By Matija Šerić
In one of the derbies of the 25th round of the English Premier League, the giants Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur faced each other. It was a match from which much was expected: quality vertical passing, precise crosses, fiery duels, Hitchcock-style twists… And we got plenty of excitement, but in a strange way. United won 2–0, largely thanks to a fatal mistake by the visitors’ captain that decisively shaped the course of the match.
Carrick vs Frank
In his fourth match at the helm of his beloved club, Michael Carrick once again opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation, which is becoming his trademark. Lammens was in goal, with Dalot, Maguire, Martínez and Shaw in defence. Mainoo and Casemiro formed the double pivot, Diallo and Mbeumo played on the wings, Bruno Fernandes operated as the number ten, and Cunha led the line. United were missing Dorgu, Mount and de Ligt – almost all (fringe) first-team players.
On the other side, Thomas Frank had a literally decimated squad, with ten players unavailable: Richarlison, Kulusevski, Porro, Kudus and others. Spurs have truly had no luck with injuries this season. Despite that, Frank stuck with the traditional 4-3-3 formation, still composed of top-quality footballers. Vicario started in goal, the back line consisted of Gray, Romero, van de Ven and Udogie, the midfield trio was Gallagher, Palhinha and Sarr, with Odobert and Xavi Simons on the wings and Solanke up front.
Energetic Start
From the rainy opening minutes it was clear that the Red Devils felt rejuvenated since Carrick’s arrival. Fernandes carried the ball through the centre almost to the edge of the box before laying it off to Mbeumo on the left, whose shot flew over the bar. In the 10th minute Casemiro tried his luck from around 25 metres, but Vicario parried the effort.
The match might have taken a completely different path had the Lilywhites converted a superb chance in the 12th minute. From the right side, about 23 metres out, Simons delivered a precise lofted pass to Gallagher, who could only just get a touch on the ball from the edge of the six-yard box. Simons’ pass bypassed the entire United defence, especially Martínez (his only lapse today). Between the 15th and 20th minute, the visitors enjoyed around 95% possession and seemed to be dictating the tempo.
But football is a fickle game. In the 20th minute Dalot fed Cunha, who struck first time from about 20 metres, sending the ball just wide of the left post. Three minutes later Diallo found Fernandes, who bizarrely shot weakly first time, as if he had forgotten to control the ball.
Highlights of the game
Romero’s Brutal Challenge – the Decisive Moment
Unfortunately for neutral viewers, the match was effectively decided in the 29th minute by Romero’s reckless challenge, when he scythed down Casemiro about 20 metres from his own goal. United were not in a dangerous attacking situation at all, making Romero’s action a total fiasco and once again highlighting his mental instability. He caught Casemiro hard on the left ankle, and it was a minor miracle that no serious injury occurred. Referee Michael Oliver had no choice but to show a red card. The captain left his team in the lurch. Frank was forced to withdraw winger Odobert and bring on centre-back Drăgușin.
From that point on, it was clear we would mostly be watching a one-way game. United had to break down Tottenham’s bunker, and Spurs defended very well overall. However, fortune smiled on the hosts when, from a corner in the 38th minute, Mbeumo scored from Diallo’s assist. Even that shot from 13–14 metres was weak and just trickled into the bottom-left corner of Vicario’s net.
The pressure from the Red Devils continued. In the 41st minute Casemiro headed over, and in the sixth minute of stoppage time the Brazilian played a defence-splitting pass to Diallo, but the visitors’ goalkeeper was quicker.
Frank Tries to Delay the Inevitable
At half-time it seemed United simply needed to see the job through. That was not easy, as Spurs’ defence remained compact and channels were hard to find. Diallo had a goal disallowed for offside in the 49th minute, and Cunha suffered the same fate in the 68th. Week after week, United’s attackers show problems with mistimed runs.
In the 55th minute, with Udogie booked and injured, left-back Souza came on. The 19-year-old Brazilian arrived from Santos in the winter transfer window and showed himself to be a promising talent. A minute later Shaw made an inexplicable mistake, gifting the ball to Simons at the edge of the box, whose stylish shot went narrowly wide of Lammens’ goal. Had he scored, who knows how things might have unfolded. In the 60th minute Shaw tried a long-range effort himself (perhaps out of guilt), but it was an easy save for Vicario. Diallo kept trying, but without reward.
Carrick after the game
Bruno Fernandes Puts the Seal on Victory
Interestingly, Carrick waited until the 75th minute to make his first substitution, replacing Cunha with Šeško. Everything was settled in the 81st minute. Dalot crossed from the right, the ball skipped past Šeško and Drăgușin in the six-yard box, and fell to Bruno Fernandes, who scored with a single touch. That was that. United had a few more chances before the end, but it was merely a matter of seeing out a match that had long been decided.
Bruno Fernandes was the man of the match in every sense (8.9). He was involved in the move for the first goal, scored the second, and dictated United’s play. He recorded six key passes, completed 85% of his passes, and hit three of four accurate long balls. Diallo was the most industrious attacker for United; his rating of 7.1 reflects how he often stumbled despite good intentions.
The Jewel Mainoo and Company
Casemiro (6.8) and Mainoo (7.9) once again looked fantastic in midfield. Mainoo is a real gem whom Ruben Amorim failed to use properly. Out of 80 passes, 75 were completed (94%), all of them accurate in his own half. He completed two of four dribbles, won six of 11 ground duels, and two of three aerial duels. The entire defence performed well – Dalot (7.9), Maguire (7.4) and Martínez (8.1) – with Shaw (6.8) the only one to falter. Despite his effort, it is clear that Shaw is no longer at the level required for United, and this will likely be his last season in any significant role. A summer departure would be best for him. Martínez shone as the leader of the defence, although objectively he did not face a difficult task after the 30th minute.
An Encouraging Display from Spurs
Despite the defeat, Tottenham delivered a very good performance. That only makes their fans’ disappointment greater due to Romero’s foolishness in the 29th minute. Everyone played solidly or very well. Vicario (8.1) showed he is a world-class goalkeeper who could one day play for Europe’s biggest clubs and become Italy’s number one. Palhinha, Gallagher and Sarr excellently controlled the midfield, while Simons (7.2) demonstrated that he can be a leader and a new number ten, even when deployed on the left wing.
Carrick’s Perfect Record
In his first four matches against Manchester City, Arsenal, Fulham and Tottenham, Michael Carrick has recorded four wins – an impressive return. Asked after the match whether the euphoria might carry him away like it has the fans, Carrick replied:
“Not yet. I think it’s completely normal for fans to give in to emotions and excitement – that’s the whole point. That’s why they come, to support us, to dream and to feel those emotions. Hopefully they leave the stadium in a great mood and looking forward to coming back. That’s our job – to give them that experience. Being in a position to do that today and over the last few weeks is great. We have to keep building on it.”
Captain Bruno Fernandes also praised the manager for giving the players ideas, responsibility and the freedom to execute them.
Frank after the game
Frank’s Troubles Continue
Thomas Frank said he was proud of his players’ resilience after playing more than an hour with ten men.
“I’m very proud of the players as a whole, but of course, for more than 60 minutes plus injuries, they showed huge resilience and stayed in the game. We still had moments that maybe could have brought us the equaliser at 1–1. Then, of course, when we made three offensive substitutions, they immediately scored, although we still had 15 or 20 minutes to get a really important goal. So I’m proud of the players, proud of the fans who travelled in large numbers – we heard them loud and clear throughout the match, supporting us and helping us. The players fought, gave everything to stay in the game, and were also a threat when we went forward.”
Although Frank has not been brilliant this season, he cannot be blamed for today’s defeat.
United play their next match on Tuesday away to struggling West Ham, while Tottenham host Newcastle on Tuesday. There is no time to rest, but it is clear that United (currently 4th) are in a far better position than Spurs (currently 14th).
