Man Utd dropped points against Tottenham

Despite taking the lead twice, Manchester United were held to a 2-2 draw by visiting Tottenham in the 21st round of the Premier League.

On the day billionaire Jim Ratcliffe visited Old Trafford for the first time since taking over the club's football operations, Manchester United did not enjoy complete joy. Striker Rasmus Hojlund opened the scoring early, but Richarlison equalized in the first half with a header from a set piece. Man Utd then took the lead again through Marcus Rashford, but a leaky defense cost the home side two points from a close-range shot by Rodrigo Bentancur.

Striker Richarlison (left) heads in the equalizer for Tottenham against Man Utd at Old Trafford, Manchester, in the 21st round of the Premier League on the evening of January 14, 2024. Photo: Reuters .

Prior to this match, Man Utd had only scored two goals in the first half at home in the Premier League. Therefore, many were surprised when they opened the scoring in the third minute, thanks to striker Hojlund, who had only scored one goal in the league so far. After the ball rebounded from Rashford's shot, the Danish forward struck a left-footed shot from over 10 meters out into the near corner, giving goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario no chance to save it.

Tottenham responded shortly after, from a corner on the left, when defender Pedro Porro crossed the ball to Richarlison, who headed it in to equalize unmarked. Defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka appeared to be at fault for failing to closely mark the visiting striker.

The two teams played an exciting back-and-forth game. At one point, seeing instability in the midfield, manager Erik ten Hag brought midfielder Casemiro out to warm up. The Old Trafford crowd enthusiastically chanted his name after about four months of absence. However, the Brazilian midfielder did not play a single minute in this match.

Nevertheless, Man Utd took the lead again, once more from a rather chaotic play. Hojlund exchanged passes with Rashford in the penalty area on the left, allowing the English striker to curl the ball into the far corner. This was the first time both Man Utd strikers had scored in a Premier League match this season.

Hojlund celebrates the opening goal for Man Utd. Photo: Reuters

However, the defense became a burden for Man Utd when they conceded a goal in the very first minute of the second half from a familiar play. The visiting team's new signing, Timo Werner, broke down the left flank, then passed the ball back to Bentancur, who was unmarked. Bentancur comfortably dribbled the ball into the penalty area on the left, then fired a powerful shot high, leaving Andre Onana with no chance.

The second half was far less exciting, as both teams seemed to be running out of steam. Coach Ten Hag brought on center-back Lisandro Martinez after a four-month absence, helping the home team's defense become more solid. However, in attack, the "Red Devils" rarely managed to get the ball into the visitors' penalty area. Their best chance came in the final minute, when Alejandro Garnacho crossed the ball from the left for Scott McTominay to head from a clear position, but the ball went just over the crossbar. Both he and Coach Ten Hag held their heads in disappointment after this missed opportunity.

The draw was enough to help Man Utd climb two places to seventh in the Premier League, eight points ahead of fourth-placed Arsenal. The Red Devils' next match is in the FA Cup on January 28th, while Tottenham will host Man City two days earlier.

Hoang An

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