Carrick demands more 'streetwise' United after late Spurs comeback

MANCHESTER, England — Michael Carrick said Manchester United needs to become more "streetwise" and "stubborn" after it blew a late lead against 10-man Tottenham to draw 1-1 at Old Trafford on Saturday.

United has taken just six points from its opening six Premier League games, its lowest haul at this stage of a league campaign for 30 years.

Carrick's men were booed off at halftime and, again at the end of the match, after a Tottenham side that began the day bottom of the table dominated for large spells.

"I'm not happy with the amount of points that we've had so far, for sure. There's no hiding from that," said Carrick.

"I think it could have been different but for a couple of little things here and there, but the reality is the reality, we've got to accept it. We need to steer things in a positive direction quite quickly.

"We're more than capable of doing that. We've just got to be a little bit more streetwise in moments, a little bit more stubborn and a little bit stronger and see out certain things."

United also let a lead slip twice when it drew 2-2 away to Everton on Sept 6, before being dumped out of the League Cup by Brighton 10 days later, despite an early 2-0 advantage.

It appeared that Tottenham might be left to rue a series of missed chances when Bryan Mbeumo put United in front 17 minutes from time.

Rodrigo Bentancur was then shown a straight red card for a headbutt on Luke Shaw.

But not for the first time in the past two seasons, United failed to make a one man advantage count, as Dominic Solanke headed in an equalizer in stoppage time.

Both Everton last season and City last month won at Old Trafford, despite playing for over an hour reduced to 10 men.

"It's definitely something that, whether (against) 10 men or not, if we're leading the game, we've got to see games out," added Carrick.

"Whether that's taking a ball, controlling the game a little bit more, looking after the ball better in their half and around their box and pinning them in a little bit."

"It's a game we should kill off. And we didn't," he said.

Spurs remain without a league win this season, but Roberto De Zerbi was heartened by the response of his side.

"In that moment, with 10 players, maybe we played with more courage, we played with more energy and we changed, again, the game," said the Italian.

"For a long time Tottenham played without this blood, this character and, now I am the coach, I want to see this character every game."

Solanke was handed the captain's armband by De Zerbi in a surprise move and repaid the faith shown by his coach with a first away league goal since April 2025.

"I wanted to put him as captain to show my confidence, and the confidence of the team, because all the other players were happy when I said Dominic Solanke was captain," added De Zerbi.

"He is a great player, and I wanted to show my confidence (in him) and how important I believe he is to this team."

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