In a harrowing encounter at Old Trafford, Manchester United suffered a dismal 3-0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur. The match was marred by chaos, indiscipline, and a series of defensive blunders that left fans in disbelief.
Desperate for a victory after two consecutive disappointing draws, United's hopes were quickly dashed just two minutes into the match. Following some early pressure, Spurs' Micky van de Ven embarked on an impressive solo run from deep in his own half, weaving past four United defenders to deliver a pinpoint cross to Brennan Johnson, who coolly finished from close range. The home crowd erupted in frustration as their side found themselves trailing 1-0.
Just moments later, United's luck did not improve as they squandered possession in their defensive third. Luckily for them, Dominic Solanke failed to capitalize on the opportunity, as he was swiftly closed down by Lisandro Martinez. The alarming start was a precursor to United's ongoing defensive woes.
As the match progressed, it became increasingly apparent that United's strategy of playing out from the back was doing them more harm than good. In the 10th minute, Marcus Rashford made a promising run that led to a corner, only for the effort to be nullified by an offside flag.
On the other end, James Maddison showcased his flair with a clever one-two with Dejan Kulusevski, forcing a critical save from United's Andre Onana. Minutes later, United found themselves on a counter, but their attacks were often thwarted, including a missed opportunity when Joshua Zirkzee's shot was easily saved by Guglielmo Vicario.
Johnson continued to threaten, nearly extending Spurs' lead with a shot that rattled the far post, while Zirkzee missed a golden chance moments later, displaying a worrying lack of composure in front of goal.
United's defending grew increasingly ragged; Christian Romero nearly scored a stunning goal from a corner, hitting the woodwork with a mesmerizing scissor kick. As the clock ticked down towards halftime, things took a turn for the worse when Bruno Fernandes saw red for a controversial incident involving Maddison. The referee's decision, though possibly harsh, stood firm, leaving United with ten men.
The first half closed in loud silence, a stark reflection of the despondency felt by the United fans as they pondered whether there was any chance of a comeback.
With Casemiro introduced at the break, United hoped to regroup, but their hopes were dashed just two minutes into the second half. Johnson's pace exploited United's high defensive line, and after a swift break, he set up Kulusevski for an easy finish. Suddenly, the scoreline read 2-0 to Spurs.
As United scrambled to find a foothold, they were met with further frustration. Martinez received a yellow card for a reckless challenge, while mounting disciplinary issues left the backline at risk of further sanctions.
Despite a spirited effort to claw back into the match, including a corner that resulted in a VAR check for handball, United's attempts were thwarted at every turn. A growing list of bookings for the home side only added to the sense of impending doom.
In the 74th minute, Solanke finally found the back of the net, capitalizing on poor defending from a corner, effectively sealing the game for Spurs with a 3-0 scoreline. Late substitutions had little impact, with the match slowly drawing to a close.
As the final whistle blew, it was clear that United faced deepening turmoil. Fans were left to question how long Erik ten Hag could remain at the helm after such a disheartening performance in front of their home supporters.
Starting XI: Onana, Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez, Fernandes, Rashford, Zirkzee, Garnacho, Dalot, Ugarte, Mainoo