Carragher singles out Mbeumo and Baleba for 'unacceptable' role in Spurs' stoppage-time leveller

Jamie Carragher has pinpointed Bryan Mbeumo and Carlos Baleba as the chief culprits in Manchester United’s failure to hold a 1-0 lead against Tottenham at Old Trafford, after Dominic Solanke’s stoppage-time header earned the visitors a Premier League point.

Mbeumo had opened the scoring for United, and the hosts appeared to be heading for their first league win in over a month when Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off shortly afterwards. Instead, United struggled to manage their numerical advantage, and Tottenham’s persistence in winning second balls ultimately led to Solanke’s equaliser.

Carragher was particularly pointed in his analysis of the build-up to the goal, identifying a moment where Mbeumo and Baleba allowed Mateus Fernandes to reclaim possession despite being clear second favourites for the ball. “Baleba and Mbeumo, there’s no way Fernandes should get to the ball first,” Carragher said. “We’ve seen it four or five times already — Tottenham players getting there first — and don’t forget this was a team that three weeks ago were told they don’t work hard enough.”

He continued: “For what’s at stake here, 1-0 up with a couple of minutes to go, and it is Tottenham that want this more. It wasn’t just at the end of the game, it started that way. That is not acceptable.”

Carragher also pointed to Lisandro Martinez for his role in the goal itself, arguing the defender should have done better before Solanke produced what he acknowledged was a fine finish. The broader concern, he suggested, was a recurring pattern at Old Trafford. “It is very early in the season but we have been here before with Manchester United under different managers. They are being questioned for how ready they are physically and mentally in games.”

With three demanding fixtures to follow — away trips in the Champions League against Atlético Madrid and Como, plus a home game against Leeds — Carragher warned the situation could deteriorate quickly. “If they don’t up their intensity, this could get very messy for all involved.”

Head coach Michael Carrick addressed the mounting pressure at his pre-Atlético press conference, though the result has done little to ease scrutiny on a United side that have now failed to win in the Premier League for over a month.