Manchester United's torrid start to the Premier League season continued at the weekend as they were held to a 1-1 draw by a Tottenham Hotspur side that had arrived at Old Trafford without a win and sitting bottom of the table, despite recording only their worst return through six matches since 1986/87.
Despite Spurs having required five games to register their opening goals of the campaign following a summer outlay exceeding £300 million, Roberto De Zerbi's visitors were the stronger side for long periods and ultimately salvaged a point they arguably deserved against a United team that looked set to claim a much-needed victory.
Bryan Mbeumo had given the hosts hope with a breakthrough goal 17 minutes from full time, putting United on course for what would have been just their second league win in six outings this season. Their advantage appeared to be strengthened further when Tottenham's Rodrigo Bentancur was dismissed five minutes later for headbutting Luke Shaw during a heated confrontation, which began after Shaw reacted angrily to a strong tackle and shoved his opponent to the ground.
Yet Tottenham, despite being reduced to 10 men, refused to fold. In the second minute of stoppage time, Dominic Solanke rose to meet a cross from Sandro Tonali and nodded home an equalizer, snatching a point that leaves United languishing in 12th place in the standings.
The result compounded a miserable afternoon for United, who were jeered by their own supporters both at the interval and at the final whistle. Six points from as many league matches represents the club's poorest start to a top-flight campaign in nearly four decades, harking back to the 1986/87 season when a similarly disappointing opening eventually cost Ron Atkinson his job, paving the way for Sir Alex Ferguson's historic arrival.
The parallels have inevitably fueled speculation about the future of interim head coach Michael Carrick, who has now overseen back-to-back home games in which fans have voiced their frustration vocally. Carrick took charge of United in January following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim, beating out fellow club great Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for the role at the time. Under his guidance, United finished third in the Premier League last season and secured Champions League qualification, achievements that had initially bought him some goodwill among supporters.
However, that goodwill now appears to be eroding rapidly given the club's dismal form in the early stages of this campaign. Despite the mounting criticism and visible discontent inside Old Trafford, United's ownership group INEOS has no current plans to remove Carrick from his position, according to a report from TEAMtalk.
The reprieve, if it can be called that, comes at a crucial juncture for United, who face a demanding schedule throughout October. The month begins with a trip to Spain to face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday, before a string of fixtures against Leeds United, Como, Bournemouth, and Chelsea that will test Carrick's squad further and likely shape perceptions of his long-term suitability for the role.
For now, the pressure continues to build on the United boss, with every dropped point adding to speculation over how much patience the club's hierarchy will ultimately show if results fail to improve in the coming weeks.
Based on reporting from Standard Football.