Published on 15.01.2024
Manchester United relinquished their one-goal advantage twice in a 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Sunday.
This outcome was disheartening for Erik ten Hag’s team, who are desperately striving to climb up the Premier League standings.
Spurs’ goals came courtesy of Richarlison and Rodrigo Bentancur, leaving them in fifth place on the table, level with fourth-placed Arsenal at 40 points but having played an additional game. Meanwhile, United moved up to seventh position but found themselves eight points behind the top four.
After drawing 2-2 with Spurs, Man United have still never lost a Premier League home game when leading at half time:
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 14, 2024
🏟 316 games
✅ 292 wins
🤝 24 draws
❌ 0 losses
The record goes on... 👀 pic.twitter.com/86ShkSMqDo
United started off energetically, as Rasmus Hojlund netted a goal in just the third minute. The 20-year-old showcased his scoring prowess for the second consecutive home game with an impressive left-footed strike that found its way into the top corner of the net.
Richarlison took advantage of poor marking by United’s defense and headed in an equalizer from a corner kick in the 19th minute. Just before halftime, Marcus Rashford restored United’s lead with a quick exchange of passes with Hojlund, securing his fourth goal of this season.
However, Spurs wasted no time responding after halftime. Bentancur swiftly scored less than a minute into the second half after receiving a pass from debutant Timo Werner and confidently firing past goalkeeper Andre Onana.
Erik ten Hag, the manager of United, expressed his frustration at not being able to secure a victory despite taking the lead on two occasions. Ten Hag admitted feeling disappointed when his team conceded two easy goals after being ahead. He acknowledged that it can be frustrating but emphasized the need to accept the situation as it is. The manager shared these sentiments in an interview with the BBC.
