The boos were still ringing around Old Trafford as Michael Carrick walked to his press conference. His players had just failed to see out a lead against a side playing with 10 men for the final 12 minutes, and six points from six games is now the worst start Manchester United have made to a top-flight season since 1986.
Carrick did not duck the reaction.
“When things aren’t quite going to plan, I understand the reaction at times. Obviously, it hurts a lot,” he told reporters.
Bryan Mbeumo had put United ahead on 73 minutes, finishing into the bottom corner after a pass from Matheus Cunha. Five minutes later Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off for a clash with Luke Shaw, and the game looked over for Tottenham. Instead, Solanke rose to head in a stoppage-time cross.
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De Zerbi defends his striker
Solanke had missed clear chances earlier in the match. His manager stood by him afterwards.
“I’m pleased for him. He deserves everything because he is a good player,” Roberto De Zerbi said.
The Italian felt his side had deserved more even before the sending-off.
“I think we played very well against a great team. In the first half, we had total control of the game.”
Tottenham moved off the bottom of the Premier League table to 18th. They remain winless after six matches with three points, sitting inside the relegation zone and level on points with 17th-placed sides above them.
One win in six for United
Carrick’s regret was concentrated on the final 12 minutes against 10 men.
“It’s a game we then should kill off and we didn’t find a way. We turned the ball over too easily at times and it leaves the game open,” he said.
“It’s obviously a bad goal and it sums things up.”
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United have one win from six league matches and sit 12th in the table.
INEOS backs Carrick
Antonio Conte has been named in several recent reports as a potential successor at Old Trafford, but the owners are not moving. Carrick is “under no immediate danger of losing his managerial role at Man Utd despite the draw with Tottenham”, TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey reported on Saturday evening. The club’s position, Bailey wrote, is that “he’s not under pressure”.
Manchester United travel to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday. Tottenham are home to Coventry City on Monday.
