Manchester United’s season went from bad to worse over the weekend, as they succumbed to a 1-1 draw against 10-man Tottenham Hotspur. The Red Devils were expected to finally get going after the international break, but they are yet to get out of first gear.
To make matters worse, United took the lead against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday at home, before the visitors were reduced to 10 men. Rather than use their man advantage to seal the game, Michael Carrick’s team allowed Tottenham Hotspur to equalise in the second minute of second-half injury time.
According to Sky Sports, the Red Devils ran five kilometres less than their opponents on Saturday. This has been a problem because earlier reports had suggested that the English giants were joint-bottom in terms of high-intensity runs across the Premier League during the first five games of the season.
Comparing the top runners among both teams during Saturday’s 1-1 draw also brings to light a grim truth about United.
Mainoo covered most ground for United
According to FotMob, Kobbie Mainoo covered the most ground among United players during Saturday’s game. The Englishman played the entire 90 minutes and covered 11.3 km.
Second on that list were Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo, who also played the entire 90 minutes and ran 11.1 km each. However, none of them matched Tottenham Hotspur’s top three, comprising Dominic Solanke (12.3 km), Sandro Tonali (11.8 km) and Archie Gray (11.6 km).
Luke Shaw (10.1 km) and Matheus Cunha (9.7 km) rounded out the top five for United in the game. They ranked ninth and 10th respectively among the players from both teams.
New signing Carlos Baleba, who made his much-awaited debut on Saturday, was on the pitch for 31 minutes and managed to impress. The Cameroonian covered 4.3 km during his cameo, suggesting that his presence could eventually improve the Red Devils’ running stats.
Can Baleba unlock Mainoo?
Baleba’s return to full fitness could also be good news for Mainoo, who has impressed this season but has not reached the heights of last campaign. The Englishman was on the brink of leaving United in January this year after struggling for game time under former head coach Ruben Amorim.
The Portuguese lost his job at the turn of the year, with Carrick taking charge in January, which proved to be a turning point in Mainoo’s career. The 21-year-old started 16 of the English manager’s 17 games in charge last season, missing the defeat to Leeds with injury.
He was outstanding alongside Casemiro, helping the Red Devils secure third place in the Premier League. United invested over £150 million this summer, signing Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Baleba, who missed the start of the campaign with an ankle injury.
Tielemans has started every game this season, but the Red Devils have failed to dominate. However, the Cameroonian’s return to full fitness could end the Belgian’s run in the starting XI and could be just the spark United need to get their season back on track.
Kobbie Mainoo Stats: 2026/27 Season
CompetitionAppearancesStartsGoalsAssistsYellow cardsRed cardsMinutes played Premier League65-1--447' EFL Cup10----24' UEFA Champions League11----64' Total86-1--535'
Source: Transfermarkt.
Final Thoughts
United will have to quickly regroup after the weekend’s disappointment, with a tough game against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday in the Champions League. Another poor result at the Metropolitano Stadium could pile the pressure on Carrick.
Featured image by Naomi Baker/Getty Images