30 september 2024 : Tottenham increased the pressure on Erik ten Hag’s position as Manchester United manager with a commanding 3-0 victory at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Spurs got off to a quick start, with Brennan Johnson scoring just three minutes in after Micky Van de Ven made a powerful run. Tottenham had several opportunities to extend their lead before United was reduced to 10 men when captain Bruno Fernandes received a straight red card in the 42nd minute.
Dejan Kulusevski added a second goal just two minutes into the second half, and Dominic Solanke capped off the scoring later on. Ten Hag’s position has been under scrutiny since the start of the season, having survived an internal review after finishing eighth in the Premier League last season. A surprising FA Cup final win over Manchester City had temporarily secured his role, but with three losses in the first six league games this season, United now sits in 11th place, putting further strain on Ten Hag.
United faces challenging matches against Porto in the Europa League and Aston Villa in the league before a two-week international break, which often prompts clubs to consider managerial changes. Meanwhile, Tottenham’s Ange Postecoglou had his own pressures but has turned things around with four wins in 12 days, showcasing one of their best performances under his management.
Van de Ven’s impressive run from deep inside his half set the stage for Johnson’s opening goal, marking his fourth consecutive game with a score. Although Tottenham missed their captain, Son Heung-min, due to injury, they continued to create chances, with Andre Onana saving attempts from James Maddison and Timo Werner, and Johnson hitting the post.
United’s best chance to equalize came from Joshua Zirkzee, who was denied by a brilliant save from Guglielmo Vicario. However, any chance of a comeback vanished after Fernandes was sent off for a reckless challenge on Maddison.
In response, Ten Hag replaced Zirkzee with the much-criticized Casemiro at halftime. The Brazilian was involved in Tottenham’s second goal, where Kulusevski cleverly flicked the ball in after a deflected cross from Johnson.
Despite being a man down, United fought back, with Casemiro coming close to scoring. However, more defensive errors led to Solanke adding Tottenham’s third from a corner. Solanke almost added to the tally but was denied by another save from Onana.
During the second half, Spurs’ supporters chanted, “You’re getting sacked in the morning,” directed at Ten Hag. The new football leadership team at United had given Ten Hag a contract extension less than three months ago, but now the question of his future seems imminent.
