Manchester United continued their resurgence with a fourth straight victory under Michael Carrick, beating Tottenham Hotspur 2â0 at Old Trafford.
United sparkled from the first whistle but Cristian Romeroâs straight red card allowed the Red Devils to take complete control of proceedings at the half-hour mark. Bryan Mbeumo finished off a clever corner routine to punish the 10 men of Spurs before the break.
Tottenham were eager to set up a grandstand finish at Old Trafford but Bruno Fernandes put the match beyond doubt nine minutes from time, converting Diogo Dalotâs cross to cement Unitedâs place in the top four.
The Moment That Defined the Match
For all of Unitedâs intelligent attacking play and energetic pressing, they were gifted an enormous helping hand en route to victory. The reckless Romero, who recently labelled Tottenhamâs recruitment âdisgracefulâ amid exit rumours of his own, handed the hosts their man advantage for two-thirds of the fixture, the Argentineâs crunching lunge on Casemiro rightly punished with a red card.
Carrickâs men had already offered glimpses of their potential and renewed belief but their superiority was hammered home after Romeroâs dismissal. Just nine minutes later United had the lead, a genius corner routine finding Mbeumo on the edge of the areaâunmarked with Spurs short of bodiesâand the Cameroon international caressing into the bottom corner.
United continued their territorial dominance after the restart and fired plenty of efforts at Guglielmo Vicarioâs goal. Some of the link-up play between their fab four up front was delightful and they eventually found a deserved second, with a typically delightful finish from Fernandes confirming the points.
What promised to be an awkward fixture for United was made significantly simpler by Romeroâs stupidity. However, United still deserve credit for another assured performance.
Man Utd Player Ratings vs. Tottenham (4-2-3-1)
*Ratings provided by FotMob*
GK: Senne Lammensâ7.7: Bar one uncertain moment with his feet early in the game, Lammens enjoyed one of the easiest matches of his United career.
RB: Diogo Dalotâ8.4: With Xavi Simons drifting inside, Dalot had little direct confrontation with a blunt Spurs forward line. Produced a terrific cross for Fernandesâs strike.
CB: Harry Maguireâ7.3: Dominic Solanke seldom got the better of his England teammate, with Maguireâs physicality proving too much for the isolated striker.
CB: Lisandro MartÃnezâ8.0: Rarely troubled in defence, especially after Spurs were reduced to 10 men.
LB: Luke Shawâ7.2: While not quite the powerful, attack-minded left back he once was, Shaw did bomb forward after the break and was in the thick of several attacks.
DM: Casemiroâ7.5: Manged to survive Romeroâs nasty challenge and once again exhibited the immense quality United will miss come his exit this summer. Defensively resolute and a menace in the final third, too.
DM: Kobbie Mainooâ8.6: Another slick performance from the youngster, whose renaissance continues under Carrick. Glides effortlessly across the turf when in full flow.
RW: Amad Dialloâ7.9: Created major issues for Spurs with his inward darts in behind, with Destiny Udogie simply unable to handle his speed and endeavour.
AM: Bruno Fernandesâ8.8: Unitedâs conductor as expected as he relishes the return to an attacking midfield role. Constantly involved in and around the penalty area, eventually snatching the goal his general play deserved.
LW: Matheus Cunhaâ7.0: Regularly showcased his repertoire of flicks and tricks, purring with confidence in the interchanges with his fellow forwards. Almost produced a stunning strike from range early in the game.
ST: Bryan Mbeumoâ7.6: Perfectly slotted home to offer United their half-time lead and continues to look assured in the No.9 position for the Red Devils.
SUB: Benjamin Å eÅ¡ko (75â for Cunha)â6.3: Bright after his introduction but missed a great chance with the final kick.
SUB: Noussair Mazraoui (87â for Shaw)âN/A
SUB: Manuel Ugarte (87â for Casemiro)âN/A
SUB: Joshua Zirkzee (87â for Mbeumo)âN/A
SUB: Tyler Fletcher (90+2â for Mainoo)âN/A
Subs not used: Altay Bayındır (GK), Ayden Heaven, Leny Yoro, Tyrell Malacia.
What the Ratings Tell Us
Kobbie Mainoo delivered again for the Red Devils, not only assisting Mbeumoâs opener but regularly breaking the lines with some athletic runs and incisive passes. Unitedâs academy graduate is only set to improve with more minutes as he eyes an England spot at the 2026 World Cup.
Casemiroâs impressive form continued against Spurs as the veteran repeatedly reminds United of what they will sorely miss upon his departure at the end of the season. The Brazilianâs recent displays underscore the importance of securing a proper replacement this summer.
Another stellar performance from Mbeumo makes for grim viewing for Benjamin Å eÅ¡ko and Joshua Zirkzee, both of whom were forced to accept a place on the bench once more. Mbeumoâs form cannot be ignored with Carrick preferring a more mobile central striker.
Bruno Fernandes orchestrated much of Unitedâs play and Carrickâs decision to move him further forward has reaped instant rewards. The skipperâs genius is allowed to breathe in the No.10 role and his tally of goal contributions will grow vastly before the campaignâs end.
The Numbers That Explain Man Utdâs Simple Triumph
United racked up an impressive 23 shots as they peppered Vicario throughout. Their attack has been reinvigorated by the move to a 4-2-3-1 formation, with some terrific relationships forming in the final third.
Senne Lammens faced just one shot on target, underscoring the influence of Romeroâs red card. Spurs had looked lively prior to his dismissal.
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