Manchester United suffered a crushing 3-0 defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday, continuing their troubled start to the season. Erik ten Hag’s side were outplayed by an energetic Spurs team, marking United’s third loss in just six league games.
The match began disastrously for United, with Tottenham taking the lead within three minutes.
Brennan Johnson found the back of the net after latching onto a cross from Pedro Porro, catching the Red Devils cold before they had time to settle.
Despite some attempts to regroup, United struggled to recover from the early setback.
The situation worsened just before halftime, when frustration boiled over for United.
In the 42nd minute, captain Bruno Fernandes committed a reckless foul, leaving the referee no choice but to show him a red card.
The sending off further complicated United’s already difficult task, reducing them to 10 men for the remainder of the match.
Tottenham took full advantage of the extra space early in the second half, doubling their lead through Dejan Kulusevski just two minutes after the restart.
The Swedish winger was clinical, firing past goalkeeper André Onana to put Spurs firmly in control at Old Trafford.
Despite some brief moments of attacking intent from Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford, United could not find a way to break down Tottenham’s organized defense.
As United pushed forward, they left themselves vulnerable to counterattacks, and Spurs capitalized again.
In the 77th minute, Dominic Solanke sealed the victory with a well-placed goal, ensuring Tottenham walked away with a commanding win.
Although André Onana madehttps://www.afriquesports.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/ssstwitter.com_1727628017327.mp4 several key saves throughout the match to prevent an even heavier defeat, the Cameroonian goalkeeper was unable to stop the onslaught.
United’s lack of cohesion and discipline was glaring, as they failed to mount any serious threat to Tottenham’s dominance.
This latest defeat compounds Manchester United’s struggles in the early part of the season.
Having already dropped points in two other losses, alongside two wins and a draw, the team now sits in 12th place with just seven points.
In stark contrast, Tottenham’s victory lifts them to eighth with 10 points, as Ange Postecoglou’s side continue their promising start to the campaign.
For Ten Hag, this result raises further questions about the team’s form and discipline.
With Fernandes’ dismissal and the side’s inability to score, the pressure is mounting on the Dutch manager to find solutions quickly.
Meanwhile, Tottenham fans will take heart from their team’s clinical performance as they look to build momentum in the weeks ahead.
Manchester United will need to regroup and reassess quickly as they face a daunting schedule ahead.
Their early-season struggles have exposed several issues, and with more tough fixtures on the horizon, the Red Devils will need a sharp turnaround to climb back up the table.
