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Tottenham don't need the Lucas Bergvall headache any longer, and they certainly shouldn't want it. Spurs are not short of problems, still without a Premier League win this season, and Roberto De Zerbi is already coming under pressure.

De Zerbi was given more than £300million worth of new players during the summer transfer window, which is more than any Tottenham manager in history has been given. That was always going to add pressure, and while an adaptation period of sorts was expected, six league games without a win to start the season was not.expected.

There are injury problems aplenty, but there is nothing new about that. It feels like the last three Spurs seasons have been the same on the injury front.

What Spurs don't need is additional problems like Bergvall, who can't seem to find a way to fit in. The Sweden international is a talented player, but he doesn't want to play in his best position, and that isn't helping anyone, least of all himself.

Bergvall is clearly a number 10 who can also play wide, much like James Maddison, but he doesn't want to play there. He wants to play in the number six role, and Roberto De Zerbi himself has admitted frustration over that.

He said in the summer: "I’m always being very clear with him and with you. I would like that he stays with us. I think he’s potentially a top, top, top player. But then I don’t want to convince anyone to stay. Tottenham is already, without me, a top club and we are not to convince anyone to stay. He can find the space if he stays with us.

“The competition within the players will be very strong because we are Tottenham and we have to build a strong squad. Not just 11 players. Especially considering a lot of injuries we suffered in the last two, three seasons. Football is going in a clear direction – to compete for the highest places in the table, you have to manage 22, 23, 24 players. I don’t want 24, but 21, 22, of a high level, for sure.

"It’s very clear, his idea. He wants space. He wants to play as a double pivot as a position. I can’t give, for any player in the world, the place in the first XI guaranteed.

"Especially for me. I want to be honest with the players. I want to be clear. I don’t want to make the first mistake. In terms of position, I can’t give guarantee. It’s right when he wants to play as a central midfielder. But to play as a central midfielder, sometimes it is to attack, sometimes to keep the holder, to move the ball faster.

“He has to improve. He’s a 2006 (born player). I would like that he stays. But if he doesn’t want, then what can I do? Nothing. He has to speak with (chief executive) Vinai (Venkatesham) or (sporting director) Johan Lange. To stay with us, we have to have the right spirit to stay. He’s a good guy. We will see in the next weeks.”

Since then, Bergvall has only started two league games for Spurs, and there is already talk of him leaving during the January transfer window. In fact, TuttoJuve have reported that Bergvall has been offered to Juventus by his intermediaries, but it's added that the Italian club have to convince Tottenham to sell in January.

Now, we don't know if those reports are true, but what we do know is that Bergvall is becoming more of an issue than he is worth. He is a player with real talent, and we have seen it at times, but he has arguably taken a step back in his development, ironically by taking a step back on the pitch itself.

While he could have been on an upward trajectory to become a star number 10, he is now deep in the weeds of learning how to become a number six, which does not come natural to him, at least not in the Premier League, where pivots must be physically strong as well as comfortable on the ball in all areas of the pitch.

Bergvall's Premier League stats this season

Appearances: 4

Pass success: 86.5%

Aerials won per game: 0.5

Dribbles per game: 0.3

Key passes: 0

Ball losses per game: 0.5

And to make matters worse, Bergvall is not doing that quietly. He is expecting to play and learn on the go in a team that shouldn't be accommodating players learning as they go. That's what loans are for.

Spurs are a team and club trying to become successful and trying to put two bottom half finishes behind them. They can't afford distractions like Bergvall, not anymore. If they are going to have young talents, they need to have players who are willing to be patient. Bergvall appears to have a sense of entitlement far beyond a 20-year-old player, and unless his attitude changes, Spurs need to cash in.

We may be halfway through October, but Tottenham Hotspur are still looking for their first win of the Premier League season.

The Lilywhites spent around £400m in the summer transfer window after Roberto De Zerbi joined the club and saved them from relegation last season, as they look to ensure that they avoid another battle at the bottom, following consecutive 17th-place finishes.

But Spurs have so far drawn three and lost three of their opening six games, while they have also already been eliminated from the EFL Cup, in what has been a disappointing start for everyone involved.

Last weekend, the north London club travelled to Old Trafford to take on Man Utd and were dominant for much of the game, but left with only a draw as Dominic Solanke scored an injury-time equaliser for the ten men, following Rodrigo Bentancur's red card.

Despite controlling the match and creating a number of chances, the team failed to put United to the sword and were ultimately punished for it. De Zerbi had Savio and Mohammed Kudus causing chaos on the wings, with Lucas Bergvall and Sandro Tonali offering support behind Conor Gallagher who played as the number ten.

But the England international's lack of guile and quality on the ball meant that the team weren't as efficient in the final third as they could have been, considering the quality they have in their squad.

Away from home, it made sense to have Gallagher's energy and combative style in the side, as his pressing often led to turnovers of possession high up the pitch. But with a home clash against newly-promoted Coventry up next, adding some more control to their play would be a huge help.

De Zerbi has got options to choose from, but this feels like the perfect time for the Italian to name James Maddison in his starting lineup for the first time, and finally pick up three points.

'Special' Maddison a Gamechanger for Spurs

James Maddison has been a key player for Spurs ever since joining from Leicester, but over the last year he has been severely limited with his minutes after suffering a serious knee injury.

But the 29-year-old is fit again now, and the game against Coventry would be the perfect time to reintroduce him to the starting lineup, and help the team pick up their first win.

Speaking earlier this month, the manager admitted that he feels the playmaker is an important member of the team, and was excited to be able to welcome him back.

"James is a special player for us. Gallagher, as a 10, also he's playing well.

"We're (Maddison and him) both frustrated because he wants to be on the pitch. Not a big injury and tomorrow he can play but the Premier League is tough and you need to be fit and in the right condition to run and fight. He is working well and this is the way. The way is to complete 3/4/5 weeks in a row without feeling pain and problems and then he's a normal player."

Having that extra bit of control at home, and a player who can not only pick a pass, but also finish a move, could be exactly what this Spurs side has been missing, and Maddison getting a start could be the difference between finally getting a win, or continuing their winless start to the season.

Tottenham Hotspur are in the market to strengthen their squad in January by adding another attacker to De Zerbi's side.

The Lilywhites have had a poor season so far, failing to win any of their Premier League games, while they have also been eliminated from the EFL Cup, despite spending around £400m during the summer window.

The arrivals of Savio, Omar Marmoush and Mykhailo Mudryk have done little to turn their fortunes around after two consecutive 17th-place finishes in the Premier League, and a new striker has been anticipated to be a priority once 2027 arrives.

One man who has been linked with a move to north London is Real Madrid star Endrick, who returned to the Bernabeu following a loan at Lyon last season where he shone in the second half of the campaign.

The Brazilian was given the number 9 shirt by Jose Mourinho, but the iconic Portuguese coach has so far preferred to use Kylian Mbappe and Carlos Espi as his forward options, which limited the youngster to just four minutes heading into their Champions League clash with AS Roma on Wednesday night.

Reports earlier this month suggested that his lack of game time had seen ROC Nation hold talks with the Spanish side over his future, with another temporary move away being considered.

But Endrick was the Real Madrid saviour in Rome on Wednesday night as he came off the bench with his side 3-1 down, and scored a crucial header before helping the team to a memorable 4-3 victory, proving his worth.

Speaking after the game, manager Mourinho addressed his future, and confirmed that it was 'impossible' for him to be on the move in January, as he was a valued member of the squad.

“The clubs interested in Endrick will have to fight with me to sign him. I adore Endrick. He has top potential and is very important for us.

“Mark my words again, it is impossible for Endrick to be loaned out."

Tottenham Must Go Back to the Drawing Board

Tottenham need a striker, and a move for Endrick would have been the perfect solution for all the parties involved.

But with Mourinho now putting a stop to any potential exit, Spurs must go back to the drawing board and find an alternative plan, as their squad is still in desperate need of reinforcements to avoid another relegation battle.

Endrick has all the qualities that a modern striker needs, and Tottenham would benefit greatly from that. But with January set to be a huge time for the club, finding a new target and getting a deal over the line could be crucial to getting back up the table and where they feel that they belong.

Manchester United's poor start to the 2026/27 campaign continued on Saturday afternoon as they drew 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils were the favourites to win their Premier League match against Roberto De Zerbi's side, who were rock bottom of England's top tier at the time of kick-off.

United were poor throughout, but it looked as if they would come away with all three points when Bryan Mbeumo found the back of the net and Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off for the away side late in the second half.

However, despite having a man advantage, United were unable to hold on as Dominic Solanke headed home in stoppage-time to ensure the spoils were shared.

Jamie Carragher Pinpoints Man Utd's Problems

Michael Carrick's side were expected to challenge at the top of the Premier League this season, but they have picked up just six points and are currently positioned in 13th after six matches.

Jamie Carragher has now pinpointed exactly where United went wrong against Tottenham on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football. The former Liverpool defender showed numerous examples of Man Utd players not being physically and mentally ready to receive the ball. As a result, Tottenham's players won virtually everything when the ball was up for grabs.

One player he criticised for not being ready was Kobbie Mainoo. Spurs could have opened the scoring in the second minute when Lucas Bergvall beat the United youngster to the ball. Fortunately for United, Dominic Solanke was unable to take full advantage.

Carragher also explained why Youri Tielemans, who joined the club for £35m this summer, thrived for Aston Villa but is now struggling at United.

He explained that his lack of pace and athleticism wasn't a problem at Villa because Unai Emery's are very compact. Carragher said that United are the complete opposite, and showed an example where a Spurs player had acres of space in the middle of the park and Tielemans couldn't recover. The 48-year-old said that Tielemans can't stay in the team if things remain the same as he will continue to be exposed.

Carragher's analysis is going viral on X (formerly Twitter), with many United fans singing his praises and saying that he hit the nail on the head when it comes to pinpointing United's struggles.

And view Carragher's full analysis of Man United's problems below.

Carrick's chances of becoming the first Premier League manager to lose their job this season have increased following their failure to beat Spurs.

United will be looking to return to winning ways when they travel to Spain to face Atletico Madrid in their Champions League clash on Tuesday. They return to Premier League action on Sunday afternoon when they face Leeds United at Elland Road.

Tottenham Hotspur salvaged a point against Manchester United on Saturday and, after a poor start to the Premier League season, showed signs of promise at Old Trafford.

Spurs came from behind despite being down to 10 men at the Theatre of Dreams, although even that red card didn't anger Roberto De Zerbi, with the Italian praising the bite shown by his side.

The North London outfit face newly promoted Coventry City on Monday and, if Monday night is anything to go by, Spurs will need all that fight against centre-back Bobby Thomas.

Coventry City stun Newcastle United with titan in defence

Despite Coventry City putting four past Newcastle United to get their first win of the campaign, it was the centre-back Thomas who stole the show. The defender put his body in front of anything the Magpies threw at him, and was even dubbed 'prime John Terry' by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher at half time.

The best moment came when Thomas recovered to get back goalside of Matias Fernandez-Pardo, making an unforgettable block in style.

The Coventry Telegraph rated the player an 8/10 for his efforts, praising his 'superb' reading of the game. Thomas was also handed the Player of the Match award on Sky Sports for his showing.

It was a titan of a performance, and one that should scare Spurs. Speaking after the game, Frank Lampard promised that his side's next opponents can expect more of the same. He said: "I've been around it too long. if you bask in any glory or sit back...

"We've got Tottenham next game. I watched them play Man Utd and they played really well.

"The minute we relax in this league, no chance. If we're going to outperform, it has to be built on the baseline of spirit, and duels and second balls, all the basics. We were great at that tonight."

Dominic Solanke must prepare for Thomas challenge

In particular, the performance of Thomas should be noted by Dominic Solanke. The goal-shy striker has been struggling for Spurs and, while he did poke home the winner against Man Utd, still looked shy of a fight.

Thomas is a physical and quick customer. At his prime, Solanke would likely be considered favourite to win out, but the Tottenham striker will need to level up his game to find the back of the net again.

The striker could've had a hat-trick at Old Trafford, pointing to his misfiring tendencies right now, but can take solace in the fact he outwrestled Lisandro Martinez right at the death. It will take all of that streetfighter scrappiness to ensure a buoyed Thomas does not put him in his back pocket on Monday.

Manchester United players have come under the cosh for their performance in the 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday afternoon, and Jamie Carragher is the latest to ask serious questions of the Red Devils stars.

Michael Carrick's side managed to throw away a 1-0 lead against 10-man Spurs in injury time and the Liverpool legend was quick to point the finger at the attitude at Old Trafford.

Taking the time out to analyse the match on Sky Sports Monday Night Football, several Man Utd men came under criticism, but it was Kobbie Mainoo in particular who came in for criticism.

Jamie Carragher pours scorn on Man Utd midfielders

Mainoo was one of the Man Utd players who put in a better shift against the North London outfit. The midfielder has now started the last five Premier League matches, having been handed a spot on the bench for the season opener against Hull City.

It was far from a vintage performance from the 21-year-old, who was guilty of being caught in possession far too many times, but he did make a huge block against Savio which did deserve plaudits.

Carragher's analysis focused on the moments just before and after injury time was announced. The ex-defender circled Mainoo on the Sky Sports big screen as the midfielder strolled back into position from a defensive action.

He said: "You think Manchester United are going to go and win the game. It shouldn’t surprise you that they don’t. If you listen out, you hear the groans [on announcement of injury time]. Manchester United at home, 1-0 up against 10 men. That’s how they feel right now about watching this side.

"Gary Neville mentioned players walking against Fulham. I want to look at a situation here at the back post. I think it’s Mainoo in that position [walking]; Maddison makes a run off him, it’s too easy to get in the box. How often do Tottenham get the first touch on a ball? They’re a man down! Steve Holland is screaming at the team to get up the pitch."

Mainoo wasn't the only player to have his attitude questioned by Carragher. When analysing the passage of play which led to the scrappy Dominic Solanke equaliser, the pundit also took issue with the body language of Joshua Zirkzee and Bruno Fernandes when complaining to the referee rather than attending to defensive duties.

He added: "It’s the last bit which is unbelievable, unacceptable. There’s no way Fernandes should get to the ball before [Bryan] Mbeumo and [Carlos] Baleba."

Michael Carrick: 'Man Utd aren't lazy'

Carrick needs a big response from his players this week with tough fixtures against Atletico Madrid and Leeds United coming up. Unfortunately for the Red Devils boss, accusations that his team are lazy are not new this season.

On the opening weekend, when defeated 2-0 by Hull City, the same accusation was levelled at Man Utd. The Tigers pounced on sloppy defending in that game to stun their opponents.

At the time, when asked directly if his side were lazy, Carrick replied: "Teams lose games and win games, and it's not just because you try or you don't try.

"There are all sorts of different reasons. Teams lose games, so there's different reasons. I don't have to give you the total reason, because we know what we're trying to improve on.

"I think it's so easy and lazy to just say 'team loses a game, everything's wrong.' This is wrong, this is wrong, not trying enough, not enough passion."

Tottenham Hotspur may have hit a turning point in their season this past weekend, despite only claiming a draw in their clash with Manchester United.

Spurs put in a dominant display for the majority of the game before falling behind to a Bryan Mbeumo strike in the 73rd minute, and then things were made worse when Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off after an altercation with Luke Shaw. But the team responded well and pushed back to equalise in stoppage time thanks to a Dominic Solanke header.

But the north London club should have been clear of their rivals in the game with the opportunities they created, with a number of players wasteful in the final third.

While Solanke found the back of the net with a fine header late on, he also missed some big chances in the game. The biggest, and arguably the worst, was in the first minutes of the game when he was one on one following a mistake by Senne Lammens, but he couldn't find the net.

His selection from the start was something that fans weren't particularly happy with, and the fact he was given the captain's armband also made things worse for many. His miss early on left Roberto De Zerbi 'in disbelief', while his injury and goal records are far from impressive too.

The club spent big in the summer to bolster the squad, with big money spent on Savio and Omar Marmoush, while Mykhailo Mudryk also arrived on loan. But Solanke seems to remain the first-choice striker, which is a problem.

Tottenham will have already known they wanted a new forward to replace Solanke in the summer, but things haven't quite worked out, with the team still awaiting their first win of the campaign. But they are now off the foot of the table, and with more performances like they had at Old Trafford, the points will come.

But a new forward should still be a priority, and Spurs should look to revisit their interest in a former target to ensure that they have a prolific forward on the end of their attacks.

Samu Aghehowa The Perfect Spurs Forward

Last year, Spurs were strongly linked with a move for FC Porto star Samu Aghehowa, who was absolutely flying for the Portuguese side before he suffered a serious knee injury.

The Spain forward was being widely considered as one of the best young forwards in world football before that injury, but has now returned to fitness and has made two appearances this season. But the 22-year-old has now lost his place as the first-choice striker under Francesco Farioli, despite the manager admitting previously that he is a huge fan of him.

"Samu's evolution has been remarkable. At the start of the season, I heard many comments about the fact that he did not fit our playing style and I've always said I loved working with him.

"He is young, there are things he needs to improve and let me joke that thanks to his improvements with the first touch, I've called him Francesco Totti, because he made some passes that reminded me of the Italian legend who used to make similar passes."

But with a lack of regular game time, Spurs have the chance to pounce and make a fresh move to bring him in during the January transfer window. Samu has an £86m release clause in his contract, and while it's unlikely that they pay that much, it means that there is a chance to make a deal happen.

A former Premier League referee has spoken exclusively to GIVEMESPORT and offered his opinion on whether Luke Shaw was lucky to escape a red card for his part in the confrontation that resulted in Rodrigo Bentancur's dismissal in the fixture between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

With Spurs sat bottom of the table without a win, and Manchester United struggling to find form at the start of Michael Carrick's first full season as manager of the club, some fans had dubbed the fixture between the pair on Saturday afternoon as a 'relegation six-pointer', sarcastically mocking the poor performances from two of the Premier League's so-called 'big six'.

But it was clear to see that both sides were itching to get the advantage from the outset, fighting for every loose ball and sliding into every 50/50 without hesitation. Tensions quickly started to boil as the game progressed, particularly after Bryan Mbeumo put the hosts in front after 73 minutes with a shot driven low, across the goal and away from Spurs' goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky.

Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi turned to Uruguayan midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur to regain a foothold in the game, but his eagerness to make his mark on the fixture saw him given his marching orders just over ten minutes after his introduction.

Bentancur's poor tackle leads to melee

In a bid to challenge Luke Shaw for the ball, Bentancur lunged in with a heavy scissor-challenge on the English full-back, prompting Shaw to retaliate by chasing the Uruguayan down and shoving him over. As the Spurs man rose to his feet, he led into Shaw with his head, sparking a scrum of players, substitutes and club staff on the touchline, as tensions reached boiling point.

Unsurprisingly, Bentancur was shown a red card by referee Stuart Attwell, leaving his teammates to try and rescue the game with only ten men. Thankfully for the Uruguayan, Dominic Solanke's glancing header from Sandro Tonali's cross in the second minute of injury-time levelled the game and meant that Spurs didn't leave Old Trafford empty-handed.

But, whilst there was no question about Bentancur's dismissal, some fans were surprised to see Shaw only get given a yellow card for his role in the scuffle. Former Premier League referee Graham Barber spoke exclusively to GIVEMESPORT and offered his verdict on the matter

Bentancur could have avoided the whole incident

Barber started by recognising the fact that Bentancur's shocking tackle initiated the ugly scenes, whilst adding that it would be expected that anyone who has had an injury record similar to that of Shaw would react in a similar way to such a dangerous challenge.

"There's no doubt about the sending off, on a number of counts, and what we have to look at is what caused the incident in the first place. And what caused the incident in the first place, the most shocking tackle on Luke Shaw, who's had his troubles with injury, who's in and out of the team, and Bentancur just launched himself, both feet off the ground, not in control of his body, from distance at pace."

"So when you see that, then you say, OK, that's going to create a reaction to that player who's been offended by that offense."

And whilst pushing an opponent could be seen as violent conduct, Barber, who refereed the 2003 FA Cup final between Arsenal and Southampton, told GMS that he believes the referee came to the correct conclusion, adding: "Could you say that pushing a player over is violent conduct? You potentially could. Obviously, the bigger incident of the two was unquestionably, for a player that goes in like that, gets pushed over and then puts his head into Luke Shaw, is undoubtedly a red card."

"I'm not 100% sure it was violent, I think it was reactionary to a shocking tackle that he thought to himself that he could have been very, very badly injured, but I'm not saying that exonerates his behaviour."

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi may have just taken inspiration from a decision made by Mauricio Pochettino back in 2019.

De Zerbi must be pulling his hair out, thinking why Tottenham are struggling so much in the Premier League this season as they still search for their first victory.

Their performance against Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday was a huge positive, as they have undoubtedly shown huge signs of improvement.

They failed to get the victory, but they secured a point despite going down to 10 men after Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off.

Tottenham spent a ridiculous amount of money during the summer transfer window, but De Zerbi is still struggling to get a tune out of his players.

He's now trying something a little different, especially in the middle of the season.

According to Football London, De Zerbi has opted to take the Tottenham squad on a trip away to Spain this week in a bid to create a better bond within the squad.

Speaking on the decision, De Zerbi confirmed that they would be heading away, aiming to get them to work together, stay together, and get to know each other better.

"To work together, to stay together, to go for dinner together, to know better each other, because to be a team you have to know the team-mates, and be together."

It's an unusual decision from De Zerbi, especially considering they are heading away in the middle of the campaign.

Going on trips to different countries for team bonding is something we often see during preseason or an international break, not just days after an international break has finished.

It's something former Spurs manager Pochettino tried seven years ago, taking the squad away in the build-up to the Champions League final.

It could work wonders for Tottenham

It's a decision that could work wonders for Tottenham for the remainder of the season.

Spurs hit double figures for players signed during the summer transfer window, and there's not a chance all of those will turn out to be flops.

Tottenham signed some incredibly talented players. It just hasn't quite clicked for them yet.

When you bring in a number of new players and allow some to depart, there will be a period where they need to adjust and get to know each other.

The time away is now an opportunity for them to all bond, and it could be exactly what they need in order to finally head in the right direction.

It will be interesting to see how Spurs respond next week as they host Coventry on Monday night in the Premier League.

Tottenham came away thankful for a late point from their 1-1 draw at Manchester United despite dominating most of the match before self-destructing.

There was only one side that looked like they were rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table coming into the game, still searching for a first win of the campaign, and it wasn't Spurs. The visitors took charge of proceedings from the off and really should have made it count.

Lucas Bergvall cut out a sloppy Senne Lammens pass after just a couple of minutes to put it on a plate for first-time Tottenham captain Dominic Solanke to slot home unmarked in the centre of the area, but as United defenders converged, he failed to get it past the recovering keeper to even trouble the man on the line.

Further Spurs chances went begging for Mohammed Kudus and Conor Gallagher, before Solanke missed another guilt-edged opportunity after the break following good work from Savio down the left.

Having allowed United back into the match, Bryan Mbeumo looked like he had struck the winner on 77 minutes, and substitute Rodrigo Bentancur's mindless red card in a clash with Luke Shaw seemingly condemned Roberto De Zerbi to yet another defeat, before the profligate Solanke finally opened his account for the season in added time to snatch a draw out of nowhere and lift Spurs off the bottom.

The late goal showed admirable fight in dire circumstances, but on a day where Tottenham were by far the better side for much of the 90 minutes it still has to be considered a disappointing result.

Solanke rescues Spurs point after big misses at Old Trafford

Antonin Kinsky - B

A largely satisfactory performance in the Spurs net and arguably let down by his defenders for the space afforded to Mbeumo to score.

Destiny Udogie - B

Solid outing for the most part and willing to push forward to support the attack. Finishing isn't his main responsibility but the Italian was one of many to miss an inviting chance when played through on goal in the second half.

Marcos Senesi - B

Decent day in defence for the former Bournemouth man and created a couple of chances at the other end as well.

Jan Paul van Hecke - C

Gave Mbeumo too much space to turn and shoot to put United ahead after what had otherwise been a decent showing at the back until then. Seemed to lose concentration as the team faltered late on and may have played a role in the red card with a lunging tackle of his own seconds before Bentancur's.

Archie Gray - C

Very impressive early, snapping into tackles to catch United players unaware. But he failed to keep up that intensity in the build up to the opener as he neither closed down Shaw, nor got back quickly enough to assist Savio in stopping Matheus Cunha's ball to Mbeumo.

Lucas Bergvall - B

Industrious work in the middle which caught the hosts cold and should have resulted in an early opener when he seized on Lammens' loose ball to create a glorious opening for Solanke. Had that chance been converted it surely would have been a very different evening.

Sandro Tonali - C

Players can't actually help the price tags they arrive under but more might have been expected from a £100 million player when those around him are performing so well for the first hour. Crucially, however, the Italian kept going right to the end while teammates' were starting to become ragged, crossing to assist Solanke's leveller in added time.

Mohammed Kudus - B

Went the closest of anyone during a positive attacking display in the first 45 minutes, skewing a shot narrowly wide, and was a big part of the threatening early moves that pinned the hosts back.

Conor Gallagher - C

The former Chelsea favourite is known for his industry but in the midst of a performance in his image from the visitors as a whole he needlessly hamstrung himself by getting booked within minutes of kick off for a cynical foul on Harry Maguire. Should have scored just before the half but failed to get a shot off under pressure when bearing down on goal from close range.

Savio - A

Probably the pick of the attackers throughout a much-improved team performance for an hour or more and, but for some wayward finishing from teammates, might have been credited with the assists in a morale-boosting win. Threatened down the left throughout the first half, albeit without the decisive end product on a few too many occasions.

Dominic Solanke - C

Handed the captain's armband by De Zerbi the Englishman really should have made Spurs' early domination count when he was handed an opportunity on a plate by Bergvall. For all the money thrown about by Tottenham in the post-Daniel Levy era they still lack a presence up front that comes close to replacing Harry Kane. Solanke produced some decent link-up play, but his first priority is to put the ball in the net, and had he done so inside the first few minutes the visitors might have been out of sight by half time. Passed up another huge chance in the second half to make Tottenham's supremacy count when found by Savio, before finally finding the net at the death once any advantage had been lost. Ended up a hero of sorts when he should have made that indisputable earlier in the match.

De Zerbi still in search of first Tottenham win this season

SUBSTITUTES

Rodrigo Bentancur - F

Hard to overstate how poor the Argentinian's contributions were in the circumstances when he lasted 12 minutes on the pitch, barely touched the ball, then lost all composure to get sent off after his side had gone behind. Having flown in with both feet on Luke Shaw just minutes after United scored he was shown red by Stuart Attwell for leading with his head as the defender squared up to him in anger over the initial challenge. If the sending off had condemned Tottenham to a defeat the sequence would look even worse, but it will be no surprise to see Bentancur out of the side for the foreseeable future as De Zerbi surely thinks twice about relying on him during the ongoing struggles any time soon.

Omar Marmoush - D

Precious little attacking contribution in around half an hour of action. Really should be pushing the goal-shy Solanke up front but didn't help his case here.

Micky van de Ven - B

Did what he would have been asked to do as part of a defensive swap when De Zerbi was forced to switch up and chase the game.

James Maddison - C

Arriving into the fray in a difficult situation, the Englishman didn't provide much of a creative spark.