For the second time in successive home Premier League games, Manchester United failed to beat opponents reduced to 10 men.
For the third time in as many seasons, a United manager finds himself under severe pressure before the clocks have gone back.
Four weeks ago, Manchester City needed an incorrect video assistant referee (VAR) decision to take advantage of an ineffective United performance after Phil Foden had been shown a red card in the 23rd minute for kicking out at Bruno Fernandes.
On Saturday, the damage was self-inflicted as a Spurs side, who had given every indication of being unable to score before Rodrigo Bentancur’s headfirst charge at Luke Shaw just five minutes after Bryan Mbeumo’s opener, came up with an injury-time equaliser.
Centre-back Lisandro Martinez was outmuscled embarrassingly easily by Dominic Solanke, with goalkeeper Senne Lammens failing to read the striker’s deft touch that crept in at the far corner.
The anguish on United faces told its own story.
“A worrying day for Michael Carrick,” observed former United skipper Gary Neville on Sky Sports.
First, a couple of sorry statistics.
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Manchester United have just six points from their opening six games of the Premier League season, their fewest at this stage of a league campaign since 1986-87, when they amassed four under Sir Alex Ferguson.
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They have failed to win five of their six Premier League games this season (D3 L2), already as many as in 17 league games under Michael Carrick last season (W12 D3 L2).
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United have collected two points from their last two games, both of which were against teams who began the match at the bottom of the Premier League.
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In points terms they are closer to the relegation zone than the Champions League spots.
Carrick’s side are now winless in four league games and face an always tricky trip across the Pennines to face old rivals Leeds at Elland Road on Sunday, 18 October. Either side of that are daunting Champions League trips to Atletico Madrid and Como.
United officials have repeatedly offered their backing to Carrick in recent weeks.
However, no fan needs reminding that two seasons ago a run of two wins in nine games in all competitions put Erik ten Hag under severe pressure before the axe fell after a defeat at West Ham on 27 October.
Last season, a combination of a shocking EFL Cup exit at the hands of League Two Grimsby and an insipid 3-1 loss at Brentford on 27 September did so much to undermine confidence in Ruben Amorim before he was sacked on 5 January.
