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Bryan Mbeumo put Manchester United 1-0 up against Tottenham Hotspur in the 73rd minute on Saturday afternoon, and Tottenham's Rodrigo Bentancur received a red card for a headbutt on Luke Shaw in the 78th. United looked set for a major breakthrough, but Dominic Solanke equalised for Tottenham two minutes into stoppage time.

United's fans booed their own players as they went in at half-time and again after the final whistle. "When things don't quite go to plan, I can sometimes understand that reaction," said United manager Michael Carrick. "Of course it hurts, it hurts a great deal. It's not a pleasant experience, but sometimes you just have to get through it."

Six rounds into the season, the Red Devils sit 12th in the Premier League table with just six points. It's their worst start to a season in exactly 40 years.

What next for Manchester United?

Across all competitions, United have gone four consecutive matches without a win. Brighton & Hove Albion knocked them out of the League Cup during that run. Their only two wins in eight competitive matches so far have come against newly promoted Ipswich Town in the Premier League and Azerbaijani underdogs FK Sabah in the Champions League. The Red Devils have also failed to win any of the last three matches they finished with a numerical advantage.

On Tuesday, United travel to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League for what is probably their toughest task of the season so far. Initial discussions about a possible change of manager are already taking place in England, although Carrick is said to retain the club leadership's confidence.

Carrick, 45, initially took over as interim manager from Ruben Amorim after his dismissal in mid-January. A strong second half of the season saw him guide United to third place and comfortably into the Champions League. In May, he signed a contract as permanent manager until 2028.

Tottenham are fully behind De Zerbi and have no plans to make a managerial change, as per TEAMtalk. The north London club have endured a difficult start to the new Premier League season, failing to win any of their opening six matches.

Despite the disappointing early results, Spurs' hierarchy retain complete confidence in the Italian. They believe a significant improvement in form is just around the corner and remain convinced he is the right man to lead their project.

De Zerbi is also relaxed about his position and remains entirely committed to the job. The report insist there are no concerns over the former Brighton boss walking away from the current situation.

The message from inside the club is clear, with Tottenham determined to give De Zerbi the time and backing required to deliver progress. The current situation is not what the hierarchy envisaged after a busy summer transfer window.

However, early difficulties will not prompt a knee-jerk reaction or overshadow the broader project. TEAMtalk reports that the club are confident results will improve once the team finds consistency under his leadership.

The Spurs board want De Zerbi to have the opportunity to work with his revamped squad. They are adamant that the recent investments will eventually translate into improved performances on the pitch.

De Zerbi inherited a difficult situation when he arrived at Tottenham late in March last season. The club was battling to preserve their Premier League status amid a challenging campaign.

Tasked with keeping Spurs in the top flight with limited time to implement his tactical ideas, the Italian successfully secured their survival. This achievement gave the club a crucial opportunity to rebuild ahead of the new season.

That escape act has not been forgotten by the Tottenham hierarchy. They continue to regard his work at the end of last season as a vital factor when assessing his current position, refusing to abandon their plans at the first sign of adversity.

Tottenham made a massive financial commitment to De Zerbi during the summer, spending heavily on a host of new players to address areas of weakness. The scale of that spending highlights why the club are eager to maintain stability rather than consider another change in the dugout. Sacking De Zerbi would risk disrupting the work carried out over the summer, with the manager still integrating his new arrivals.

The hierarchy believe continuity will be vital as the new signings settle and De Zerbi's tactical ideas become firmly established. While the opening results have undoubtedly created pressure, the Lilywhites remain convinced that their recent work will still deliver the desired outcome.

United are facing mounting pressure after a deeply disappointing draw against Tottenham at Old Trafford. Dominic Solanke scored a crushing stoppage-time equaliser for the ten-man visitors, extending the Red Devils' miserable winless streak to four matches across all competitions.

Home supporters expressed their dismay by loudly booing the team at both half-time and full-time. The frustrating result leaves Carrick's side sitting 12th in the Premier League table.

Former captain Neville has now voiced his serious concerns over the club's current trajectory. He believes the squad must rapidly find a way to arrest their sudden slump in form.

Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast, the former defender highlighted specific tactical issues within the starting line-up. He pinpointed the midfield pairing of Youri Tielemans and Kobbie Mainoo as a major area of concern for the team.

"Tielemans and Mainoo, I think we've seen enough of it now," Neville explained. "I'm not calling time on it because that's probably too drastic, but I've seen enough to think that's not a midfield that's dynamic enough to play at this football club in the Premier League.

"I think they are both good players individually. But sometimes you just have players that don't quite knit together or don't quite suit each other."

Carrick has clearly struggled to find a cohesive midfield unit during this difficult period. Neville suggested that introducing different personnel could solve the glaring lack of intensity. He praised the immediate impact of a substitute during the Tottenham clash.

I think when [Carlos] Baleba came on with Mainoo, it looked like there was a lot more energy," Neville added. "There's going to have to be something done in there, and the rest of them are going to have to get a grip because they are going to Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid and Elland Road.

"If you're not quite right there from a mental and physical perspective, you're going to get found out. They've got a couple of days to recover, pick themselves up from this and get going, because if they don't get going it's going to be a worrying few weeks."

United must recover quickly as they face an incredibly demanding schedule over the coming days. They travel to Spain to play Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday evening. Following their tough European test, they head to Elland Road for a fierce Premier League rivalry match against Leeds United on Sunday.

Solanke has admitted that while his side’s dramatic late comeback at Old Trafford demonstrated immense character, the 1-1 draw against Manchester United does not quite carry the satisfaction of a full victory. Reflecting on the emotional rollercoaster of the match, Solanke told BBC MOTD: "I wouldn’t say it feels like a win. In the first half, we played so well. Dominated the majority and should have been a couple of goals ahead."

He added: "In the second half, we go and man down and still managed to get something from the game. It shows the mentality and the character of the team. We’ve been a goal down and not reacted in the right way, we wanted to put that right. Goal down, man down, it would have been easy for us to not go for the win."

The result was particularly significant for a Spurs side that has struggled for consistency during the early stages of the 2026-27 campaign. Entering the match rooted in the relegation zone, the pressure was firmly on De Zerbi to spark a reaction. Although they remain without a league victory since May, the fighting spirit displayed in the final minutes suggested a potential turning point in their fortunes.

Despite his late heroics, Solanke was introspective about his individual performance, acknowledging that he could have put the game to bed much earlier. The former Bournemouth forward was a constant menace to the United backline but failed to convert several high-quality chances during a first half where Tottenham were clearly the superior side.

"I probably should’ve had three goals today," the striker admitted after the final whistle. "I wanted to make sure I kept getting as many as I can. I put one away so I’m thankful for that."

His persistence eventually paid off when he glanced a header past a static Senne Lammens to silence the home crowd.

The complexion of the game changed significantly in the 78th minute when Rodrigo Bentancur was dismissed for his part in a heated confrontation with Luke Shaw. Solanke noted that the reaction of the players on the pitch reflected a squad that is willing to fight for one another, regardless of the circumstances or the scoreline.

Commenting on the dismissal and the subsequent reaction from the squad, Solanke said: "It all happened so quickly so I haven’t seen it back yet. It shows the fight in the team. Everyone is so hungry to do the right thing and show the right passion." This grit was exactly what De Zerbi had been looking for, as the Italian tactician has repeatedly called for his players to show more "personality" on the field.

While the point was enough to lift Tottenham off the bottom of the Premier League standings, the club still finds itself in a precarious position. The lack of a win in their opening six fixtures is a major concern, yet the belief within the camp remains unshaken. Solanke is confident that if they can marry this newly discovered resilience with the attacking dominance they showed in the opening forty-five minutes, results will inevitably improve.

"We’ve got so much to work on. The mentality and character was great. We’re going to put things right eventually and we’ll be flying sooner rather than later," Solanke concluded. According to the live Premier League table, the draw keeps Spurs in the bottom three, but the gap to safety remains small.

A. Kinsky - 7/10

The young goalkeeper produced three vital saves to keep Tottenham in the contest when Manchester United threatened to pull away. While he could do little about Mbeumo's clinical finish in the 73rd minute, his positioning and shot-stopping were fundamental to keeping the scoreline manageable before the late equaliser.

A. Gray - 6/10

Archie Gray operated with tactical maturity beyond his years at right-back, managing his duels well against a tricky United flank. However, a late yellow card in the 90+9th minute for a cynical challenge illustrated the mounting pressure Spurs were under during the closing stages.

M. Senesi - 6/10

A battling performance from the centre-half who led the line well against United's rotations. He was substituted in the 89th minute as De Zerbi looked to introduce more offensive impetus for the final push, having recorded several key clearances during his time on the pitch.

D. Udogie - 6/10

Udogie provided his usual athletic presence on the left, though he was largely occupied with defensive duties as United looked to exploit the wide areas. He was replaced by Micky van de Ven in the 74th minute, immediately after Spurs fell behind.

J. van Hecke - 6/10

The defender was robust in the air, winning several crucial challenges. He remained on the pitch and adapted his role for tactical reasons following the red card, as Spurs reorganised their shape to cope with being a man down.

L. Bergvall - 5/10

A relatively quiet outing for the Swedish youngster, who struggled to dictate the tempo against a dense United midfield. He was hooked in the 66th minute as the coaching staff looked for a more combative presence in the middle of the park.

Savio - 6/10

Showed flashes of his ball-carrying ability and technical flair but lacked the final product to truly hurt the United backline. He stayed on for the duration, providing an outlet during the transition phases late in the game.

S. Tonali - 8/10

The Italian was the creative heartbeat of the team, maintaining a high pass completion rate under pressure. His most significant contribution came in the 90+2nd minute, providing the crucial assist for Solanke’s dramatic equalising goal.

M. Kudus - 5/10

Failed to exert his usual influence on the game, finding himself crowded out by United’s double pivot. He was substituted in the 66th minute after a frustrating performance where he struggled to find space between the lines.

C. Gallagher - 6/10

The energetic midfielder received an early yellow card in the 4th minute, which somewhat tempered his usual aggressive pressing style. He worked tirelessly to close down passing lanes before being replaced in the 74th minute.

R. Bentancur - 2/10

A disastrous cameo. Entering the fray in the 66th minute, he was shown a straight red card in the 78th minute, leaving his teammates in a precarious position for the final ten minutes of the match.

M. van de Ven - 6/10

Brought on in the 74th minute, his recovery pace was essential in preventing United from doubling their lead on the counter-attack after the red card.

J. Maddison - 6/10

Introduced in the 74th minute to provide creative spark, he helped Spurs retain possession better even with ten men, contributing to the buildup of the equaliser.

O. Marmoush - 6/10

Offered fresh legs and high-intensity running after coming on in the 66th minute, stretching the United defence during the final stages.

M. Fernandes - N/A

A very late tactical sub in the 89th minute to help shore up the team.

R. De Zerbi - 7/10

The manager showed great tactical flexibility. While the Bentancur substitution backfired due to the red card, his decision to keep Solanke on the pitch and push for an equaliser despite the numerical disadvantage was rewarded with a well-earned point.

Manchester United failed to beat Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday evening. Michael Carrick's side looked on course for their second league win of the season after a goal from Bryan Mbeumo, but Dominic Solanke struck late to make it 1-1. Tottenham were already down to ten men by then after Rodrigo Bentancur had been sent off for a headbutt on Luke Shaw.

From the start, the home side looked sluggish and struggled badly with Tottenham's high press. That led to decent chances for the visitors, but Dominic Solanke was denied by Senne Lammens and Mohammed Kudus dragged his effort just wide.

Loud whistles rang around Old Trafford as Manchester United's poor opening spell stretched on. The fans made their frustration clear, but the home side still offered little before half-time beyond a shot from Amad Diallo. At the other end, Conor Gallagher forced another save from Lammens.

After the break, the game turned into a fierce battle. Youri Tielemans had the ball in the net in the 56th minute, but it had already completely gone out of play beforehand, so the goal was ruled out. The breakthrough finally came in the 73rd minute.

Cunha drove into the penalty area and teed up Mbeumo, who slid the ball low into the net for 1-0. It was the attacker's third goal of the season.

Then Tottenham had to chase the game with ten men. Rodrigo Bentancur flew into a tackle, prompting a furious reaction from Luke Shaw, who shoved his opponent to the ground in frustration. Bentancur then responded with a headbutt on Shaw. Referee Stuart Attwell had no choice but to send the Uruguayan off.

Late on, Tottenham threw everything at Manchester United and found a way through. Solanke powered home a brilliant header from a cross to make it 1-1. Spurs move off the bottom of the Premier League with a point. Manchester United are 12th.

Twelfth place for hosts Manchester United, with just one win, two draws and two defeats in five matches: Carrick heads into this on the back of away draws at Fulham and Everton, plus a home defeat in the derby against City, who top the table and already hold a ten-point lead. United have scored little and conceded plenty, 8 for and 8 against. Above all, they look moody and unpredictable, capable of beating only Ipswich in this first part of the season. That is nowhere near enough for the manager, who is already under pressure, with the spectre of Antonio Conte hanging over United, as also predicted in the interview with The Telegraph. If things go badly against Spurs, De Zerbi could do his compatriot a favour. Especially with a brutal away run coming up in the Champions League and the Premier League: Atletico Madrid, Leeds and Como.

The same goes, to an even greater extent, for Roberto De Zerbi: after battling to survive at West Ham's expense, Tottenham followed it up with a staggering summer window, spending more than 300 million on players of the calibre of Tonali, van Hecke, Marmoush and Savio. The first part of the season has been disastrous for the former Marseille manager and his side: two goalless draws against Everton and Nottingham Forest, and three defeats, with just two goals scored and eight conceded. Bottom place beyond appeal, and if it goes badly against United, there is a real chance of a dismissal that would be sensational, given what was done in the summer: Tottenham's next four are Coventry, Chelsea in the derby, Crystal Palace and Leeds.

Manchester United will have been glad the headlines focused on the other club in the city during the international break, pushing into the background their joint-worst start to a season after five league matches since 1989/90. Both league defeats have come at Old Trafford, where United had won 10 of their previous 11 matches under Carrick. They now risk three consecutive home defeats for the first time since December 2024. Spurs have taken fewer Premier League points (18) in 2026 than any other ever-present top-flight side and risk starting a season without a win in their first six league matches for only the fourth time in their history. Roberto De Zerbi, who is aiming to become only the fifth manager in Premier League history to win his first two away games against United, can at least cling to the fact that three of Tottenham's last four league wins have come away from home, scant consolation.

According to The Telegraph, Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Tottenham Hotspur were informed of City's guilty verdict before a formal email was sent to the rest of the top flight on September 25. The Premier League recently confirmed that City were found guilty on all but one of their 115 financial charges.

The elite quartet's advanced notice stems from legal manoeuvres initiated back in 2024. These clubs have actively prepared compensation claims to ensure they are entitled to damages in the event that the sanctions against the Etihad giants are upheld.

The exact financial fallout from these potential legal claims remains uncertain. However, the sporting ramifications for City could drastically alter the landscape of English football if the initial ruling stands.

A wide range of unprecedented punishments have been mooted following the guilty verdict. Potential penalties include massive fines, transfer bans and severe points deductions. In the most extreme scenarios, City face being stripped of their previous league titles or suffering outright expulsion from the Premier League.

City strongly maintain their innocence and officially lodged an appeal ahead of last Friday's deadline. On October 1, the club released a statement confirming their pushback against the Premier League Commission's findings, labelling the initial opinion as "unsafe" and plagued by "clear material errors, of law, principle and fact."

The Etihad outfit insist they possess a "comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence" to clear their name across all accusations. The club's statement concluded: "We will continue to respect due process and are necessarily restricted in what we can say further until all proceedings are complete."

The fate of the club now rests with an independent three-person panel. They will oversee the appeal process, with a definitive resolution expected before the end of the year.

Until that final judgement is delivered, Enzo Maresca's side must navigate their current campaign under a cloud of unprecedented uncertainty. Meanwhile, their fiercest rivals will eagerly await the outcome of the appeal to determine the next steps in their compensation claims.

Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur will kick off on 10 Oct 2026 at 12:30 EST and 16:30 GMT.

United and Spurs both need to get their seasons going

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur both probably needed a long Premier League break to reflect on what's not worked so far. In short, almost everything. Will Old Trafford be a much-needed tonic for the Red Devils?

Manchester United running hot and cold, but mostly cold

Since a 5-2 win against Ipswich, United are winless in four domestic matches, a sequence that includes an EFL Cup defeat to Brighton. A home defeat against 10-man Manchester City didn't go down well with supporters, and stalemates on the road against Everton and Fulham have added to the frustration of fans. Matheus Cunha's 89th-minute equaliser salvaged a point against the Cottagers, but it leaves United languishing in 12th place.

Spurs happy to be away from home?

Tottenham's season has started as the 2025-26 campaign finished. The Londoners are winless in their first five matches, and have failed to score in four of them. Their two solitary points so far have come from 0-0 draws, highlighting their issues in front of goal. Their first goals of the season only served as consolation efforts in their most recent 2-3 home defeat to Aston Villa.

Key stats & injury news

Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo, Benjamin Sesko and Noussair Mazraoui all missed international duty with injury issues and are doubtful here for the hosts.

Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert are long-term absentees for the visitors, while Dejan Kulusevski is nearing a return.

Spurs have won four of the last six meetings between these sides.

Likely XIs

United (4231): Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Tielemans, Santos; Mbuemo, Fernandes, Rashford; Cunha.

Spurs (4231): Kinsky; Porro, Van Hecke, Van de Ven, Robertson; Bentancur, Tonali; Savio, Fernandes, Marmoush; Solanke.

Team news & squads

Carrick faces a significant injury crisis at Old Trafford, with Amad Diallo, Matthijs de Ligt, Tom Heaton, Manuel Ugarte, Karl Darlow, Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford, Benjamin Sesko, Patrick Dorgu, and Noussair Mazraoui all sidelined. There are no reported suspensions, though the scale of absences leaves United's squad stretched thin heading into the match. Summer signing Carlos Baleba has recently returned to action in a behind-closed-doors friendly after an ankle problem, offering some encouragement amid the injury concerns.

De Zerbi is also without key personnel, with Wilson Odobert, Xavi Simons, Mykhaylo Mudryk, Pedro Porro, Jan Paul van Hecke, and Micky van de Ven all unavailable through injury. No suspensions are recorded for the visitors, but the absences add further difficulty to an already troubled start to the season. Updates to both squads will be added closer to kick-off.

Form

United have taken two points from their last three Premier League matches, drawing 1-1 with Fulham most recently and sharing a 2-2 draw with Everton earlier in the run. Sandwiched between those results was a 1-0 home defeat to Manchester City, and they also lost 2-3 to Brighton in the Carabao Cup. Their sole bright spot across five matches was a 4-0 Champions League win over Sabah FK, leaving them with one win, two draws, and two defeats in that spell.

Tottenham's recent record makes for grim reading. De Zerbi's side have lost three of their last five matches, including defeats to Aston Villa, Liverpool in the Carabao Cup, and Newcastle United. They drew 0-0 with both Everton and Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, failing to score in three of those five outings. Spurs have conceded eight goals across the five matches while scoring just four.

Head-to-Head Record

The most recent meeting between these sides ended in a 2-0 win for Manchester United at Old Trafford in February 2026. Across the last five encounters, Tottenham have won two, United one, and one match ended in a draw, with the sides also meeting in the Europa League final in May 2025, which Spurs won 1-0. United's home record in this fixture offers some encouragement, but Tottenham have shown they can cause problems across multiple competitions.

Standings

In the Premier League table, Manchester United sit 12th while Tottenham are bottom in 20th place, making this a fixture with contrasting but urgent stakes for both sides.

Success on the international stage is usually a cause for universal celebration, but for Tottenham Hotspur youngster Yang, a recent gold medal victory has been overshadowed by off-field friction. The 20-year-old, who joined Belgian Pro League side Westerlo on a season-long loan during the summer transfer window, played a pivotal role in South Korea's triumph over hosts Japan in Saturday's final - setting up Swansea City's Eom Jisung for the game-winning goal.

In South Korea, able-bodied men are required to complete between 18 and 21 months of military service before the age of 28. Elite athletes who win gold at the Asian Games or any medal at the Olympics are granted an exemption, allowing them to pursue their professional careers uninterrupted after completing just a few weeks of basic training. This pathway was famously utilised by former Spurs captain Son Heung-min in 2018.

The firestorm began when Yang was asked about the significance of the victory and the physical rewards involved. The winger was quoted as saying: 'We were being compensated, and the compensation was military exemption, so it feels like we played with that one thing in mind. Honestly, whether it was a trophy or a medal wasn't important.' These words were interpreted by many as a dismissal of the honour of representing the Taeguk Warriors. As the criticism intensified, the Tottenham loanee realised the gravity of his statement and took to social media to issue a comprehensive and heartfelt apology to his compatriots.

In his lengthy statement, Yang expressed regret for how his words were perceived by the public. The player wrote: 'Hello, this is Yang Min-hyeok. I am sincerely sorry for causing disappointment and discomfort to so many people with my remarks regarding the Asian Games. Participating in the Asian Games as a representative of South Korea held great significance for me, and as an athlete, I naturally gave my all with the goal of winning the championship and the gold medal. However, I failed to properly convey that the military service exemption was merely one of several motivators - alongside the desire to achieve great results - that drove me forward.'

Beyond the sporting implications, Yang's comments were seen by some as insensitive toward the thousands of young South Korean men currently serving their mandatory terms in the armed forces. The winger was quick to address this specific point in his apology, acknowledging the hard work required to earn such a prestigious achievement and the respect he holds for those in active service.

Yang continued his explanation by stating: 'Regardless of my original intent, it is clearly my fault that my words caused discomfort and made it appear as though I took the significance of the gold medal lightly as a national team athlete. I recognise that the gold medal was not something simply guaranteed; it was an achievement made possible only through the hard work and support of many people. Furthermore, I never intended to belittle or mock the efforts of those currently fulfilling their military service obligations or those who will do so in the future. I sincerely apologise to everyone who was hurt or disappointed by my thoughtless remarks. Moving forward, I will strive to make amends not only through my words but by demonstrating a better attitude and a greater sense of responsibility on the field. My sincere apologies.'