Mancashter United (Away) 07.02.2026

Having produced a fighting display to pull Mancashter City back to 2-2 in the second half on Wednesday, it was disappointing that we couldn’t give United a real test with the eleven players we put out thanks to a rash tackle by our captain that condemned the ten left to play out the remaining hour that hopefully won’t have taken too much out of them for the next couple of matches.

Fernandes played Mbeumo inside on the left of the box but his shot from a narrow angle was too high and wide in the first minute and Spurs were pressing high at the other end when Clemmens played the ball out with his feet straight to Gallagher 35 yards out, but his heavy touch only earned a foul and a free-kick for Tottenham, that glanced off Solanke’s head and went wide.

Ten minutes in and some pinball from poor shots and clearances around the Spurs area ended with Fernandes shanking a weak shot at goal, which was cleared and ended up with Casemiro shooting from 25 yards and Guglielmo Vicario got both hands to it and pushed it well wide.  Spurs moved the ball forward and a ball in from Xavi found Gallagher’s run but, positioned just to the right of the six yard box, he couldn’t make a full contact on the ball.  Another move up the right produced shots from Palhinha and Sarr that were blocked on the edge of the box.  A long forward ball from Archie Gray to the right found Romero, who headed the ball back into the box, but it was cleared and in the second phase, Udogie drilled a low ball in from the left and Dominic Solanke got the ball stuck under his feet and fell under challenge from Maguire, but no foul was given.

Cunha hit a first-time shot from 25 yards that curled just outside Vicario’s left hand post, then Diallo squared the ball in the box for Fernandes but he screwed the ball of Vic’s other post.  The home fans wanted a penalty when Cunha fell over in the box, but the ball ran to Fernandes, whose shot was blocked by Cristian Romero on the edge of the area.  Destiny Udogie was booked for foul on Diallo as he looked to move forward in the Spurs half, but worse was to come on 29 minutes when a red card was waved at Romero for a foul on Casemiro that followed through onto the Brazilian midfielder’s ankle.  not only was it the last thing Spurs needed in this match, but the central defender is now out for four matches and it is not a good look after he ranted in midweek about the club being “disgraceful” for only having 11 fit players for the match against Mancashter City.

When the free-kick was taken, Gallagher went for a header and clashed heads, going down holding his head and then Shaw clashed heads.  Only when the United man went down did the ref stop the game.  A phase of untidy play on the edge of the Tottenham area saw the ball run for Fernandes to have a shot from 20 yards which Micky van de Ven deflected wide.  The resulting corner played along the dead-ball line, from where the ball was turned back to the edge of box to Mbeumo, who was in acres of space with Spurs having a man missing and it was swept into Vicario’s bottom left hand corner to give them the lead.

Following a 40th minute corner, the ball was cleared, played back into the goalmouth where it came off a Spurs head to Casemiro at the far post and his point blank header was pushed over by a very good Vicario save.  The temperamental Diallo was booked as 45 minutes had been played for a needless foul on Simons.  In added time, a through ball picked out Diallo running into the box and only a tackle with Vicario’s right foot won the ball to prevent a second goal.  Spurs created some space at the other end and Xavi had the ball in the box and played it to Solanke, but it pushed him wide to the right and the move eventually broke down.

Four mins into second half Diallo had the ball in the net, tucking the ball in from close range after Fernandes’ cross was shot at goal by Shaw but he was offside.  Just after Souza came on to replace the injured Udogie for his debut, Micky blocked a Fernandes shot on the edge of the box and then a loose pass infield by Shaw gave Xavi the opportunity to shoot first-time, whizzing a foot wide of Lammens’ left hand post.  Shaw was then in action at the Spurs end, hitting a piledriver from 20 yards that was pushed over well by the Spurs keeper, who then dived full-length to his left to keep out Diallo’s drive.  It looked like Micky might have pulled Maguire at the corner but nothing was given, then the Spurs captain blocked another Shaw shot with his arm at his side despite more calls for a penalty.

Vicario played a poor pass out which went straight to Cunha, with his first-time ball forward finding Fernandes offside, so even though the United number 10 then had the ball in the net, it was ruled out.  Palhinha was then (somewhat harshly) booked for a foul on Mainoo, mainly with his reputation going before him and Thomas Frank was also yellow carded for disputing the booking.

Diallo got past Souza along the dead ball line but Vic blocked his intended ball across goal at the near post, while Spurs were still trying to get something out of the game and Dragusin’s long throw caused confusion and van de Ven couldn’t quite get a foot to it, but as the game moved into the last 15 minutes, United started to make the most of their extra man.  With 13 minutes left, Fernandes hit a shot straight down Vicario’s throat from 25 yards and then three minutes later a long cross from right was missed in middle by Sesko, but Fernandes beat Archie to the ball at the far post to shin it past the Spurs keeper.

Mbeumo put a shot over and Fernandes put one almost out of the ground, then, with the last touch of the match, Sesko headed the ball gently to Vicario completely marked five yards out when he really should have scored.

After the red card there was only likely to be one outcome.  Deprived of fit players, the bulk of the team are having to play twice a week and being down to ten men so early on, it would have been a magnificent achievement if they had held out … even against United.  They did well and tried to find some scope to attack, but outnumbered, it wasn’t easy.  It wasn’t the best result, even though we were playing side in form, leaving another game gone with no points added to our meagre total.  Newcash are up next on Tuesday and while they are neither in form or that good away from home, we are not so good at home.  Goodness only knows what we can expect.

• Souza makes his Tottenham debut gaining the Legacy number 903.
• Cristian Romero picks up his sixth red card while playing for Tottenham.