Manchester United exited the Carabao Cup with a 4-3 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur following a bizarre meeting in North London.
In a fixture that highlighted the growth of Ruben Amorim’s vision alongside the vulnerability of his squad, a plethora of defensive errors and goalkeeping calamities proved costly.
Ultimately, despite the best efforts of a collective travelling unit, Ange Postecoglou earned a second victory over United in three months as his side progressed to a last-four meeting with Liverpool.
Here are five talking points we’ve selected from defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.
Goalkeeping errors and then some
Football is a game of margins, and the man between the sticks is often the difference between three points, progression or agony in defeat.
Having overcome back-to-back days to forget with an assured performance against Manchester City, Andre Onana got the night off to watch Altay Bayindir make a rare start.
Unfortunately for the Turkish keeper, it was an evening to forget, with several questionable decisions that led to goals conceded.
Not to be outdone, veteran shot-stopper Fraser Forster endured one of the most embarrassing outings in a career spanning 18 years, single-handedly supplying an avenue for the Reds to claw their way back from three goals down.
In an enjoyable end-to-end encounter, individual errors were the fundamental talking point.
Substitutions provide a spark
Although largely comfortable with structure and build-up play, United failed to provide a clinical touch in the final third.
Unfortunately, it is a trademark of this group and routinely left Erik ten Hag scratching his head.
But Amorim has shown a willingness to utilise his bench and made a trio of attacking changes following Dominic Solanke’s second goal.
The introduction of Joshua Zirkzee, Amad Diallo and Kobbie Mainoo immediately paid dividends, with the Dutchman coming close with a fine header.
Inevitably, he opened the scoring for his side moments later before Amad added a second. Mainoo was present in most transition phases, and their impact again highlighted the value of a tactical tweak midgame.
Amorim continues to test his squad
Having reaped the rewards of a late showing in the Manchester Derby, Amorim made five changes to his starting XI.
The Portuguese tactician has stated that his men must learn on the job, with little to no time for individual sessions between fixtures.
With such, supporters must align their expectations with a long-term vision and embrace the inevitable hiccups.
The former Sporting chief is eager to gain an understanding of every member of his squad, with Leny Yoro returning to the starting lineup alongside Antony, Victor Lindelof, Christian Eriksen and Bayindir.
The ongoing issue with Set pieces
An inability to defend set pieces has become a true Achilles heel for this group.
Astonishingly, more than half of all goals conceded have come from a dead-ball this campaign, as we witnessed against Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Manchester City in recent weeks.
Trailing three goals to two, United had the momentum to hunt for a memorable equaliser before Son Heung-min scored directly from a corner kick with two minutes to play.
It is further evidence of the defensive woes within this squad, whether or not Bayindir was impeded in the build-up.
What happened to supporting our own?
On a night when goalkeeping calamities were the talk of the town, the most embarrassing scenario was a tasteless banner in the away end.
The future of Marcus Rashford appears to be decided, with the Wythenshawe man openly expressing a desire for change amidst a further absence from the first-team squad.
But he is a local lad who has given his career to his boyhood club during a decade of Glazer family mismanagement.
Whether or not his time is up at Old Trafford, an attempt to replicate Pete Molyneux is a slap in the face to the masses of loyal Reds who travel the continent with their club and the support we routinely provide to our players.
It’s always been us against everyone else. It’s a shame that some people have decided to ignore that.
How do you feel about Manchester United under Amorim, an exit from the Carabao Cup, and the decision to unveil an unnecessary banner towards one of our own?
Let us know in the comments or across our social channels.
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