Manchester United suffered a dramatic 4-3 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup quarterfinals, with early errors proving costly despite a determined comeback effort.
The match began poorly for United as goalkeeper Altay Bayindir mishandled a long-range shot from Pedro Porro, allowing Dominic Solanke to score and give Tottenham the lead. Spurs extended their advantage in the second half, with Dejan Kulusevski’s precise finish and Solanke’s second goal seemingly putting the game beyond United’s reach.
However, United fought back with resilience. Substitute Joshua Zirkzee gave them hope with a well-placed header, and shortly after, Amad scored another, benefiting from poor goalkeeping by Fraser Forster. The momentum shifted in United’s favor, raising hopes of a comeback.
But Tottenham sealed the victory late in the game when Son Heung-min curled in a brilliant corner kick to restore Spurs’ two-goal lead. United pushed for more, and Jonny Evans scored in stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough, and the match ended 4-3 in favor of Spurs.
Individual performances reflected the highs and lows of the evening. Bayindir struggled, earning a low rating of 3 due to his errors. Leny Yoro impressed with his maturity, scoring a solid 7, while Victor Lindelof had to leave early due to injury, and Lisandro Martinez’s poor clearance led to a Tottenham goal, earning him a 4.
Noussair Mazraoui showed quality but was limited by a cynical foul, earning a 6. Manuel Ugarte commanded the midfield, receiving a 7, and Christian Eriksen showed flashes of his former brilliance but missed key chances, meriting a 6.
Among the substitutes, Amad was the standout with an 8 for his goal and overall contribution. Zirkzee also impressed with a goal and solid performance, earning a 7. Jonny Evans scored and showed growth in the game, earning a 6, while Kobbie Mainoo added energy to the midfield and earned a 7.
Despite their second-half fightback, United’s early mistakes were too much to overcome, and they were eliminated in a thrilling yet disappointing match.
