Solanke's late strike stuns United as 10-man Spurs hold on

Dominic Solanke struck in injury time to earn 10-man Tottenham Hotspur a 1-1 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford on 10 October.

It was a Matchweek 6 Premier League fixture in Manchester, and United led for most of it. Bryan Mbeumo gave the hosts the lead. Solanke had the final word deep beyond the 90 minutes, when the clock keeps running for stoppages, BBC Sport. The game was played at Old Trafford, Al Jazeera.

Mbeumo broke through to put United ahead. Five minutes later Tottenham were reduced to 10 men. Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off for his challenge on Luke Shaw. A red card means no replacement. The team plays short for the rest of the match.

United could not make the extra man count. Solanke levelled in injury time to silence most of the home crowd. It was the second successive home league game in which United failed to beat opponents down to 10 men. In the other, Manchester City had Phil Foden sent off in the 23rd minute for kicking out at Bruno Fernandes.

It is becoming a painful pattern. Ainsley Maitland-Niles scored an injury-time equaliser for Everton against United at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on 6 September. At Craven Cottage, a Lisandro Martinez own goal nearly handed Fulham victory over United.

The numbers are stark. United have six points from their opening six league games. That is their fewest at this stage since 1986-87. They have failed to win five of the six, with three draws and two defeats. They are winless in four league games. They have taken two points from their last two games, both against teams who started the day bottom of the table BBC Sport.

Head coach Michael Carrick spoke to BBC Match of the Day after the Spurs draw. He called it “a mixed game” and said: “We found it tough to start with.” His team started slowly, grew into it with the lead and the extra man, then let it slip.

Former United defender Gary Neville, speaking on Sky Sports, called it “a worrying day for Michael Carrick”. United officials have repeatedly offered their backing to Carrick in recent weeks. The noise around the job is growing anyway. Erik ten Hag was sacked after a defeat at West Ham on 27 October following two wins in nine games. Ruben Amorim was sacked on 5 January after a cup exit to Grimsby and a league defeat at Brentford.

For fans, this means frustration mixed with something familiar. Ninety minutes that promised relief ended with strangers around the ground looking at each other in disbelief. United face Leeds United at Elland Road on 18 October. That rivalry needs no selling. A win would change the mood fast.