Manchester United suffered a disappointing 1-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, increasing pressure on Ruben Amorim as the Red Devils now sit in 15th place in the Premier League standings. The defeat leaves Amorim’s team struggling for form, with the loss marking their third defeat to Spurs this season.
James Maddison scored the only goal of the match in the 13th minute, helping Tottenham move above Manchester United in the league, into 12th place. The victory was crucial for Tottenham’s manager Ange Postecoglou, who has been under intense scrutiny after the team’s early exits from domestic cup competitions.
Despite the win, Tottenham fans expressed frustration towards the club’s owners, ENIC, and chairman Daniel Levy. A large banner read, “24 years, 16 managers, 1 trophy – Time for change,” and a significant portion of the crowd participated in a protest calling for Levy’s removal. However, the mood around Postecoglou improved as he welcomed back several key players from injury.
Manchester United was hit by a string of injuries, with Amad Diallo joining Lisandro Martinez on the sidelines for the remainder of the season, and Kobbie Mainoo ruled out for a month. Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee were forced to start upfront, despite being previously overlooked in United’s 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace.
United had their chances but failed to capitalize. Alejandro Garnacho missed a golden opportunity to equalize before halftime, firing over the bar with only Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario to beat. After the break, Vicario denied Garnacho again with another superb save.
Zirkzee also squandered a great chance to level the game, heading a cross from Noussair Mazraoui wide with an open goal in front of him.
United’s struggles in front of goal have been evident this season, with only the bottom three teams and Everton scoring fewer goals than United’s 28 in 25 league games. At the other end, Andre Onana made a crucial save to keep United in the game, denying Dejan Kulusevski’s powerful shot.
Despite their best efforts, Manchester United couldn’t break down Tottenham’s makeshift defense, leaving Ruben Amorim with much to reflect on as his team continues to underperform in the league.
