What we learned from Man United’s triumph over spiralling Spurs

Manchester United’s renaissance under interim coach Michael Carrick reached new heights with a commanding 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford, a result that propelled the Red Devils back into the Premier League’s top four and extended Carrick’s perfect start to four consecutive wins. In doing so, the former midfielder joins Sir Matt Busby and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as the only United managers to win their first four matches in charge.

Yet the narrative of the afternoon was shaped in the 29th minute when Spurs captain Cristian Romero launched a studs-up lunge at Casemiro’s ankle, earning a straight red card for his fourth Premier League dismissal—an unwanted club record. The incident not only undermined Thomas Frank’s game plan but also deepened the sense of crisis at a club already missing 12 first-team players through injury. Romero’s rashness came just days after he publicly criticized the club’s recruitment as “disgraceful,” adding irony to insult as his teammates were forced to play more than an hour a man down.

United seized the initiative, registering 1.79 expected goals and limiting Spurs to a single shot on target. Bruno Fernandes cemented the win in the 81st minute, a strike that carried him to 200 goal involvements for the club in just 314 appearances. Since his arrival in January 2020, only Mohamed Salah has tallied more combined goals and assists in the Premier League; among United’s own Premier League era, only Wayne Rooney reached the milestone faster (295 games).

The victory masked early vulnerabilities. During the opening 20 minutes, Tottenham’s midfield trio of Palhinha, Conor Gallagher and Pape Matar Sarr outmuscled Casemiro and teenage partner Kobbie Mainoo, exposing United’s need for a mobile, high-energy defensive midfielder once the Brazilian departs this summer. Full-back reinforcements also remain high on Carrick’s shopping list if the club is to sustain a genuine assault on the summit.

For Spurs, the slide continues. Winless in seven league fixtures and potentially 16th by the end of the weekend, Frank’s side are being dragged into a relegation battle few predicted after their August optimism. A daunting trip to Newcastle on Tuesday offers little respite; with injuries mounting and his captain repeatedly unavailable, the head coach must conjure a result quickly or face scrutiny from a hierarchy already pondering whether a new voice is required to steward a rebuilding project that has veered dangerously off course.

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