United front: Ten Hag still on 'one page' with ownership after abject Spurs defeat

UNDER PRESSURE: Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag reacts following the Premier League match at Old Trafford.

Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag denied that yesterday’s 3-0 home defeat by Tottenham Hotspur increases the likelihood that his days at Old Trafford are numbered. But that may not be good news for the United fans who imagined that things could not get any worse than the dire 1-1 Europa League draw with FC Twente in midweek.

At the moment, it seems they always can. Ten-man United lacked intensity, imagination or any semblance of goal threat against a Tottenham team that had all three and should have won by a wider margin.

Brennan Johnson put Spurs ahead in the third minute with his third goal of the season. United captain Bruno Fernandes was sent off just before half time for a clumsy foul on James Maddison, his first red card in United colours, before second-half goals from Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke put the game out of United’s reach.

“We all made this decision to stay together, as an ownership, a leadership group in the summer,” Ten Hag said. “Also we made the decision from a clear review what we have to improve and how we want to construct a squad but we knew it will take some time. We are all on one page or in one boat together, the ownership, the staff and the players as well. I don’t have that concern.” 

Making and missing chances has been United’s failing - and just five goals in their six Premier League games so far tells that story very clearly - but here they created very little in a limp display even with 11 men, while allowing Tottenham to cut through their defence at will. With trips to Porto and Aston Villa coming up this week, things may get worse for Ten Hag’s men before they get better. If they get better, that is.

Even without the injured Heung-Min Son, Ange Postecoglou’s side dominated, and however feeble the opposition, they deserve credit for a bold attacking showing and a fourth successive victory in all competitions.

Spurs were ahead after just two minutes and 37 seconds. Micky van der Ven made an interception on the left of the defence and galloped 75 yards upfield before crossing low and hard for the unmarked Johnson to tap in at the far post.

With United looking lethargic and flat, Andre Onana blocked a shot by Maddison after the England midfield player had played a delightful one-two with Kulusevski, then saw Johnson’s angled shot rebound to safety off the foot of a post before Cristian Romero put a spectacular scissors-kick just wide.

Would the visitors regret not turning such superiority into more goals? Garnacho reminded them how precarious a single-goal lead at Old Trafford can be, first by setting up Kobbie Mainoo for a shot that Guglielmo Vicario grabbed almost on the line, and then with a volley against the outside of the post.

However, any encouragement United took from that was soon replaced by despair as Fernandes slipped as he went to challenge Maddison then caught Maddison’s shin as he tried to retrieve the situation. Referee Chris Kavanagh reached immediately for the red card and although the decision looked harsh, it was not overturned by VAR.

“I don’t go in with my studs, just my ankle,” Fernandes told Sky Sports afterwards. “It’s a foul but it’s never a red card. I don’t understand why VAR doesn’t call the referee to the screen.” 

Ten Hag agreed but also had to admit that his side’s first-half display was unacceptable. “It was no good, definitely. It’s not possible that a player from the back can dribble through the whole team and then get a cross in. This can’t happen. Then we lost a little bit of confidence and we were also poor in possession.

“I don’t think it’s a red card. We had big chances and it’s only one-nil. We could have come back. It had a big impact.” 

One minute and 56 seconds into the restart, United were caught cold again as Kulusevski doubled the lead, lifting the ball delicately past Onana after Johnson’s low cross had ballooned up off Matthijs de Ligt.

Half-time substitute Casemiro half-volleyed just wide as United finally found some defiance around the 70th minute, But Spurs killed off any lingering hopes of a revival in the 77th minute when Solanke poked in unchallenged from close range as Pape Sarr nodded on a corner from fellow substitute Lucas Bergvall.

Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Onana 7; Mazraoui 6, de Ligt 6, Martinez 6, Dalot 5; Mainoo 5 (Mount 44, 5; Diallo 85), Ugarte 5 (Eriksen 73); Garnacho 6, Fernandes 4, Rashford 4 (Hojlund 73); Zirkzee 3 (Casemiro ht).

Not used: Bayindir, Evans, Lindelof, Antony.

Booked: Mazraoui, Dalot, Martinez, Ugarte. Sent off: Fernandes.

Tottenham Hotspur (4-3-3): Vicario 6; Porro 6, Romero 7, van der Ven 8 (Dragusin 81), Udogie 7 (Spence ht, 6); Kulusevski 8, Bentancur 7, Maddison 8 (Sarr 77); Johnson 7 (Moore 76), Solanke 5, Werner 5 (Bergvall 77).

Not used: Forster, Bergvall, Bissouma, Gray, Lankshear.

Booked: Johnson, Spence, Porro.

Referee: Chris Kavanagh.