty verdict in City’s case with the Premier League had taken the focus off United during the international break, but frustration returned quickly as Carrick’s team were outplayed for large parts of the first half.
The energy and intent changed only when Carlos Baleba, the £70 million summer signing from Brighton & Hove Albion, came on for the first time just before the hour mark. On another day, his cameo would have been the story, providing much-needed hope for the weeks and months ahead. It was a positive debut, but it was overshadowed by United’s failure to get over the line in a game they should have won.
Busy Stretch Ahead
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.
After another late equalizer, Carrick insists his biggest issue is that United have been on the wrong side of fine margins so far this season. He needs that to change quickly if they are going to start heading in the right direction.
