Manchester Evening News

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, has suggested that Bruno Fernandes' dismissal was a result of the pressure his team applied during their impressive 3-0 victory over Manchester United on Sunday.

Spurs showcased their skills at Old Trafford, taking the lead within three minutes thanks to Brennan Johnson. The game took a turn when United's captain, Fernandes, was sent off for a high boot on James Maddison.

Tottenham capitalised on this, with Dejan Kulusevski scoring the second goal after half-time and Dominic Solanke adding a third. Despite Fernandes' insistence that it was 'never a red', claiming it was a foul but not worthy of a dismissal, Postecoglou chose not to engage in the debate about the fairness of the sending off. Instead, he highlighted how it occurred after Spurs had put United under 'enormous' pressure.

"I think it was a consequence of how we were going in the game," he said. "Just putting enormous pressure on them. The amount of chances that we were creating, we weren't letting them get out of their half. It was a strong all-round performance."

The Australian coach conceded that his team could have scored more goals, but he commended his players for their quick start and control of the game after United were reduced to ten men," he added. "I thought it was an outstanding performance. Started the game really well, scored a great goal, should have had two or three and been away. They get a red card and we control the game really well. Just an outstanding effort from the lads."

Fernandes was adamant it wasn't a red, telling the media after the game and firmly disagreed with the decision. "I agree that it is a foul but it is never a [sending off]," he told reporters. "The referee tried to tell me that as he saw it was a clear contact with the studs, no. I didn't touch him with the studs or even the foot, it was my ankle. It is a clear foul."

The outcome puts immense pressure on United's manager Erik ten Hag following consecutive 3-0 defeats at home - the previous loss being against Liverpool in their last Premier League match at this venue.

However, Ten Hag remained resolute during his post-match press conference, asserting that the club's hierarchy, led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, continues to support him after choosing to retain the Dutchman over the summer.

"No I am not thinking about [being sacked]," Ten Hag said. "We all made this decision to stay together in summer, as ownership group, leadership group. Also we made the decision, after a clear review, what we have to improve as an organisation and how to construct a squad."

"All the decisions were made in togetherness, also knowing it would take some time. We are all there on one page, one boat, the ownership, the leadership group, the staff, players too."

Dermot Gallagher reckons that it was the wrong decision to send Bruno Fernandes off.

The Manchester United captain was shown a straight red card on the stroke of half-time in Sunday afternoon's 3-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur - the first of his United career. Fernandes appeared to slip while trying to track James Maddison's run, catching the Spurs playmaker as he goes to ground.

On-field referee Chris Kavanagh wasted no time and brandished a red card while VAR sided with the decision that the motion from the Portuguese international was serious foul play. As a result, pending an appeal, he will miss the club's next three Premier League matches amid mounting pressure on his manager, Erik ten Hag.

ALSO READ: Fernandes reveals what Maddison told him after United red card vs Tottenham

ALSO READ: United set to stick with Ten Hag this week as he's pictured arriving at Carrington

Former Premier League referee, Gallagher, speaking on Sky Sports show Ref Watch, felt that the official made the wrong decision and that his view of the incident was obscured.

"Right, a lot of debate. Look, that's referee's view, I don't think he can see it, that's my first point.

"I don't think the referee sees the challenge happen. The assistant flags it, he has a different view and angle.

"If you run it on, this is the assistant's view, you can understand why the assistant would relay that it's high and off the ground because he's caught him high."

Gallagher went on: "When you play it through, you see it's a glancing blow, he doesn't catch him as he thinks. I can understand the referee not seeing it, he has to go off the assistant's view on that, he think it's high and caught him, but he hasn't. It's an optical illusion when you see it, a more palatable decision would've been a yellow card."

On the intervention of VAR, he added: "I can't answer it because they talk about the threshold. I'm not a referee's coach and never would be, but those headsets, the assistant has passed it on, the referee hasn't seen it. But he's got time, he's blown his whistle, at that point time is the only ally. I wonder if he goes to the assistant they confer, they might come to the same conclusion, it might look better.

"I don't think many people, at the time, thought the assistant had any input. You hear people say the referee was quick to get the red card out. The referee was led and, in my view, the referee was led incorrectly because of that angle we saw. If you pull all your resources together, I think you come to a far different decision.

"I think the angle from the assistant, that will deceive him," Gallagher continued. "From that angle, he will say that his foot looked high, but he can't see his point of contact. He can't see the intensity or the momentum he's gained in that - I don't think he has because he's come from such a short distance and that's why it's not a red card.

"I can understand the referee not seeing it, but the assistant seeing it conveys that message, but it's got lost."

Ineos have launched a new Manchester United project but they face PR disaster to make it work

In hindsight, this wasn't a great week for 'Project 150' to leak out of Old Trafford. As Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos appointments are beginning to find out, Manchester United and parody have become close pals in recent years.

Maybe United's majority decision-makers are simply hoping to speak it into existence. Following the old maxim that if you say it often enough it will happen. We lost 3-0 at home to Tottenham? Don't worry about that, we're going to win the league in 2028. We've even got a project name for it.

To bring Project 150 to fruition, who do Ineos see as the manager to deliver? Is it Ten Hag? Do they see something that so many others don't? It's almost impossible to envisage it happening. Right now, Ten Hag's personal Project 150 is to survive another 27 games to reach that milestone on the job.

Even that looks unlikely right now. Ineos are going to have to face the PR disaster that is paying off a manager they have just given an extended contract to, at a time when they made 250 staff redundant. Maybe there's a project name for that. If there is, it's probably unprintable.

Read Tyrone Marshall's full column, here.

RAILSTON: Manchester United fans are beginning to accept Erik ten Hag reality

Manchester United fans desperately wanted Erik ten Hag to be the manager to take the club back to the summit but with the benefit of hindsight they backed the wrong horse.

It looks like Ten Hag is nearing the finish line at Old Trafford and Sunday's heavy defeat to an ordinary Tottenham side felt like a significant turning point among fans. The Stretford End was defiant in the second half but they have seen enough. It's rare United fans turn on the manager, but supporters made an early exit from the stadium in their droves and nobody could blame them for wanting to be put out of their misery.

Read the full column, here.

Man Utd owners told they made Erik ten Hag's Man Utd job 'impossible' with decision

Alan Shearer has suggested that Erik ten Hag has been left with an "impossible" task at Manchester United after the club's owners openly sought his replacement during the summer.

On Monday's (September 30) episode of The Rest is Football podcast, Shearer, alongside co-hosts Gary Lineker and Micah Richards, argued that INEOS - under the leadership of Sir Jim Ratcliffe - conducting a public search for Ten Hag's potential successor over the summer has put the 54-year-old in an untenable position at Old Trafford.

"As soon as it came out in the summer that Man United were looking at other managers, the manager was on a losing run," said the Newcastle legend.

"Even though he had his FA Cup win last year which was brilliant and they deserved to win it, as soon as it came out that they were looking at other managers last year, they just did not help him at all. It was virtually going to be impossible for him."

Read the full story, here.

Ruud Van Nistelrooy interim, January clear out - Erik ten Hag Man United sack verdict

The pressure is mounting on Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag following their dismal 3-0 defeat against Tottenham.

United, who saw Bruno Fernandes just before half-time, were comprehensively beaten at home courtesy of goals from Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke. The Old Trafford club started on the back foot and went behind within three minutes, as Johnson tapped home at the back post after Micky van de Ven's fine solo run and cross. As United were preparing to go into the half-time break just one behind, Fernandes was shown a straight red card for a late challenge on James Maddison.

That made the task even harder for Ten Hag's side, who went 2-0 down moments after the interval, with Kulusevski expertly tapping home from close-range. Although United started to grow into the game, they were hit with a suckerpunch in the 77th minute as Solanke fired the ball beyond Andre Onana.

It ended 3-0, and there were boos from the United faithful after the full-time whistle. The defeat moves United down to 12th and behind Brentford on goal difference, having picked up just seven points from their opening six Premier League matches. They have also lost their last two top-flight home matches, having suffered defeat to Liverpool by the same scoreline four weeks ago.

Some have called for Ten Hag to be sacked after United's latest humiliating defeat, while others believe he deserves more time to turn it around. With this in mind, our Manchester Evening News writers deliver their verdict on his future and whether he should be dismissed...

Read the full story, here.

I saw Ruud van Nistelrooy do what Man United boss Erik ten Hag couldn't during Tottenham loss

As Tottenham prepared to take a wide free kick, the camera turned to Ten Hag again. This time he was sat on the bench, next to coach Ruud van Nistelrooy.

The two were in deep conversation over the game. While Ten Hag cut a frustrated figure with his input, including gesturing towards the pitch, van Nistelrooy appeared to be staying cool and calm during the conversation, not taking his eye off what was happening on the pitch.

The former striker was linked with some Premier League managerial positions over the summer, but he returned to Old Trafford to be part of Ten Hag’s backroom staff. The 48-year-old was PSV Eindhoven boss for a year, leading the Dutch side to victory in the Dutch Cup.

Read our full moments missed piece from yesterday's defeat to Spurs, here.

United make Ten Hag decision

Manchester United are set to stick with Erik ten Hag for now but the Dutchman faces a defining week as he battles for his Old Trafford future.

The pressure is building on the 54-year-old after a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Tottenham at Old Trafford on Sunday left United languishing in 12th in the Premier League. They have won just three of nine competitive fixtures this season.

Ten Hag arrived at Carrington at 7.30am on Monday and he is set to remain in charge for the Europa League trip to Porto on Thursday and the Premier League fixture at Aston Villa on Sunday.

Read the full story from Samuel Luckhurst and Tyrone Marshall, here.

Erik ten Hag speaks out on Manchester United future after Tottenham drubbing

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag insists he is not concerned about his future despite a second successive 3-0 Premier League home defeat.

"No, not thinking about this," Ten Hag replied when asked about his future. "We all made a togetherness, this decision, to stay together as an ownership, as a leadership group in the summer.

"And also we made the decision from a clear review, what we have to improve as an organisation and how we want to construct a squad. They are all decision-making in togetherness.

"But we also knew it will take some time because of how the window went, some players were late in like Ugarte, we have to integrate him now. Also, we had to make some improvements in organisation, we still have to deal with some injuries, impact players. We will get better there, we need some time.

"We are all there on one page, one boat, together, the ownership, the leadership group, the staff, the players’ group as well, so I don’t have that concern.

"Of course, there’s always a new game, there will be a new day and it’s also obvious you have to learn as a team."

Read the full story, here.

Jadon Sancho, currently on loan at Chelsea from Manchester United, appeared to repost a picture of celebrations from a Blues game moments after his parent side's defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. United's performance against Spurs at Old Trafford on Sunday was poor, with Brennan Johnson scoring early on and Bruno Fernandes receiving a red card.

Dejan Kulusevski then doubled Spurs' lead shortly after half time, and Dominic Solanke sealed Spurs' victory late in the game. This loss leaves United 12th in the table, equalling their worst start in Premier League history. The pressure is mounting on Erik ten Hag, whose position is increasingly precarious. Sancho, set for a permanent move to Chelsea next summer, appeared to take to social media after United's defeat.

Shortly after the final whistle at Old Trafford, he reposted a tweet from Chelsea's official account showing him celebrating with teammate Cole Palmer during Chelsea's 4-2 win over Brighton. The post was accompanied by a blue heart and a smiley emoji, reports the Mirror.

Since moving to Stamford Bridge Sancho has had a promising start, with three assists in as many games. He was also denied his first goal for the club due to a close VAR offside call against Brighton.

"Overall, I was just happy to play at Stamford Bridge for the first time as a Chelsea player," he said after the Brighton game. "It was a great feeling and I really appreciated the reception I got from the fans."

"It was a great feeling [to get a standing ovation from the fans] and my family and friends were in the crowd for the game, so that made it extra special. "I'm happy to have been able to assist for goals in recent games, I'm settling in well here and I just want to keep this momentum going and keep being able to assist my team-mates.

"Or even get a first goal, that would be nice!" Sancho is set to return to the pitch in midweek when Chelsea clash with Gent in the Europa Conference League, followed by a Stamford Bridge welcome for Nottingham Forest.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has aimed a dig at Gary Nevile and Manchester United after their 3-0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur.

Erik ten Hag's side found themselves behind after just three minutes as Brennan Johnson was on hand to follow Micky van de Ven's mazy run. Their task overturning the one-goal deficit was made greater on the stroke of half-time as Bruno Fernandes was shown a straight red for a foul on James Maddison.

Second-half goals from Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke took the game out of United's reach as they were handed a third defeat in the Premier League. As a result, they sit six points off the Champions League places after six games in 12th.

PLAYER RATINGS: Bruno Fernandes terrible and six 3/10s

Neville was critical of United's display throughout the contest at Old Trafford, and the Premier League-winning defender couldn't escape the quips with Spurs fans chanting, 'Gary, what's the score?'

On social media, Carragher couldn't resist a dig at his former foe and Sky Sports partner. The 46-year-old retweeted a post from the Sky Sports Premier League X account from August 19, which showed predictions from both the ex-Liverpool defender and Neville.

Neville tipped United to finish above Liverpool in the table and suggested the Anfield club could miss out on the Champions League completely, pitting them in fifth with United in third.

"This is a huge game in terms of the top four. Both teams haven't had the start they wanted albeit Spurs won last weekend, it's a really tough one to call. Both teams aren't in great form. It won't be a great result for either team but I can see this being a draw," Shearer told Betfair.

"It was really interesting of Ten Hag to leave Marcus Rashford out, which I found really strange. Whether it was because of a knock or for a disciplinary reason, whatever it was, when you're a forward and you haven't scored for such a long time, you get your goal and then another two in midweek, then you're left out three or four days later. I found it really strange."

"My guess is that he'll be back in the team this week and if he can take the form from the last two games, he'll be a key figure in what happens for Man United. He always is.

"Spurs have players that can hurt United. James Maddison is a top player, he's one of the players that could say he played his part and did okay during Spurs' slow start to the season. I'm a fan of his, I like what he brings to the team and he got his goal last weekend. Confidence wise, that'll be great for him and he'll play a huge part, absolutely.

"If Spurs do get into those positions and turn chances into goals then it'll be tough for Man United as well because they do give you chances and that's why I see it being a score draw."

Sir Alex Ferguson only had good things to say about Teddy Sheringham when he left Manchester United to re-join Tottenham Hotspur.

After four successful years with the Red Devils, during which he won six major trophies including the Treble in the 1998/99 season, Sheringham decided it was time to move on after United's title-winning campaign in 2000/01.

Despite being 35 at the time and coming off a stellar season as the club's top scorer, he chose not to extend his contract with the then Premier League champions. Instead, he returned to Tottenham, nine years after his first stint with the North London club.

His departure was met well by Ferguson who praised the Englishman for his services during his four-year stint at Old Trafford. The Scotsman said at the time: "Teddy was a great servant for us, he did a great job here.

"I said to him at the time when he was leaving that the offer he was getting from Tottenham, I don't think he could have turned it down. Teddy's proved to be a great buy for them." Back in 2001, Sheringham cited several reasons for his departure, including the desire to spend more time with his young son, reports the Mirror.

"It was no easy solution but I looked at the situation where I had four great years at United and enjoyed the experience, it's been brilliant, and looked at what was happening at the club and what players were coming in as well as the opportunity of going back to Tottenham," he said.

"It was a great opportunity for me and if I had another year at United, it might not have happened next year. The fact of going back to London and seeing a bit more of my son Charlie was a big draw as well."

He also expressed his dismay at his limited role in United's quarter-final tie against Bayern Munich in the Champions League as he said: "I told the manager I was very disappointed that I didn't play against Bayern Munich, especially in the first game at home when we had a lot of good results in Europe this year when I'd been playing."

Despite suggestions that Ruud van Nistelrooy's arrival influenced his exit, Sheringham dismissed those claims: "I don't really see him as a contender for my place or me for him, I think he's more like Coley or Solskjaer and I think that the three of them are very similar." After leaving United, he played for Tottenham, Portsmouth, West Ham, Colchester and Stevenage before retiring in 2008.

Sir Alex Ferguson claimed that Tottenham Hotspur won't ever lift a Premier League title and insisted that Manchester United stand a much better chance right now.

As United gear up to host Spurs at Old Trafford today, Ange Postecoglou will no doubt be eager to secure the three points following an inconsistent start to their campaign. A boost in morale is also needed for Erik ten Hag's squad as they strive to recover from last week's Europa League stalemate with FC Twente - and also aim to overtake Spurs in the league table.

Despite Spurs outdoing United last term by finishing fifth and the Red Devils finishing eighth, Ten Hag's outfit won the FA Cup - marking their second consecutive season with silverware. Meanwhile, Tottenham's quest for a trophy continues on since their League Cup victory back in 2008.

The London club's closest shot at the Premier League title came in the 2015/16 season when they came third - behind rivals Arsenal and eventual winners Leicester City. Over the last two years, Postecoglou has been steering a team overhaul, maintaining his focus on reaching the top four and a return to Champions League action.

Speaking earlier this year, Ferguson was quizzed on whether he believed Spurs might secure a Premier League triumph. The former United manager couldn't help but chuckle as he firmly responded "No! ", proceeding to elaborate on why he thinks the North London club will fall short of winning the title.

He said: "No, '61 was the last time they won it, well that's a long time. The opposition today with Liverpool and Manchester City being so powerful in the Premier League. Even for United now, we're having to fight."

When quizzed on whether Spurs would claim the league before United secured their 14th title, he bluntly replied: "No chance!"

Ferguson's views on Spurs are not new, however, as he famously gave a "Lads, it's Tottenham" team talk 15 years ago. Ferguson still seems unimpressed by the London club despite their progress - including reaching a Champions League final against Liverpool.

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Despite Manchester United's dip in form since Ferguson departed, they've hoisted silverware such as the Carabao Cup, FA Cup, and Europa League - achievements that eclipse Spurs' record during the same period.

Both clubs, currently in the middle of the pack with Spurs sitting just one spot above United, have had challenging starts to the season. Managers Postecoglou and Ten Hag will be eager to see their sides climb the table as they gear up for a significant clash that could kickstart their respective campaigns.

Both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur look set to have players miss today's Premier League match through injury.

United host Spurs at Old Trafford in their return to Premier League action as they look to return to winning ways. Erik ten Hag's side have drawn their last two matches in all competitions, most recently against FC Twente in the Europa League in midweek.

Last week also saw United held to a goalless draw with Crystal Palace which means the Reds go into the fixture against Tottenham in 11th place in the Premier League table with seven points from their first five matches of the season. Victory over Spurs would see United move up to eighth place and three points adrift of the top four spots.

United have been forced to deal with injury concerns for the entire campaign so far. Leny Yoro and Victor Lindelof are yet to feature this term with their respective injuries.

Yoro suffered a fractured metatarsal in pre-season and is not expected to return until November. Lindelof, meanwhile, has been sidelined with a toe injury this season and could return against Tottenham after returning to training earlier in the week.

Tyrell Malacia is also moving closer to a return to the matchday squad for the first time since May 2023. The left-back has not played for more than 12 months due to a knee injury and could make his long-awaited return to action next month.

Luke Shaw is also unavailable for United with a calf injury. The England international suffered the injury during pre-season and the latest optimism sees United hoping that Shaw will return after the October international break.

For Tottenham, one of the main injury concerns centres around club captain Heung-Min Son. The forward was withdrawn in the second half of Spurs' victory over Qarabag in the Europa League in midweek and remains a fitness doubt heading into the clash against United.

Manchester United will be looking to put an end to a three-game winless streak against Tottenham when the two sides meet in the Premier League later today.

Christian Eriksen quickly went from hero to villain in United's last outing, with the midfielder scoring before giving away possession for the FC Twente goal as Erik ten Hag's side drew 1-1 in the Europa League. Three wins from their first seven games of the season across all competitions isn't the greatest start from United, and a tough test awaits on Sunday when Ten Hag's side welcomes Spurs to Old Trafford.

United only took one point from their two games against Spurs last season, losing 2-0 in north London before being held to a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford. There are no new injury concerns for Ten Hag's side, with Luke Shaw, Leny Yoro, Victor Lindelof, and Tyrell Malacia remaining on the sidelines.

So, can United end their winless streak against Spurs? Let's take a look.

We simulated Man United vs Spurs to get a score prediction

To complete this simulation, we used EA FC 25 and updated the squads with the latest injuries and suspensions.

We predict that United could set up in a 4-3-3 formation, with their line-up as follows: Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez, Dalot; Ugarte, Mainoo, Fernandes; Amad, Hojlund, Rashford.

We predict that Spurs could line up in a 4-3-3 formation, with their starting XI as follows: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Sarr, Bentancur, Maddison; Kulusevski, Solanke, Johnson.

United had the best possible start at Old Trafford, with an early corner seeing Matthijs de Ligt rise highest and head home to give the hosts an early lead. The goal gave Ten Hag's side a huge confidence boost, and 20 minutes in, they managed to double their lead.

After scoring the opening goal, De Ligt was involved again, winning back possession with a great challenge on Brennan Johnson before sending a long ball forward. His pass beat the Spurs high line to send Rasmus Hojlund through on goal, and the striker kept his composure to fire home and make it 2-0.

Pape Sarr intercepted Kobbie Mainoo's pass deep in the United half, allowing Spurs to hit the hosts on the break. Sarr carried the ball forward before placing the ball into the path of Dejan Kulusevski, and after cutting back onto his left, he curled his strike into the far corner to make it 3-1.

Kulusevski's close-range strike wasn't followed by any more goals as United defended well to pick up a fantastic three points.

EA FC 25 predicted final score: Man United 3-1 Spurs

What do you think the final score will be? Let us know in the comments!