Mathys Tel opts to look at the positive side in Tottenham Hotspur draw vs Manchester United
Different day, same old Tottenham. The Lilywhites were moments away from securing only their second home win of the Premier League season after taking a 2-1 lead against Manchester United in stoppage time. But Thomas Frank’s side once again found a way to let the result slip, conceding an equaliser with the final action of the match against a depleted United team.
Tottenham’s performance was flat for large parts of the game. They created very few chances and the forward line struggled to influence the match against Ruben Amorim’s side. United opened the scoring in the first half when Bryan Mbeumo punished poor defending, heading home from close range.
Mathys Tel opts to look at the positive side in Tottenham Hotspur draw vs Manchester United.
Tottenham clinched a draw against Manchester United in the Premier League.
The North Londoners eventually responded in the second half after trailing for 52 minutes. Mathys Tel levelled the score in the 84th minute with a composed finish, before Richarlison made it 2-1 in the 93rd minute with a header from Wilson Odobert’s cross. But United showed resilience and snatched a draw through Matthijs De Ligt’s header from a corner with seconds remaining.
‘Could’ve, should’ve, would’ve’ day for Tottenham in the Premier League
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium erupted when Richarlison scored in stoppage time. Yet those celebrations did not last, as a lapse in concentration allowed United to equalise. The Lilywhites once again let three points slip at home, leaving frustration in the stands and on the touchline.
Reacting to the result after a thrilling game between the two clubs, goal-scorer Mathys Tel told TNT Sports (via BBC),
“This is football. Sometimes 50-50, sometimes something else. I want to stay positive because the reaction in the second half was really good. We showed great mentality. First half we tried things. We were really patient. We lost two points. We get one but we deserved to win this game. Like I say we need to stay positive and keep going. Working hard every day.”
Tel believes Tottenham’s reaction after going down was ‘really good’ and the Lilywhites showed good character to clinch a result against a resilient Manchester United side. That said, the Frenchman also admitted that the North Londoners dropped two points, rather than gaining one. Tel also urged his teammates to stay positive and learn from their errors in the coming days.
In truth, the match lacked quality from both teams. Clear chances were limited and periods of play were cautious. Tottenham have now taken only five points from their opening six home matches in the Premier League this season. Performances at N17 have not been good enough, and frustration among supporters appears to be growing.
Next up is the North London Derby after the international break. Spurs face league-leaders Arsenal, and at this stage, it seems unlikely they will take points off their rivals away from home. However, the derby presents an opportunity for Thomas Frank and his players to silence criticism and regain momentum. For now, though, the Lilywhites will be left reflecting on how they let three points slip away against Manchester United.