The dominant side for most of the contest as we created a whole host of chances, we just couldn’t find the back of the net and went behind to a Bryan Mbeumo goal in the 73rd minute. And we were left with a mountain to climb when substitute Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off shortly after coming on.
But we refused to lie down, kept pushing and were ultimately rewarded when Solanke – captain on the day for the first time for us – headed home in the 92nd minute to give us a well-earned and much-deserved point.
Roberto De Zerbi made six changes to the team that started our last match before the international break against Aston Villa, among them Mohammed Kudus who was starting his first league game since his return from injury.
Starting the day bottom of the table, we were really strong in the first half but just couldn’t take our chances. Only three minutes were on the clock when the first glorious one arrived when Senne Lammens passed out to Kobbie Mainoo but Lucas Bergvall snapped into the tackle to win the ball 25 yards from goal. It fell to Solanke on the edge of the area and he had time to line up a shot, only for the United goalkeeper to redeem himself with a good save.
We were so dominant at this stage, United struggling to get out of their half at times as we continually pushed them back, Bergvall with another opportunity on 17 minutes when he found a pocket of space on the edge of the box but fired wide. Four minutes later, we carved United open with an excellent move down our left between Sandro Tonali, Destiny Udogie and Savio, the latter sliding the ball across the box which Kudus screwed wide from 15 yards out.
The home fans were getting onto the backs of their own players, who responded with their best move of the half on 34 minutes. It came from our corner which was cleared away and United were on the counter with Mbeumo, he found Amad Diallo but his shot was comfortably saved by Antonin Kinsky. We were soon on the front foot again though and had another big chance three minutes before the interval, as Solanke played in Conor Gallagher who was in on goal but tackled by Youri Tielemans as he was about to shoot. The loose ball fell to Gallagher again but Lammens smothered, United cleared the danger and, despite our fine performance, we went in level at the break.
Early in the second period we continued to create chances, Solanke with another great opportunity as he got on the end of Savio’s low cross but couldn’t keep his effort down under pressure from Lisandro Martinez. But the game was becoming much more even, United growing into the contest and we needed to be sharp defensively to prevent Bruno Fernandes from getting a shot away after a neat flick from Mbeumo.
Both teams made substitutions as the game moved into the final quarter and we had another sight of goal when Harry Maguire inadvertently played the ball into the path of Savio at the far post but Mainoo got in a vital block to send the Brazilian’s shot over the bar.
The opening goal finally came with 17 minutes remaining and, despite all our opportunities, it went the way of the home side. Matheus Cunha slid a ball in to Mbeumo in the area and he turned and hit a low left foot shot past Kinsky into the bottom corner. Our position was further damaged when Bentancur was given a straight red card five minutes after coming on following United’s goal. He won a big tackle against Luke Shaw, who didn’t take kindly to the challenge and pushed the Uruguayan international away but, as the two players then confronted each other, Bentancur was adjudged to have moved his head towards Shaw. After an ensuing melee, referee Stuart Attwell brandished the red card and we were down to 10.
The closing stages were always going to be tough with the man disadvantage and Kinsky made a good stop to prevent from Mbeumo adding his second in the 86th minute. But, two minutes into eight added on, we got the goal we absolutely deserved to level things up as Sandro Tonali clipped a ball into the area and Solanke was too strong for Martinez as he glanced a header into the far corner. It was a massive moment for us, our first away league goal of the season and, although it only earned us a point, it was one which will give us a real foundation to build on.
Line-ups
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Lammens, Yoro (Dalot 59), Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Shaw (Heaven 90+6), Mainoo, Tielemans (Baleba 59), Amad (Zirkzee 59), Bruno Fernandes (c), Cunha (Rashford 90+6), Mbeumo. Substitutes (not used): Darlow, Mount, Andrey Santos, Lacey.
Spurs (4-2-3-1): Kinsky, Gray, Senesi (Fernandes 89), van Hecke, Udogie (van de Ven 74), Bergvall (Bentancur 66), Tonali, Kudus (Marmoush 66), Gallagher (Maddison 74), Savio, Solanke (c). Substitutes (not used): Dubravka, Tosin, Davies, Tel.
Match data
Goals: Manchester United – Mbeumo 73; Spurs – Solanke 90+2.
Yellow cards: Manchester United – Shaw, Fernandes, Martinez, Dalot; Spurs – Gallagher, Van Hecke, Gray.
Red card: Spurs – Bentancur.
Referee: Stuart Attwell.
Venue: Old Trafford.
Weather: Sunny intervals, gentle breeze, 12 degrees.
Attendance: 74,129.