MAN UTD 0, TOTTENHAM 3
Gary Neville launched a scathing attack on his former club as Manchester United crashed to a humiliating home defeat by Tottenham.
It was not only the loss, which leaves United 12th in the Premier League with only seven points from their first six matches, but the manner of the loss which heaps even more pressure on Erik ten Hag.
Neville said: “It has been a bad day for ten Hag, really bad. United couldn’t complain if Spurs had scored six as they were so much better.
“It’s one of the worst performances I have seen under ten Hag – and that is saying something. It is really bad
“I’ve been here enough times over the past 10 to 12 years so know that a result like this, something has to be sorted now. It’ll just snowball if it doesn’t get sorted. It’s been a shocking, sobering day.
“I said there can be no excuses. There aren’t that many injuries and a mountain of cash has been spent. It’s woeful, it’s as bad as it gets.”
An early goal from Brennan Johnson gave mid-table Spurs a lift – their form at the start of the season has been patchy.
United had captain Bruno Fernandes sent off late in the opening half and then in the second period Spurs added further goals from Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke.
Ten Hag said: “To concede a goal after two or three minutes like that, it did something to our belief. Totally unneccessary.
“To concede a goal like this, the [opposing] centre-half stepping in and passing the whole team over the right side and then the winger tapping in at the far post. Same mistake as in the midweek against Twente, it should be stopped in the first moment.
“From that moment on we were stressed on the ball. We could not find the triangles or the switches, we had some good moments, but from that moment we could not get a foothold. And we can do better than that. Even after such a mistake from us we should stay calm.
“We had chances and our moments to get back in the game, with Joshua Zirkzee and Alejandro Garnacho when we still had 11 players and then after the red card too we had moments.
“We had our chances before half-time and in the second half with 10 men we had chances as well. It definitely had an impact on the game. I don’t think it was a red card.”
“First we have to deal with this and show resilience. This is not good enough. We have to accept this and get better. Focus on the next game and do things better than we did today.”
Spurs’ manager Ange Postecoglou said: “I thought it was an outstanding performance. We started the game well, scored a great goal and probably should have had two or three.
“The pressure then overwhelms them, and they get the red card. After that I thought we controlled the game well. Just an outstanding effort from all the lads.”
Embed from Getty ImagesManuel Ugarte, United’s recent signing from Paris St-Germain, made his first Premier League start.
Harry Maguire missed out because of a knock in training with Matthijs De Ligt replacing him.
Marcus Rashford and Ugarte were the two changes from the draw at Crystal Palace last Saturday, with Amad Diallo left out.
Spurs had one very significant change with Timo Werner replacing Son Heung-min after his injury against Qarabag in the Europa League.
United made an awful start falling behind after little over two-and-a-half minutes.
Micky van de Ven dispossessed Rashford deep in his own half and raced 60 yards down the left to the byline before firing a low ball across the face of goal for the unmarked Johnson to have the easiest of tap-ins at the far post.
It was his third goal of the season with them all netted in the last four matches.
And Johnson came within inches of a second goal inside 20 minutes when he beat Andre Onana only to see his drive strike the base of the upright.
United’s first clear-cut chance came mid-half when Kobbie Mainoo set up Zirkzee whose shot was well held by keeper Guglielmo Vicario.
Spurs remained the dominant force and Cristian Romero went close as his shot flashed past the upright.
United’s best moment came in the 37th minute when Rashford fired over a low cross from the left for Garnacho, at the far post, striking the outside of the upright with a venomous shot.
Timo Werner then broke clear for Spurs only for Onana to block with his legs and save a certain goal.
United’s day got even worse when Fernandes was shown a red card four minutes before the break for a reckless challenge on James Maddison, though United’s captain later declared it was never a sending off and yellow card at most.
And then Mainoo limped off to be replaced by Mason Mount as he immediately headed for the dressing room.
United made another change at the break as Zirkzee was replaced by Casemiro.
It failed to solidify the midfield as Spurs doubled their advantage within two minutes of the restart.
Brennan broke down the right and his cross deflected off Matthijs de Ligt and looped up to Kulusevski who lobbed the ball over Onana.
Werner burst clear for a second time but shot tamely at Onana.
United had a great chance to halve the deficit with Martinez lifted the ball over Spurs’ defence for Rashford who fired agonisingly wide.
Ten Hag made two further changes as Rashford and Ugarte made way for Rasmus Hojlund and Christian Eriksen.
Spurs made it three in the 77th minute when Solanke scored his third goal following his £60 million move from Bournemouth,
Lucas Bergvall’s corner was headed on by Pape Matar Sarr and Solanke poked home from inside the six-yard box.
United were temporarily reduced to nine men when Mount went out with a cut to his head as the substitute was replaced by Amad Diallo.
Solanke went close to a second and Spurs’ fourth when he burst through only to be denied by the legs of Onana. The ball looped up off the keeper to Sarr who headed wide of an open goal.
And in stoppage time, 17-year-old Mikey Moore saw a screamer fly narrowly wide as Spurs could and should have triumphed by a wider margin.