The Mirror

Manchester United cemented their place in the Premier League's top four with a victory over 10-man Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday

Saturday lunchtime brought a fourth win in as many matches for Michael Carrick since he took over as Manchester United interim manager. Opponents Tottenham Hotspur made things difficult for themselves when captain Cristian Romero was sent off in the first half but United still had work to do.

Bryan Mbeumo took advantage, rolling home United's opener a few minutes before half time. It wasn't until the final 10 minutes that the points were made safe thanks to a Bruno Fernandes effort but Carrick won't be complaining too much.

There's now a chance for the Red Devils to make it five league wins on the spin when they take on West Ham on Tuesday. The Hammers took a point at Old Trafford before Christmas but will go into the midweek meeting in the bottom three.

United fans will have had plenty to enjoy over the weekend, with things looking up after they strengthened their hold on a top-four spot. Here are Mirror Football's talking points from around Old Trafford.

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Mainoo becomes undroppable

Before the turn of the year, Kobbie Mainoo could barely get a look in at Manchester United. Ruben Amorim preferred to use Bruno Fernandes in a deeper role alongside Casemiro, meaning the England international had to make do with occasional cameos from the bench.

Things have changed under Michael Carrick, though, with Fernandes pushed forward and Mainoo brought into the starting XI in a 4-2-3-1 set-up. He has barely missed a minute under the interim boss, starting four games out of four and playing another 90 minutes against Spurs before making way for Tyler Fletcher in second-half stoppage time.

He grabbed an assist, rolling the ball across for Mbeumo to beat Guglielmo Vicario and set United on their way. After the game, former United midfielder Owen Hargreaves asked on TNT Sports whether Mainoo might even have time to play his way into England's World Cup squad.

The midfielder feels undroppable right now, with Hargreaves speaking about a "perfect" midfield balance. "Kobbie, for him not to play for a year and come and play like this is amazing. I think [he and Casemiro] complete each other," he said.

Keane proven wrong

When Manchester United brought Jonny Evans into their first-team coaching staff, former captain Roy Keane questioned the decision. The former centre-back was brought in to work with caretaker Darren Fletcher after Ruben Amorim was sacked and has remained in place since Michael Carrick's appointment.

"It's not an issue with Jonny Evans, it's an issue with the club and the decision-making, who they're bringing in," Keane said, pointing to the Northern Irishman's lack of experience in the coaching environment. However, Carrick singled out Evans for the part he played in United's opener on Saturday to leave the one-time skipper with egg on his face.

"Jonny [Evans] had his eye on set plays so it’s great when things come off. Delighted with that," Carrick said during a half-time interview with TNT Sports after United took the lead from a corner.

Manchester United have been among the most dangerous teams from set pieces in the Premier League this season. However, they still have some way to go to catch league leaders Arsenal in that regard.

Cristian Romero's bad week got even worse as he was sent off during Spurs' 2-0 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford and only one man is to blame for his moment of madness

“We only had 11 players available - unbelievable but true and disgraceful.” Cristian Romero, after the stirring Spurs comeback against Manchester City last Sunday.

And after less than half an hour in their next game, Tottenham Hotspur, on the pitch, only had 10 players available - unbelievable but true and disgraceful.

That Manchester United’s revival under Michael Carrick continued with a fourth win on the spin was down to their renewed vibrancy, a couple of bits of clever finishing and an incisive, more direct, attacking style.

But it was also down to the stupidity of Romero, to his entirely predictable loss of control. After the Argentinian defender’s social media post laying into the Spurs hierarchy in the week, manager Thomas Frank said the matter would be dealt with internally but that Romero would remain captain.

And he did. Remained Captain Liability, that is. From the moment the 50-50 situation with Casemiro developed, there was only ever going to be one outcome.

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Michael Oliver’s red card was on its way out before Romero’s right boot had crunched into Casemiro’s ankle. A minority could probably argue it was a little harsh but the force left Oliver with little choice but to give Romero his fourth Premier League red card.

Those cards have come against United, City, Chelsea and Liverpool. He loves a big game dismissal, Cristian. That is two reds and nine yellows this season. Some going.

And this particular transgression - which, it has to be said, was not that much worse than Diogo Dalot’s yellow-card offence against Jeremy Doku here - definitely gave United a helping hand they probably did not need.

Lifted by their man-advantage, a clever corner-kick routine - finished by Bryan Mbeumo - put them ahead and they never looked in any trouble from that point.

What's gone wrong for Spurs this season? Share your thoughts in the comments below

This was, by no means, a scintillating performance but there is a positivity about Old Trafford that makes the long-term appointment of Carrick seem increasingly like an obvious decision.

The resurgence under him should be no surprise. This is a good United squad, expensively assembled and in rude health. The workload is very easily manageable and the overall standard of this season’s Premier League is of dubious quality.

This was United’s 27th game of the season, ten fewer than Spurs have had to play. The decisiveness of that factor cannot be underestimated. More games does not just mean more fatigue, it means more injuries.

United only have 13 matches to tackle in the remaining 15 weeks of the season. With the resources at his disposal, Carrick could rotate selection if he wished but there is no need. If this eleven stays fit, he could play it for the rest of the season.

He might make a few changes for Tuesday’s trip to West Ham but this set-up has a winning way about it and should have made the scoreline more convincing against the Tottenham ten.

Unlike during their recent away trip to Burnley, the travelling Spurs support did not turn on Frank, presumably because Spurs were playing well before Romero decided to earn himself a four-game suspension.

As reckless as he can be, the centre-half will still be missed and personnel issues continue to undermine Frank. There are no such issues for Carrick, who has not only found a system that suits his players but is also getting the best out of individuals.

The agreement for Casemiro and the club to part ways at the end of the season is looking more hasty with every game the Brazilian plays under Carrick.

The midfield combination of Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes is purring. There are still suggestions Fernandes might also leave in the summer but, from United’s point of view, it would be madness to let him leave.

For another outstanding contribution, he deserved his goal late in proceedings. And if Romero was still watching, this is what a captain’s performance looks like.

Manchester United interim boss Michael Carrick was full of praise after Bryan Mbeumo's goal against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday afternoon - with one man in particular singled out

Manchester United interim boss Michael Carrick has praised coach Jonny Evans for Bryan Mbeumo's goal against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. The strike came shortly after Spurs defender Cristian Romero was shown a red card in the 29th minute for a reckless tackle on Casemiro.

United responded quickly with a goal from Mbeumo, following a well-executed corner routine by Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo. It took some time for the Red Devils to wrap up the three points, but they did just that after a fine finish from Fernandes in the 81st minute secured a fourth-straight victory under their temporary head coach.

And speaking pitch-side before the second half, Carrick acknowledged United coach and ex-Reds defender Evans for his contributions during training.

He said: "Jonny [Evans] had his eye on set plays so it's great when things come off. Delighted with that."

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Carrick's remarks followed criticism of Evans from Roy Keane. The Irishman criticised United's decision to bring Evans onto the club's first-team coaching staff.

While recognising the Northern Irishman as a competent player, Keane described the appointment as "jobs for the boys" and indicative of poor decision-making at Old Trafford.

Speaking on Sky Sports in January ahead of the 2-0 victory in the Manchester Derby, he said: "Jonny Evans rocks up, they've signed him twice.

"It's not an issue with Jonny Evans, it's an issue with the club and the decision-making, who they're bringing in. Jonny Evans left Man United four or five weeks ago. He left as a summer player and started as a loans manager. He wasn't there 10 years doing it. A few months.

"My issue with Jonny is he's got no coaching. It's not as if he worked in the academy for a few years. He comes in with Darren Fletcher and he has very little experience but he's worked at academy level. Jonny gets a phone call saying: 'Do you want to come back?'

"And I bet Jonny's thinking, 'As a kit manager or working with the Under-12s?' No, no, you're working with the first team with Darren. 'Okay, great opportunity.'

"You have two games, doesn't go too well. That's probably the end of that. No, no. Another manager comes in, he wants you to stay on as well."

Man Utd finally end Tottenham hoodoo thanks to reckless Cristian Romero - 5 talking points

MAN UTD 2-0 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: Goals in either half from Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes helped fire the Red Devils to a fourth consecutive win in the Premier League

Michael Carrick further enhanced his prospects of becoming Manchester United's full-time head coach by overseeing a fourth straight victory at the expense of Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs were left up against it when Cristian Romero was sent off for a moment of stupidity. And the Londoners' misery was compounded when a smart set-piece routine enabled Bryan Mbeumo to break the deadlock with a measured side-foot finish beyond Guglielmo Vicario seven minutes before half-time.

With a man advantage, United pushed for a second but were unable to find it until Bruno Fernandes popped up in the 81st minute to kill the game off.

Here, Mirror Football looks at the big talking points from Saturday's game at Old Trafford...

Tottenham hadn't lost in their previous eight meetings with Manchester United. But that stat was always on borrowed time from the second Romero was sent off by Michael Oliver.

United got the goal their pressure deserved when Mbeumo found the net from inside a crowded penalty area after a neat piece of play. And while it took them until the final 10 minutes to fully kill Spurs off, the result never really felt in doubt.

It's been a while since United beat Tottenham in any competition, let alone the Premier League. For Carrick, a former Spurs midfielder, this will have been extra sweet.

They say actions speak louder than words. And Romero's latest red card (he's now up to six, if you're counting) has completely outdone his latest verbal volley at the Spurs hierarchy in midweek.

It was a stupid follow through on Casemiro's ankle that led to Tottenham's captain being given his marching orders. To the surprise of precisely nobody, Romero let his club and team-mates down yet again in a big match - and the smart money would be on him doing it again and again.

That's because Romero is more liability than leader. He'll now miss Tottenham's next four matches and won't play again till mid-March if selected for Liverpool. And surely nobody would begrudge Thomas Frank if he decides against recalling him.

A moment of genius involving Fernandes, Mainoo and Kobbie Mainoo from a corner was enough to take the game away from Tottenham in the dying embers of the first half.

Spurs were completely taken by surprise as Fernandes tucked a low ball into Mainoo at the near post. He then posted the ball onto Mbuemo who kept his cool to steer a precise low shot away from the despairing Vicario and into the bottom corner.

It's almost felt like a bit of a throwback at times in the Premier League this season with set-pieces becoming so important. The good news for United in their bid to finish in the top-four is that this smart routine was no one-off; only Arsenal boast a better tally when it comes to non-penalty goals from set-pieces this season than Manchester United now.

Maligned by the previous regime, Mainoo needs no introduction; everybody knows how talented he is. And yet every time you see United with Carrick at the helm, the reluctance of Amorim to find a spot for him in his team grows more and more bewildering.

He was effortlessly cool and classy here as United cantered to another big win with only Fernandes (4) completing more big passes than the England star's three. Not for the first time, they were the standout players for United with Fernandes' strike bringing up his 200th goal involvement in a red shirt.

In four Premier League games under Carrick, Mainoo has clocked up more minutes than he did during all Amorim's matches. The most exciting thing for United and Mainoo is that there should be plenty more to come.

Carrick showed his class on the eve of the game when he insisted there could be no 'knee-jerk' decisions over the Manchester United head coach job despite his fine start to life in the hotseat. Even though he would be the chief beneficiary if United's top brass did decide to pull the trigger after a significant upturn in form.

The thing is, soon we'll be well beyond knee-jerk territory. In winning four straight Premier League games, Carrick has achieved something that his predecessor, Ruben Amorim, never did. So how many wins before Carrick is seen as the sensible option?

The next few weeks will be intriguing because if United keep winning, then it will be difficult to ignore Carrick. They are now just two points off Aston Villa in third position and motoring.

United spent over a year trying to find a winning formula under Amorim, who was given every chance to make a success of his premiership. Now they've finally found one under Carrick, do they dare twist?

Darts world champion and teenage superstar Luke Littler drew the ire of Tottenham supporters during their clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday

Luke Littler was afforded the opportunity to parade his World Championship trophy on the pitch at Old Trafford, but probably didn't expect to hear Michael van Gerwen's name when he did so.

The teenage superstar showed off his trophy at half-time of Manchester United's clash against Tottenham in the Premier League. Littler's celebration, not shown on TNT Sports, was interrupted by Spurs supporters seeking something to cheer about after their side was 1-0 down.

'Oh Michael Van Gerwen' sounded the chant from the stands, with Littler quick to respond by pointing to the trophy and holding two fingers aloft.

The dominant darts star is no stranger to being targeted by fans following his success. At the opening night of Premier League darts action, Littler was subject to some jeers.

Littler took barely 10 minutes after being beaten 6-4 by Gian van Veen to aim a cheeky dig at Newcastle fans. On that occasion, he hit back with a post shared to Instagram stories.

Littler appeared to reference Newcastle's 3-1 defeat to Manchester City in the second leg of their Carabao Cup clash the previous night. The Magpies crashed out of the competition as a result.

Posting a photo of him watching the tournament on a projector screen, he wrote: "Newcastle, you were brilliant, On to next week. PS 3-1."

The two-time world champion, a United fan, suffered some hostile reactions in his Ally Pally campaign. The reaction initially seemed to rattle the youngster but did not impact his darts.

"I'm not bothered [by the booing]," he said after once incident. "Really not bothered. You guys pay for tickets and you pay for my prize so thanks for booing me. No-one wanted me to win but I proved them wrong yet again."

"They want the underdogs to win, they want the favourites to go out," Littler added after beating Rob Cross.

"I just had to get it out of the way and get my job done. I think that's the first time I've been at the World Championship and the crowd haven't wanted me to win. I expect the worst on New Year's Day."

While Littler appeared to enjoy the attention at the Theatre of Dreams, he'll have enjoyed the result more. Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes ensured a win for the home side as Cristian Romero was sent off.

Tottenham captain Cristian Romero was shown a straight red card after catching Manchester United midfielder Casemiro on the ankle with a reckless tackle at Old Trafford

Cristian Romero will serve a four-match ban after being shown a red card for a poor tackle on Manchester United midfielder Casemiro. The Tottenham captain was dismissed 29 minutes into the Premier League's early kick-off on Saturday at Old Trafford.

Romero went into a challenge with Casemiro and caught the Brazilian on the ankle. Referee Michael Oliver was right on the scene and immediately brandished the red card.

The Spurs skipper didn't seem to argue and went over to check on Casemiro before trudging off, leaving his side with an uphill battle against United, who took the lead shortly after through Bryan Mbeumo.

He will miss Spurs' next four Premier League matches, against Newcastle, Arsenal, Fulham and Crystal Palace, having earned an extra game of suspension because its his second red of the season.

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The Premier League match centre wrote on X: "The referee’s call of red card to Romero for serious foul play was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed that the challenge was made with excessive force and endangered an opponent."

Ex-Premier League referee Darren Cann told BBC Sport: "Cristian Romero makes a forceful challenge on Casemiro which is, in law, undoubtedly a serious foul play tackle. It was a really excellent decision from referee Michael Oliver, who was brilliantly positioned."

Ex-Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy said: "It was a really enjoyable high-tempo game, and then Romero goes through the ball with too much ferocity and catches Casemiro. It's a red card. It is irresponsible, especially after a week where he's been talking about recruitment and a lack of players. Now he's going be missing for four games. He's the captain, the leader - he needs to do better. He's let his team-mates down, because they were in the game."

Former Spurs defender Michael Dawson said on Sky Sports' Soccer Saturday: "Romero comes through, he thinks there's a tackle there, it's full throttle. He follows through. I don't need [ex-Premier League referee] Mike Dean. I don't need VAR. It's not going to be overturned. I hope Casemiro is going to be OK."

Former Everton midfielder Leon Osman said on BBC Radio 5 Live: "I think that is a borderline one. It is a contact sport. Casemiro's speed of thought gets him there first and Romero as he always does is fully committed. For me it is not an automatic red because it's not like he was high and over the top of the ball, but he does make contact."

The red card continues a chaotic few months for Romero, who has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. At the start of January, he accused the Tottenham hierarchy of lying and later described the lack of depth in the squad as "disgraceful".

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank was forced to defend his captain in the build-up to the United game. “Cuti is a very passionate player and captain who wants to leave every­thing on the pitch,” said Frank.

“He is very ambitious and wants to win every single time. Sometimes, when you are like that, you can have an outburst like this time but we have dealt with it internally.”

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'It was a no-brainer to leave Tottenham for Man Utd – I was desperate for transfer'

Saturday's Premier League showdown between Manchester United and Tottenham will be a special fixture for one figure in particular

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick faces another of his former clubs in the hopes of maintaining his 100 per cent record at the Old Trafford helm. And Tottenham will be eager to get one over on their ex-midfielder after he said he was "desperate" to leave them for the Red Devils.

Despite one previous short-lived stint as caretaker chief of United, Carrick is building a different legacy in his new interim role. The former England international has won three from three in charge of the club to date, having beaten Arsenal, Manchester City and Fulham.

This year will mark the 20th anniversary of Carrick's £18.6million transfer to the Theatre of Dreams. The West Ham academy graduate spent just two season with Spurs before Sir Alex Ferguson took notice and plotted a deal to obtain his signature.

And Carrick was seemingly only too happy to do his part in materialising the move. So much so that there won't be many concerns regarding divided allegiances when Tottenham make their way to Manchester in Saturday's early kick-off.

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"I went to the World Cup with England and information was filtering through that clubs were in contact," said Carrick in 2010. "Tottenham told me what was happening, but it seemed to drag on and on.

"I was desperate to come. It was a no-brainer for me as soon as I found out United were interested. The first time I spoke to the manager was on the phone when the move was all sorted. I’ve never been so nervous about getting a phone call in my life. I’d heard the rumours about him, and I was scared stiff. That phone call will stay with me for the rest of my life."

His motivation was well-placed, it turns out. Carrick became an instant hit at United and made a career-high 52 appearances as he won the Premier League in his first season at Old Trafford, then completed a league and European double in his second term under Ferguson.

He collected a total of five Premier League winners' medals at United, along with a Champions League, FA Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and three League Cups. He eventually hung up his boots at Old Trafford in 2018, having made an impressive 464 appearances across 12 seasons for the club.

And his contributions may not stop there, at least if the beginning of his time as interim boss is anything to go by. United have looked nigh-unstoppable under his command, winning a Manchester derby on debut before two dramatic victories over Arsenal and Fulham.

Those latter two results were rescued thanks to late goals from Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha, the likes of which were somewhat common during the Ferguson era. And it stands to reason that the squad has been able to resurrect some of that never-say-die attitude under someone who saw Ferguson work his magic up close.

Two academy talents are hoping to get minutes under Michael Carrick as Manchester United face Tottenham, with one 18-year-old knocking hardest on the boss' door for a full Premier League debut

Manchester United youngsters Shea Lacey and Jack Moorhouse are keen to seize their chances under Michael Carrick in the Premier League. Lacey made his senior debut against Aston Villa in December under previous boss Ruben Amorim but has yet to appear for Carrick.

The 18-year-old has been named on the United bench for eight matches this season, having impressed in brief appearances against Villa, Burnley and Brighton in the FA Cup. Despite receiving a yellow card against Brighton, he was warmly applauded by supporters as he left the pitch.

Lacey, who is highly rated at the club, is pushing hardest for regular first-team action under Carrick, according to the Manchester Evening News. However, with the squad now largely fit, securing a place in the side is no straightforward matter.

Lacey may continue to find himself among the substitutes in the weeks ahead. But Amad, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko are already vying for just three attacking spots.

In the middle of the park, though, an injury could present an earlier opportunity for Moorhouse, who trained with the senior squad this week before the Spurs fixture after returning from his loan spell at Leyton Orient on deadline day.

Since taking over from caretaker Darren Fletcher, Carrick has demonstrated a clear dedication to nurturing young talent and building closer ties with the club's academy.

He has brought back young talents like Habeeb Ogunneye from loan spells and reintegrated Joe Hugill into first-team training sessions.

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Carrick has also made himself a familiar face at youth fixtures, an area where Amorim faced criticism for his absence, signalling clearly to academy prospects that a route to the senior side genuinely exists.

"This club needs young players coming through and being the foundation, to understand what it means," Carrick previously said.

"It's something we need to grasp and keep building on."

United, who have remained relatively inactive during the January transfer window, are targeting European qualification.

The Reds have maintained their unbeaten run under Carrick, securing victories in all three Premier League fixtures against Manchester City, Arsenal and Fulham.

Manchester United take on Tottenham in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, as they look to continue their good form under Michael Carrick

Manchester United take on Tottenham Hotspur this weekend, aiming to maintain their winning streak under interim head coach Michael Carrick. The Red Devils have triumphed in all three matches under the ex-midfielder's guidance, sparking optimism for Champions League football at Old Trafford next season.

Carrick's squad will welcome Tottenham to their home ground in Saturday's early Premier League kick-off (12.30pm). Ahead of the match, they occupy fourth place in the league standings, a single point ahead of fifth-placed Chelsea.

Tottenham currently find themselves in 14th position, but managed to claw back from a 2-0 deficit at half-time to secure a 2-2 draw with Manchester City in their previous match last weekend. In the run-up to the Old Trafford clash, both managers have provided updates on their squad's availability.

Carrick shared worrying news about Matthijs de Ligt. The central defender has been absent from the last 12 games across all competitions due to a back issue.

Carrick confirmed that the upcoming match will come 'too soon' for the player. "Matta [De Ligt], he's working his way back, taking good steps and improving," the United interim manager stated in his pre-match press conference. "It's a little bit too soon at the moment but, hopefully, it won't be too long [before De Ligt is back]."

He could be joined on the bench by midfielder Mason Mount, who missed the victory over Fulham after picking up an injury in training. This puts his participation in this weekend's match into serious doubt.

"Probably, Mason [will be available] sooner [than De Ligt]," Carrick said. "He's not too far away really. We're hopeful it won't be too long."

Another player set to miss out is full-back Patrick Dorgu. He picked up a hamstring problem during the match against Arsenal.

Speaking last week, Carrick confirmed that the setback would sideline him for 'a few weeks'. The Danish defender had been performing impressively for United since the interim manager's arrival, making his absence a significant setback.

As for Tottenham, they continue to grapple with an extensive injury list. There remains uncertainty surrounding striker Dominic Solanke's fitness, after he was substituted during the stalemate with City due to an ankle problem.

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After the match, the forward told Sky Sports: "I'll be good. I just rolled my ankle a little bit, but I'll be fine."

Whilst Solanke's participation remains in doubt, nine players are confirmed absentees for the fixture. Spurs will be missing Pedro Porro, Mohammed Kudus, Lucas Bergvall, Richarlison, Rodrigo Bentancur, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Ben Davies, and Kevin Danso, as the injury crisis deepens.

On a more positive note for Spurs, boss Thomas Frank has confirmed that centre-backs Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero will be fit for the encounter with United. They could potentially be accompanied by full-back Djed Spence.

"So Micky is good, [he] trained today," the Spurs boss stated. "He is available for selection for Saturday.

"So it's good. Djed Spence is getting closer. It will be a little bit touch and go, but there is a good chance that he will be ready."