Tottenham remain winless in the Premier League after six games and 19th in the table, yet the resolve shown at Old Trafford has offered great encouragement.
Spurs have ultimately performed better than their points tally suggests. We sit 12th in FotMob's 'expected points' table, with eight to our name rather than three. The frustrating theme of underperformance in front of goal continued last weekend, and our misfortune looked set to continue when Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off after Bryan Mbeumo's opener.
But a wretched Man Utd team failed to capitalise on their distinct advantages and Roberto De Zerbi's side never went away. We'd been dominant for an hour, and Dominic Solanke's stoppage-time header was just reward for our efforts.
While the majority have seized upon the club's slow start after a big splurge in the summer, there's a prevailing sense that everything will be okay in north London. However, the apparent progress made at the Theatre of Dreams will count for little if the Lilywhites don't secure their first win of the season at home to Coventry City on Monday night.
Alan Shearer backs Spurs for relegation battle if winless start continues vs. Coventry
Frank Lampard's Coventry have found life on either side of the break after a woeful start upon their long-awaited Premier League comeback. Back-to-back wins over Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United has seen the newly-promoted side leapfrog Spurs in the table.
A few weeks back, we all pinpointed this as the fixture where De Zerbi's new-look outfit would put things right. This was the occasion where we'd cash in on our early-season misfortune, and ignite our campaign with an emphatic victory.
Now, though, Coventry's visit suddenly looks a little tougher, with confidence exuding from Lampard's side. They'd looked out of their depth during the first month of the season, but must feel like they belong at the highest level. Former Chelsea star Lampard will be desperate to stick it to us again, too.
There's no denying that this is a huge game for Spurs. If you can't beat a newly promoted side at home under the lights, many will wonder where the heck the wins are going to come from.
Thus, an ominous prediction has arrived from mainstream media pundit Alan Shearer, who believes the Lilywhites will be in for another relegation slog if they fail to win on Monday night.
"I've always said the time to worry is when you're not creating the chances, and that wasn't the case at Old Trafford. They created plenty. So, if that were to keep on going, they could have a little bit of hope, but they desperately need that win," he said (via Hotspur Lane on X).
âIf they don't beat Coventry on Monday, then I think they'll be in a massive relegation battle, and I think that's how big a game it is.â
I don't disagree; this is a big game, especially with a trip to Stamford Bridge on the horizon. However, I also don't think we need to build up this fixture as if it's life or death.