Dramatic De Ligt header salvages point for United but Amorim knows team must grow
Manchester United's Matthijs de Ligt celebrates scoring his sides second goal to level the score late on against Spurs. Pic: John Walton/PA
A day of mixed fortunes for Ruben Amorim and Thomas Frank after a helter-skelter game that Manchester United led for almost an hour, looked like losing but ended up drawing with a 96th-minute equaliser to extend their unbeaten run to five games, albeit missing a chance to move second in the table.
Amorim was certainly not affected by the traditional curse of a Manager of the Month award, which is often followed by defeat, but United came close to making it five consecutive losses to Tottenham before Matthijs de Ligt headed a late, late leveller.
Bryan Mbeumo showed why he won the Premier League's player of the month for October with an excellent goal to give United a deserved lead after 32 minutes.
But Frank, his former manager at Brentford now in charge of Spurs, made some positive substitutions despite some supporter disapproval, and the replacements put his side on the brink of victory, with Mathys Tel and Richarlison scoring in the closing minutes, before De Ligt struck.
Amorim was disappointed not to win, but pleased not to lose, although Benjamin Sesko sustained a knee injury after going on as substitute and missing a late chance to score a winner.
"I'm not concerned about his form, but I'm more concerned with his knee injury, because we need Ben,” said the United manager.
“When you cannot win it is important you don't lose, and once again we did that. We have so much to grow as a team, because today was our day to win this game.”
United could have gone second with three points, as could Spurs, who were booed off at half-time after another limp home performance. But Frank's changes gave them more impetus, and although he was booed again for replacing the lively Xavi Simons with Tel, the Frenchman scored Tottenham's equaliser five minutes later. “I sent him on to score,” said Frank.
“I am always doing my best to win the game when I make changes.”
It has been a fairly mundane affair before the late drama. Mbeumo, United's best player on the day, made the breakthrough in the 32nd minute. Just as in their 1-0 defeat by Chelsea last week, Spurs failed to clear their lines and United took advantage. The ball pinged across the penalty area from left to right, Amad Diallo curled in a cross with his left foot and Mbeumo put a powerful header into the corner of goal from eight yards.
It was a fairly even first half but United's forwards always looked more dangerous than Tottenham's second-string attack. Richarlison missed a chance to head home in the 16th minute, the ball bouncing wide off his shoulder, and the ineffective Randal Kolo Muani was withdrawn at half-time. His replacement Odobert gave Spurs more attacking thrust, and when his whipped cross was flicked goalwards by Cristian Romero, Senne Lammens was forced to make his first real save of the game. Two minutes later the Belgian keeper was in action again, reacting well to tip away an acrobatic volley from Joao Palhinha.
Brennan Johnson, scorer of the goal that won last May's Europa League final between these two sides, got the ball in the United net in the 62nd minute but was offside, before Bruno Fernandes volleyed high over the Tottenham crossbar.
Simons was showing more signs that he is getting to grips with the pace of the Premier League, as Tottenham's most creative player, so there was a smattering of booing when Frank replaced him with Tel in the 79th minute. But Frank was vindicated five minutes later when three of his substitutes were involved in Tottenham's equaliser. Odobert ran with the ball from midfield, fed Destiny Udogie on the left and the Italian crossed for Tel to control the ball with his back to goal, spin and send a shot high into the net past Lammens.
Minutes later, Sesko was sent clear on goal, but his dithering allowed Micky Van de Ven to intercept with a fine tackle, and the Slovenian injured his knee, having to go off and leave United with ten men for the final ten minutes.
Odobert was heavily involved again in stoppage time, as Richarlison scored his first goal at home since the opening day of the season. United only half-cleared a corner, and when Odobert fired in a curling shot from 25 yards, Richarlson glanced a header past Lammens. The Brazilian was booked for ripping his shirt off in celebration, but those Tottenham cheers were short-lived as de Ligt powered in a header from a corner in the 6th minute of stoppage to salvage a point for United. A draw was a fair reflection of the game, but both managers were disappointed not to take all three points and move into second place.
Vicario 6; Porro 6 (Udogie 67), Romero 7 (Danso 87), Van de ven 7, Spence 7; Sarr 7, Palhinha 7 (Bentancur 79); Johnson 6, Simons 7 (Tel 79), Kolo Muani 5 (Odobert 46); Richarlison 6
Lammens 7; de Ligt 7, Maguire 7, Shaw 6; Mazraoui 6 (Sesko 58), Fernandes 6, Casemiro 7 Ugarte 72), Dorgu 6 (Dalot 80); Diallo 7, Cunha 6 (Mount 72), Mbeumo 8.
Sam Barrott 6
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
