Michael Carrick is convinced that Manchester United let two precious points slip away in their clash with Tottenham Hotspur. Following Bryan Mbeumo's opening goal and a subsequent red card for the visitors, the hosts were unable to secure the win, allowing Dominic Solanke to net an equaliser in the dying moments.
The first half was a struggle for United, with Carrick acknowledging that his team faced difficulties in finding their rhythm.
He reflected:
We have mixed feelings. The first half was tough, especially at the beginning. A lot wasn't working for us: we held onto the ball too long, made late passes, were sluggish in our pressing, and left ourselves exposed.
By the end of the first half, we began to find our feet, and after the break, we looked much better.
In the second half, United took the lead through Mbeumo. However, Tottenham were reduced to ten men following Rodrigo Bentancur's red card for headbutting Luke Shaw.
Despite their numerical advantage, the hosts failed to capitalise.
Carrick noted:
We showed character, belief, and determination to go ahead—1-0. In matches like this, you need to close it out, but we didn’t do that.
We should have managed possession better, made Spurs work without the ball, and been more ruthless. We lost control too easily and left the game open.
In the final moments, Sandro Tonali delivered a pass, allowing Solanke to slot the ball past Senn Lammens and level the score.
Carrick expressed frustration at conceding another late goal:
When you have a game in your grasp, you must see it through to victory. It’s another late goal we’ve conceded.
We've found ourselves in front before and haven't been able to take all three points. Moments like these significantly affect both the result and the feel of the game.
We could have defended much better. We need to be tougher and cooler under pressure.
The manager also praised Mbeumo's performance:
Brian is doing excellently. Another superb finish. He plays in various positions for us, but we know his qualities well. The more he scores, the better.
On Bentancur's dismissal, Carrick remarked that he deemed it a clear red card from the outset, and he swiftly sought to remove players from potential conflict.
The draw allowed Tottenham to escape the bottom of the table, while Manchester United missed out on a win that Carrick believed should have been secured with three points.
