De Zerbi thanks Bentancur for headbutt red card as Spurs salvage draw at Man United

Tottenham Hotspur salvaged a dramatic point at Manchester United despite finishing the match with 10 men in the Premier League on Sunday.

Tottenham drew 1-1 with Manchester United in the sixth round of the 2026-2027 EPL season at Old Trafford in Manchester.

United struck first when Bryan Mbeumo scored in the 73rd minute. Five minutes later, a clash between players set the match alight. After Rodrigo Bentancur's tackle drew the ire of Luke Shaw, Shaw charged in and shoved him — prompting an enraged Bentancur to headbutt Shaw in the face. As players from both sides piled in, the referee issued Bentancur a straight red card.

Down to 10 men, Tottenham responded with renewed focus. Dominic Solanke headed in an equalizer in the second minute of stoppage time. Wearing the captain's armband, Solanke scored his first league away goal since April 2025. Tottenham could not end their winless run to start the season — six matches without a victory, with three draws and three losses — but they claimed a hard-earned point on the road.

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi defended Bentancur's outburst, saying it jolted the team out of its torpor.

"I kissed Bentancur and thanked him," De Zerbi said at the post-match news conference. "The moment we were down to 10 men, we showed even greater courage and energy, and again changed the momentum of the game. Tottenham had been lacking that kind of fire and personality."

In a separate Sky Sports interview, De Zerbi acknowledged that Bentancur's action was a "mistake" but praised the refusal to accept defeat. "I liked what happened with the red card — not that he should have been sent off, but we needed that attitude of not accepting defeat," he said. "For a long time, Tottenham have played without that fighting spirit. As the manager, I want to see that every game."

The draw left Tottenham with three draws and three losses — three points — and 18th place in the table.

United, meanwhile, were left to rue dropping points at home. Tottenham had dominated much of the first half, and home fans booed the players at halftime and again at the final whistle, frustrated that United could not hold on in stoppage time despite taking the lead and holding the numerical advantage.

"I'm not at all satisfied with the points we've picked up so far — that's an unavoidable fact," United manager Michael Carrick said after the match. "Small margins could have changed the result, but reality is reality and we have to accept it. We need to turn things around quickly, and we're more than capable of doing that." He added: "We need to be a little sharper, a little more tenacious, a little stronger in certain moments and see them out. Whether the opposition is down to 10 men or not, if you're ahead you have to finish the game."

The draw extended United's poor run to three draws and one loss in their last four league matches, leaving them 12th with one win, three draws and two losses — six points. According to AFP, six points at this stage of the season is United's lowest league return in 30 years. United also twice surrendered the lead in a 2-2 draw at Everton, and last month blew a 2-0 lead in the League Cup to lose to Brighton.