Ange Postecoglou’s project appears to be progressing at Tottenham, while Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United plans look rickety following a 10-man, 3-0 loss at Old Trafford on Sunday.
[ MORE: Ten Hag, Bruno Fernandes react ]
United trailed 1-0 on a Brennan Johnson goal when Bruno Fernandes was sent off before halftime, and Spurs cashed in second-half goals from a wonderful Dejan Kulusevski and comfortable Dominic Solanke over the final 45 minutes.
Spurs have now won four in-a-row across all competitions, and Johnson’s scored in all of them. The North Londoners rise into eighth with 10 points, five off the table lead.
United slip a spot due to their goal differential dipping to minus-3, and are now 12th behind Brentford with seven points.
A wildly illogical second half for a wildly illogical era at Manchester United
Take everything you expect about sports and throw it out the window when it comes to the Erik ten Hag era of Manchester United. The more talented team rarely looks it. A team who nearly gets ousted from a cup by a lower-division side in a semifinal can beat the best team in the world to the trophy. And a team that looked disinterested and thoroughly outclassed for 50+ plus minutes, down a man and two goals, can suddenly seize possession and manufacture more chances than the ascendant side for nearly a half-hour. Who are Manchester United now? How in the world are we supposed to make sense of them, when heralded names like Ugarte, De Ligt, and Mazraoui come into a side and somehow look as ordinary as their new teammates?
Spurs won’t care, and no one in the Premier League is going to give the Red Devils a break or even worry at the one-time fortress now known as a fun place to play a game: Old Trafford. Given all that, might as well pen them in for wins at Porto and Aston Villa over the next week. And, honestly, it wouldn’t be a surprise if a couple of PL games without Bruno Fernandes show a more difficult side to break down.
Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur player ratings
(from fotmob.com)
Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur player ratings (from fotmob.com)
What’s next?
Man United go to Porto in the Europa League on Thursday before hitting up Villa Park for Aston Villa at 9am ET Sunday.
Spurs also have a Europa League away day on Thursday at Ferencvaros in Hungary, and stay away from home for Brighton at 11:30am Sunday.
How to watch Manchester United vs Tottenham live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 11:30 am ET Sunday (September 29)
Venue: Old Trafford
TV Channel: USA Network
Streaming: Watch live on NBC.com
Manchester United vs Tottenham live updates — By Nick Mendola
Manchester United vs Tottenham final score: 0-3
Brennan Johnson 3', Dejan Kulusevski 47', Dominic Solanke 77'
Dominic Solanke goal. Man United 0-3 Spurs (77th minute)
Nice work from the sub Pape Sarr.
Close from Casemiro
We guess United just had to go down a man and two goals to want to play with the ball?
Casemiro nearly pulls off a tremendous volley at the back post from an acute angle.
Twenty minutes to try and get a shocking comeback at home. Christian Eriksen and Rasmus Hojlund are set to enter for United.
Penalty shouts x2 for Man United
The Red Devils have the ball in and around the Spurs box, and twice cry for handballs.
One, on Cristian Romero, seems more likely than the other but VAR does not decide to send United to the spot.
Still down a man and two goals, 62'.
Dejan Kulusevski goal — Manchester United 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur (47th minute)
Casemiro took off Zirkzee at the break, while Spurs also make a change: Djed Spence for an injured Destiny Udogie.
Lisandro Martinez falls, and here’s another chance for Spurs almost right out of the team room.
Johnson puts the ball toward goal and Kulusevski gets enough of it to beat Onana.
Bad to worse for the 10 men at Old Trafford.
Halftime — Manchester United 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Misery in Manchester, as Erik ten Hag’s team look a mess.
They’re down a man now but the first 40 minutes were essentially like watching a team that had four players playing “offense” and seven defense. Awful.
Spurs have been very good, producing 12 shots and 2.00 xG. That’ll happen when you’re able to execute a game plan almost completely unencumbered. Someone should encumber something if they want that to change.
Bruno Fernandes red card (video)!
Manchester United’s captain has had a strange half, busy in the Red Devils’ spells of attack but a passenger without the ball.
That changes as James Maddison blazes by him and Fernandes has no spatial awareness as he kicks out his leg and catches the English midfielder on the shin.
Kobbie Mainoo will come off for Mason Mount, as it seems there’s a double whammy through injury. Casemiro must really be out of fashion.
Garnacho smacks the post
Marcus Rashford sends a long cross to the far post for Garnacho.
The Argentine catches it sweetly but pummels the frame.
37'.
Zirkzee saved by Vicario
There’s not a lot of heat on Alejandro Garnacho’s cutback to the center of the box.
Zirkzee sorts his left foot and passes toward goal. Vicario does well to get a hand on it.
Nearly two for Spurs
Dejan Kulusevski cues up Johnson in the right of the 18-yard box.
Johnson drags a shot through Diogo Dalot’s legs and past the hand of a diving Andre Onana, but it dinks off the far post.
Van de Ven started that counter attack and Destiny Udogie did heavy-lifting en route to the shot.
20'.
Rashford lively at uneasy Old Trafford
Marcus Rashford’s had a harried break toward goal saved by Guglielmo Vicario.
He gets the ball a few minutes later and tries to set up Joshua Zirkzee from the left but the ball is too close to Vicario.
Still 1-0 Spurs, 15'.
Micky van de Ven magic — Manchester United 0-1 Tottenham (3rd minute)
Micky van de Ven breaks up a Man United counter attack and then.... counters right back.
It’s 70 clear yards of driving up field and his cutback from the left endline is clear through the 6-yard box.
Brennan Johnson, red-hot in all competitions, taps home. Brilliant from Van de Ven, but putrid from passenger-like United.
Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur team news
Erik ten Hag gives us a first extended look at Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo, the pair he hopes will allow Bruno Fernandes the freedom to be his creative best in the midfield.
Spurs under Ange Postecoglou don’t often adapt to opponent firepower, so there’s going to be a lot asked of Rodrigo Bentancur at the heart of their midfield.
Manchester United lineup
Onana, Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez, Dalot, Mainoo, Ugarte, Fernandes, Garnacho, Rashford, Zirkzee
Tottenham Hotspur lineup
Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie, Bentancur, Maddison, Kulusevski, Johnson, Solanke, Werner
Manchester United focus, team news
OUT: Victor Lindelof (undisclosed), Luke Shaw (calf), Tyrell Malacia (knee), Leny Yoro (foot)
Tottenham focus, team news
OUT: Richarlison (undisclosed), Wilson Odobert (thigh)
Manchester United vs Tottenham prediction
There is a belief and togetherness among the Spurs players which simply doesn’t exist at Old Trafford right now. This is a massive moment for both sides, but only one looks up for it. Manchester United 1-2 Tottenham.
