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Matthijs de Light felt Tottenham got “lucky” during Saturday’s enthralling 2-2 draw with Manchester United

Bryan Mbuemo’s first-half header was cancelled out by Mathys Tel‘s 84th-minute strike, before Richarlison’s improvised header sent Thomas Frank’s side on their way to the win.

However, with seconds left on the clock, De Ligt rose highest to claim a valuable point for the Red Devils.

The result sees Tottenham go into third place in the Premier League table, whilst Man United move above Chelsea into seventh.

On reflection, Tottenham’s draw to Man United was a fair result, yet De Ligt has complained about Tel’s equalising goal.

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Matthijs de Ligt makes foolish comments about Mathys Tel’s goal

Spurs were dreadful in the first half, and Frank will be under pressure at Tottenham for how his side started the match.

Tel’s brilliant turn and finish took a nick off the Dutch defender before flying into the back of the net to give Tottenham a lifeline.

Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, De Ligt was adamant that Tel’s equaliser was down to good fortune.

He said: “Luckily, we got a point. I think we deserved more the way we played. I felt the second half, we were a little tired. We didn’t get the chance to get out of our half.

“Their first goal was a bit lucky, I’m a bit upset about that, but I’m proud of how the team fought back and got a point at a difficult stadium.”

As seen by the stats above, Spurs came to life in the second half, and there is no doubt that they were deserving of at least a draw on Saturday.

Poor defending from crosses were their downfall against Man United, and as a result, Tottenham’s worrying record at home has continued.

Tel’s second goal of the season has come at an excellent time after spending the last four matches on the bench.

The French forward’s sharp touch allowed him to gain a bit of space, and it’s down to skill, not luck, that De Ligt could only deflect the strike past goalkeeper Senne Lammens.

One win from six Premier League home games is far from good enough, and it’s clear that they still have a long way to go under Frank.

Tottenham’s performance still good enough vs Man United

Whilst De Ligt is clearly wrong in saying Man United should have won, for the first 45 minutes, Spurs were once again performing well below par.

There was little invention or ingenuity in Tottenham’s creative play, and the visitors found it quite easy to deal with their threat for much of the game.

Performances at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium have been dreadful throughout the campaign, with defeats to Chelsea, Aston Villa and Bournemouth denting what would have been an otherwise fantastic start to the season.

Trips to Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain await after the international break, and Frank’s side will be severely punished if they continue to play with such lethargy.

Joao Palhinha has made Jamie Carragher’s recent comments look silly after his performance for Tottenham in their 2-2 draw with Manchester United.

The Lilywhites made it five games without a win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the league, as they haven’t tasted league victory at their N17 home since the opening day of the season.

Tottenham thought they had turned the game around on Saturday as late goals from Mathys Tel and Richarlison had seemingly given them all three points.

However, Matthijs de Ligt stepped up with a header in the dying embers of stoppage time to ensure that the points were shared.

Palhinha came under scrutiny during the week, but he quickly disproved Carragher’s suggestion with his display at the weekend.

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Joao Palhinha rubbishes Jamie Carragher lack of quality claim

Palhinha has been largely excellent for Tottenham since his arrival on loan from Bayern Munich in the summer, and there has been hardly any criticism come his way so far this term.

However, that was until Monday night, when Carragher took a swipe at the Portuguese during his analysis of Spurs’ defeat to Chelsea on Monday Night Football.

The Sky Sports pundit was hugely critical of the North Londoners’ display against their bitter rivals, and even Palhinha didn’t escape the accusations made by the former Liverpool defender.

The 47-year-old suggested that the Spurs midfielder doesn’t possess the required level of quality on the ball to play defence-splitting passes and drive his team forward by playing direct balls through the lines.

It is fair to say that Palhinha made Carragher look silly with those statements through his performance on Saturday, as he completed nine passes into the final third during the game, a tally which was only bettered by Pedro Porro among the Spurs ranks.

The former Fulham man also showcased his typical energy in the draw with United, as he won four tackles and was also successful in 70 per cent of his ground duels in a typically battling display in the middle of the park.

Thomas Frank was right to back Joao Palhinha at Tottenham

Thomas Frank opted to start Palhinha for Tottenham in Saturday’s game, and he was rewarded for that decision by another excellent display from his loan star.

The Dane was asked about Carragher’s comments in his pre-match press conference, and as expected, he stood by his midfield star and chose to highlight the other elements of Palhinha’s game that have made a huge difference to his team.

It was an unsurprisingly sensible response from Frank, who is clearly aware that his team’s creative issues of late should not fall onto the shoulders of a combative, box-to-box midfielder.

Palhinha does invaluable work in the midfield for his team, and his importance to the team is highlighted by the fact that Spurs already want to turn his move into a permanent one.

Richard Keys made a more than valid point about Thomas Frank as he spoke out during Tottenham’s dramatic draw with Manchester United on Saturday.

Tottenham’s 2-2 draw with Man United started off rather quietly until Bryan Mbuemo opened the scoring in the first half with a smart header from Amad Diallo’s brilliant cross.

Substitute Mathys Tel brilliantly levelled up the scoring in the 84th minute with a brilliant touch and finish, before Richarlison diverted a header past Man United goalkeeper Senne Lammens to send the fans into delirium.

However, Matthijs de Ligt rose highest to equalise for the visitors in the 96th minute, breaking the hearts of the supporters who thought they’d gotten over the line.

With Tottenham’s woeful record at home under scrutiny ahead of the match, the draw still leaves them with questions to be answered, and Keys was on hand to deliver a damning verdict on Frank’s reign at Tottenham.

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Richard Keys slams Thomas Frank’s impact at Tottenham

The result sees the Lilywhites go into third place in the Premier League table, whilst Man United move above Chelsea into seventh.

Tottenham’s 1-0 loss to Chelsea sparked demands for an improvement at home, yet they started the game incredibly poorly once again.

Speaking on beIN SPORT at half-time, Keys tore into Spurs’ performance up to that point and heaped criticism on Frank.

He said: “Dreadful from Tottenham. Dreadful. I don’t understand Thomas Frank. Is he overawed by his surroundings?

“Has he become Spursy? I never saw Brentford play like this. Ever.”

Mbuemo’s 32nd-minute header capitalised on terrible Spurs defending, and it summed up a first-half performance that Frank will be furious with.

Frank will find himself under pressure once again, despite having registered some brilliant wins on the road.

Tottenham have only won one Premier League game at home this season, and supporters are far from impressed with what they’re currently seeing under Frank.

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has been anything but a fortress, and Frank failed to galvanise the crowd with a consistent performance that they could have been proud of.

Frank oversees terrible stat that Ange Postecoglou didn’t manage

Frank was clearly furious with his attacking players and brought Wilson Odobert on at half-time to replace Randal Kolo Muani.

The draw to Man United marked the second game in a row that Tottenham have failed to register a shot on target in the first half of a match.

This happened only once last season, and it’s a staggering stat given the fact that Spurs finished 17th under Ange Postecoglou in 2024-25.

Another cause for concern is that Tottenham never looked like scoring in that first half, and it’s not the first time we’ve seen that this season.

Frank’s side had just three touches in the opposition box during the first 45 minutes, their joint-fewest in a Premier League home game over the last ten seasons.

Dropped points to a fellow top-five rival for the second week running is a huge blow for Tottenham, and Frank must amend the poor home form after the international break.

Keith Hackett has suggested Tottenham could be investigated by the Premier League if Manchester United file a complaint about the state of the playing surface.

Tottenham’s clash against Manchester United ended in a 2-2 draw at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.

Bryan Mbeumo was on the scoresheet for United, with a performance that surely made Spurs supporters regret not signing him over the summer.

Meanwhile, Mathys Tel found the back of the net for Spurs, seven minutes before full-time and Richarlison netted what looked to be the winner before Matthijs de Ligt popped up.

De Ligt levelled the score for United in what was a dramatic conclusion, and it may now only get worse for Spurs moving forward.

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Concerns over Tottenham playing surface vs Man United

A point was made via talkSPORT during the game on 8 November that Tottenham’s playing surface did not look up to standard.

Indeed, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is known for its multi-purpose use, with multiple NFL games being staged there of late.

Former FIFA official and head of PGMOL Hackett exclusively told Tottenham News that Spurs could face an investigation if Man United lodge a complaint.

“I recall officiating on almost what resembled a ploughed field in those early years of my career,” the former PGMOL chief said.

“To see the development of playing surfaces to the level that they achieve is remarkable.

“There’s been serious investment in the infrastructure and then the ongoing work of the ground officers.

“But if any complaints are made by Man United about the playing surface, Spurs will no doubt be investigated. This is one of the problems for modern stadiums that hold multi-events.”

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium atmosphere an issue

Tottenham are facing more challenges than a potential investigation when it comes to their home stadium.

Indeed, Guglielmo Vicario criticised the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium’s atmosphere after their dreadful performance in Spurs’ 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Premier League.

Furthermore, the age of fans travelling to the stadium has been highlighted as part of the issues, and it has been suggested that Tottenham should follow PSG’s model of having a section for younger fans with tickets at a cheaper price.

Either way, with 10 defeats in the calendar year and counting, something needs to change in North London.

Dimitar Berbatov wanted Manchester United forward Bryan Mbeumo to shoot instead of passing the ball early on against Tottenham in the Premier League on Saturday.

Spurs hosted Ruben Amorim’s team on 8 November, and the Red Devils went into the break with a one-goal advantage thanks to Bryan Mbeumo’s header in the 32nd minute.

Senne Lammens had an early scare at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and while the North London outfit were on the front foot initially, the visitors took control of the game as the first half progressed.

In the fifth minute, Bruno Fernandes threaded an impressive pass to the former Brentford attacker in behind the Lilywhites’ defence, but he squared it into the box instead of testing Guglielmo Vicario.

Bruno Fernandes key for Manchester United against Tottenham

While Mbeumo could potentially have done better when handed one of his first opportunities to score, Berbatov wanted to give the Manchester United captain his flowers.

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The Portugal international was influential in the build-up to the Red Devils’ opportunities at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the 2-2 draw.

Eventually, in the 32nd minute, the 26-year-old Cameroon international didn’t make any mistakes, scoring a header from Amad Diallo’s cross, and overall, the game had an exciting end to it as Matthijs de Ligt scored a late equaliser after goals from Mathys Tel and Richarlison.

Speaking on Premier League Productions on 8 November during the half-time analysis, Steve Bower said: “Man United have had a couple of opportunities, one actually, where you were screaming, shoot.”

Berbatov responded: “That pass from Fernandes. This is where he thrives, this is what he’s best at. The vision of that pass. Not many players give that pass. [Mbeumo] can dink it, but I like what he tried to do because he tried to find someone to score.”

Pape Matar Sarr struggled defensively against Copenhagen in the 4-0 Champions League victory on 4 November, and the midfielder’s woes continued as he should’ve certainly cleared his lines instead of passing the ball to Micky van de Ven in the build-up to Man United’s goal.

Thomas Frank must address one major issue at Spurs

Thomas Frank risks getting sacked at Tottenham as fans certainly expect exciting football under the former Brentford boss.

Instead, Spurs fans have witnessed their team put in inconsistent performances, and that was their downfall in the Premier League last season.

While the North London outfit’s away form has been impressive, boasting an unbeaten record on the road, they’ve failed to make Tottenham Hotspur Stadium a fortress.

De Ligt’s last-minute goal must’ve been a sucker punch for Frank, but he needs to build on that second-half resilience in N17.

Tottenham drew 2-2 with Manchester United in a crazy game on Saturday afternoon.

The Lilywhites had plenty of optimism heading into the game after a rampant Champions League display in midweek, but they endured another frustrating afternoon in domestic action at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at the weekend.

Tottenham lost out on Bryan Mbeumo’s signature in the summer, and the United star headed home the opener in the 32nd minute to punish his former boss Thomas Frank.

The hosts didn’t look capable of salvaging the game until the 84th minute, when goals from Mathys Tel and Richarlison turned the game on its head.

However, Matthijs de Ligt popped up to snatch a point for the visitors with a header deep into stoppage time.

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It was a whirlwind end to the game from the N17 outfit, and with that in mind, Tottenham News rates the displays of every single Spurs player.

Randal Kolo Muani anonymous for Tottenham

Randal Kolo Muani has waited for his opportunity at Tottenham for several weeks after his arrival on deadline day, and he hasn’t set the world alight now that he has come into the team.

The Frenchman looks devoid of confidence in a Spurs shirt, which is somewhat understandable given the injury-hit start to the campaign that he has had to endure.

Kolo Muani managed just 12 touches during the first half, the lowest total of any player on the pitch who started the game, and his teammates failed to get him involved in the game at all.

The PSG loanee was largely anonymous during his 45-minute involvement, as he failed to complete a key pass, or successful dribble and also didn’t manage a single shot.

He was substituted at half-time by Frank after an anonymous display, and although that wasn’t entirely his fault, he was worthy of nothing more than a 3/10 rating.

Cristian Romero imperious in Manchester United draw

Cristian Romero has been sorely missed by Tottenham during his recent injury lay-off, but he was back to his best on Saturday against United.

The Argentine was imperious at the heart of the defence for the Lilywhites, despite their frustrating defeat to Ruben Amorim’s men.

The 27-year-old won six tackles during the game, more than any other player, and he was also excellent when it came to winning his duels, as he emerged triumphant from 64 per cent of his battles.

Romero made some crucial interventions for his team throughout proceedings, and he almost snatched an equaliser in the second half, when his flick forced a superb save from Senne Lammens.

The former Atalanta man was the shining light for Spurs during their defeat, and his performance warranted an 8/10 rating, despite an unwelcome result.

Tottenham player ratings vs Manchester United

Guglielmo Vicario – 6

Pedro Porro – 4

Cristian Romero – 8

Micky van de Ven – 7

Djed Spence – 6

Joao Palhinha – 7

Pape Sarr – 7

Brennan Johnson – 4

Xavi Simons – 6

Richarlison – 7

Randal Kolo Muani – 3

Substitutes

Wilson Odobert – 7

Destiny Udogie – 6

Rodrigo Bentancur – 6

Mathys Tel – 7

Stuart Pearce has questioned Richarlison’s ability to lead Tottenham’s line after his missed opportunity against Manchester United.

Tottenham welcomed Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday in the hope of boosting their top-four hopes.

The Lilywhites had a sound record against the Red Devils heading into the contest, having lifted the Europa League with Ange Postecoglou in their last meeting.

Richarlison has struggled to perform for the Lilywhites these past couple of months, and the first half against United was no different.

Richarlison miss costly vs Man United

Richarlison missed the opportunity to open the scoring for Tottenham around a quarter of the way into the first half.

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Brennan Johnson sent in a great cross into the opposition box, which was even better than the one Pedro Porro had launched moments before.

This time, Richarlison was there to meet the ball, but didn’t get enough on the ball to guide it in.

On the poor effort, Pearce, while commenting on the game via talkSPORT on 8 November, said: “We’ve seen two things there. One why Micky van de Ven is Tottenham’s top goalscorer.

“Missing chances like that indicates the likes of Richarlison isn’t the man to do that job. It was a gilt-edged chance.”

What was a golden opportunity for the Lilywhites came back to haunt them later in the half when former Tottenham target Bryan Mbuemo opened the scoring for United against his former manager.

Given the Brazilian’s poor form and Mbuemo’s excellent season for the Red Devils thus far, Thomas Frank will no doubt regret that his side did not push harder for the right winger.

Thomas Frank must omit Richarlison from the lineup

Frank started both Randal Kolo Muani and Richarlison in the attack against United in a decision that surprised fans.

The choice to start Muani is understandable, but after a horrid cameo in Spurs’ 4-0 win over Copenhagen in the UEFA Champions League, it is a wonder why he wasn’t benched against the Premier League side.

On top of this, the penalty he missed was won by youngster Dane Scarlett, and taking it did not go down well with Spurs supporters.

Richarlison is clearly a player low on confidence, and with Kolo Muani playing well and Mathys Tel an option on the bench, Frank should consider omitting the Brazilian from his starting lineup after the international break.

Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens was lucky after his error in the second minute against Tottenham in the Premier League on Saturday, Ally McCoist says.

The Rangers icon, who was on commentary duty on TNT Sports 1 as Rube Amorim’s team travelled to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, was left amazed by the Belgian shot-stopper’s lack of concentration early on in the game.

Micky van de Ven will hope to continue his heroics at Spurs after scoring a wondergoal in the 4-0 win over Copenhagen in the Champions League on 4 November.

The North London outfit could’ve had an early lead at home against the Red Devils had Lammens been a few inches to the left.

Senne Lammens to breathe sigh of relief after early error in Tottenham vs Manchester United

Lammens got it all wrong in the second minute of the game as he failed to control Matthijs de Ligt’s back pass.

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The goalkeeper ended up conceding an early corner at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but Spurs were unable to make the most of it.

McCoist feels the 23-year-old shot-stopper will be “absolutely ecstatic” that his mistake didn’t lead to something worse in N17.

Speaking on TNT Sports 1 on 8 November, the Scotsman said: “That’s incredible. He’ll be absolutely ecstatic that wasn’t in front of his goal. This is incredible.”

Spurs are heavy favourites to beat Man United as per Opta’s supercomputer, and Thomas Frank will hope the day ends with them getting the three points.

While the North London outfit have started strongly at home, the visitors slowly got into the game and Bryan Mbeumo eventually scored in the 32nd minute..

Thomas Frank has no-brainer change for half-time at Spurs

Richarlison has been underwhelming for Tottenham this season, and the Brazilian striker continued his struggles against Man United.

In the 17th minute of the game in North London, the former Everton forward missed a glorious chance to give the hosts the lead after a delicious cross from Brennan Johnson, but he missed the header.

A few minutes later, the 28-year-old’s clearance from a Man United cross hit his arms, but thankfully, nothing much was made of it.

It would make perfect sense to bring Wilson Odobert on for Richarlison and adjust the system a bit in the second half.

‘This Tottenham player’s display vs Copenhagen showed exactly why he must leave in January’

Richarlison’s performance against Copenhagen has reaffirmed for some Tottenham fans that this should be his last season in North London.

Tottenham triumphed in a 4-0 victory against Copenhagen in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Richarlison was substituted in the second half and went on to produce on one of the worst cameos seen by a Spurs player this season.

As well as missing multiple goalscoring opportunities, he took the ball from Dane Scarlett, who had won the penalty, and ended up hitting the crossbar.

Indeed, it was a display that fans will not want to see rewarded anytime soon.

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Richarlison could leave this January

Richarlison was linked with a departure from Tottenham over the summer window, but ended up continuing his journey at Hotspur Way.

While Richarlison’s start to the season at Spurs began well, his form soon took a turn for the worse.

Due to his drop in form and now his performance against Copenhagen, speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, Tottenham expert and Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham believes the Brazilian could leave Spurs as early as January.

“It was another sort of performance that realigns people’s thoughts that the club needs to move him on,” Wenham said.

“The way Dane won that penalty of individual brilliance, to turn the defender out on the far side, dive into the box, and then lead the defender to commit a foul. It was a real shame that when you’re winning by four and Richarlison took it and then missed.

“I think we’ve talked before about that potential move to South America, as early as the January transfer window. I just think with Randal Kolo Muani now coming into form, with Dominic Solanke back hopefully soon.

“I don’t see many minutes for Richarlison in a World Cup year. He wants to go to Brazil, and he needs to play.”

Randal Kolo Muani is the better option

Kolo Muani could’ve scored a brace in Spurs’ win over Copenhagen after missing several chances in the first half.

While his finishing was not dissimilar to Richarlison’s, the French international showed himself to be a team player when he passed the ball to Wilson Odobert to net his first Champions League goal for Tottenham, rather than taking the shot himself.

It was the right and a selfless decision, which made the Brazilian international’s choice to take the penalty appear that much worse.

The goals will surely come, but for now, Kolo Muani’s general play, selflessness and character have shown he has the talent and mindset to succeed in North London.

How to watch today’s Tottenham vs Man United Premier League clash: TV Channel and kick-off time

Tottenham’s Premier League game against Man United on Saturday could be hugely impactful for Thomas Frank.

Following Spurs’ embarrassing defeat to Chelsea, Thomas Frank will need to get a reaction from his players in a match that could bear a lot of significance when it comes down to European qualification at the end of the season.

Tottenham’s 4-0 win over Copenhagen was a brilliant victory in all aspects, yet there is a desperate need to put an end to the woeful home form in the Premier League.

Sitting level on points with Spurs, Man United have grown in confidence as the season has progressed.

Tottenham News has highlighted everything you need to know ahead of the game.

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Where to watch Tottenham vs Man United

Tottenham’s Europa League final win was the last time these two teams faced each other, and Spurs boast an impressive record over Ruben Amorim’s side.

Man United are winless in the last seven meetings between the sides, although they’ll be prove to be a much different test at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.

The game will be televised on TNT Sports 1, with kick-off at 12:30pm, and coverage beginning at 11am.

It is also available to watch or stream on Discovery+ UK, with a subscription required, and can be viewed on their website or app.

The last meeting between the sides in the Premier League saw Tottenham secure a much-needed win thanks to James Maddison’s first-half strike.

Tottenham’s 2-0 win over Man City has been the highlight of their season so far, but the manner of the win over Copenhagen in midweek was certainly close.

Tottenham must be wary of Man United’s threat in big games.

Man United’s 2-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield has been a turning point for Amorim’s relationship with the fans.

Their tactical approach to go long and cause problems in the air proved to be incredibly successful, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them deploy that strategy against Spurs.

Frank has come under criticism for not being able to break down teams that sit back, and this was evident in the defeat to Aston Villa.

The Red Devils will pose huge problems on the counter-attack with their pace and power in transition, and it’s up to Tottenham to find a way to play through Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system.