Son Heung-Min (C) of Tottenham Hotspur in action during their Premier League clash with Manchester United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, April 27, 2023. /CFP
Son Heung-Min (C) of Tottenham Hotspur in action during their Premier League clash with Manchester United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, April 27, 2023. /CFP
Tottenham Hotspur have no permanent manager, no sporting director, no transfer plan, and no clear sense of direction, but at least, they have the gall to fight back.
After being thrashed 6-1 by Newcastle on Sunday, Tottenham threatened to plunge deeper into chaos in Ryan Mason's first game in charge as interim coach, with Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford putting Manchester United 2-0 up in a one-sided first half.
United looked to be cruising to a fourth straight domestic win as they had won 15 straight Premier League games when leading by multiple goals.
Yet, implausibly, Mason's side completed a sensational turnaround after the break. Pedro Porro halved the deficit near the hour mark before Harry Kane fed Son Heung-Min to volley home an equalizer 11 minutes from time.
Son Heung-Min (C) of Tottenham Hotspur celebrate his goal during their Premier League clash with Manchester United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, April 27, 2023. /CFP
Son Heung-Min (C) of Tottenham Hotspur celebrate his goal during their Premier League clash with Manchester United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, April 27, 2023. /CFP
No player in Premier League history has assisted a single teammate to score more times than Kane has Son. The South Korean superstar's return to fine form is encouraging. No goals in first 11 games against United in all competitions, he now has four goals in his last six matches combined against the Red Devils.
The draw lifts Tottenham above Liverpool and Aston Villa into fifth place, while United now trail Newcastle by two points. The result also meant that United have not beaten any of the current top nine sides away from home in the league this season.
United manager Erik ten Hag suggested fatigue was the main reason for his players sudden collapse in the second half.
"We have the worst schedule in the Premier League and that will not change," he fumed after the tie. "But we have to take that. It cannot be an excuse. The time is enough to recover. Our players are in demand to be ready.
"Today we are not ready. Some thought 90 percent is enough. But we lose focus. That's why we give goals away. We did not do our jobs in positioning. You lose control of the game. You have to bring it every time.
"I know they are not robots and it is a tough schedule. But when you are playing for Man United and playing away, you have to give everything on every occasion and in every game, as a team you have to manage the game. You have to prepare as a player that you are ready for a game, for a battle, for a fight."
Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur reacts after a missed chance during their Premier League clash with Manchester United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, April 27, 2023. /CFP
Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur reacts after a missed chance during their Premier League clash with Manchester United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, April 27, 2023. /CFP
In sharp contrast, Mason was satisfied with his side's resilience. "I've heard a lot about a lack of character but I know I have got men in there that when they pull together as a team are very strong," he observed during the post-match press briefing.
"That is my job to get inside them and inspire them so every time we go onto the football pitch we act as a team."
The fighting spirit was echoed by Son. "We didn't want to let the fans down, we wanted to give everything and that was the dressing room speech," he told reporters.
"We couldn't let the game go. We were really angry about it, we didn't deserve to be 2-0 down at half-time. I think the lads showed really good character."