Football

Spurs thrash 10-Man United

September 30, 2024 5:20 am

[Source: Reuters]

Tottenham Hotspur’s Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke got on the scoresheet in a 3-0 victory over 10-man Manchester United in the Premier League as the visitors ran roughshod over the bedraggled Old Trafford side.

Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs climbed to eighth in the table on 10 points after six games, while beleaguered United, who saw captain Bruno Fernandes sent off in the 42nd minute for a high challenge on James Maddison, are 12th with seven points in a loss that will again raise questions about manager Erik ten Hag.

Tottenham went ahead in the third minute when defender Micky van de Ven carried the ball over half the length of the pitch before playing a low center across the six-yard box for the wide-open Johnson to tap in for his fourth goal in four games.

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Spurs continued to run circles around United on a nightmare evening for Dutchman Ten Hag in rainy Manchester.

Tottenham doubled their lead in the 47th minute when Lisandro Martinez slipped on the halfway line. Johnson sprinted away and his deflected cross fell to Kulusevski, who acrobatically clipped the ball past goalkeeper Andre Onana.

Solanke had scores of angry United fans heading for the exits when he stuck his leg out to poke the ball home from close range in the 77th minute after Pape Matar Sarr headed on a corner kick from fellow substitute Lucas Bergvall.

The delighted Spurs fans did not stop singing all afternoon, breaking into a chant of “Is there a fire drill?” as thousands of United fans beat a hasty exit after the third goal.

The score could have been more lopsided if Spurs, who had 10 shots on target to United’s two, had taken more chances. Onana made a spectacular double save in the second half to keep out a shot by Timo Werner and Solanke’s attempt from the rebound.

Alejandro Garnacho had probably the best of United’s opportunities when he rang a shot off the post late in the first half. Casemiro fired wide in the second half and smacked himself in the head twice which summed up United’s frustration.