There was more bad news for Manchester United on Sunday, as Lisandro Martinez was carried off on a stretcher with a left knee injury. The Argentina defender’s latest injury adds to the team’s woes.
Spurs Clinch First EPL Win in 49 Days
While Manchester United’s manager Ruben Amorim was left disappointed by another setback, Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur side managed to secure a much-needed 2-0 victory over Brentford. This win ended a four-match losing streak in the Premier League for the north London club.
Pape Sarr, with his arms aloft, celebrated Spurs’ clincher at Brentford. The result was a significant boost for Tottenham ahead of their crucial League Cup semi-final second leg against Liverpool on Thursday, where they hold a 1-0 advantage from the first leg.
Palace Ends United’s Winning Run
Jean-Philippe Mateta scored a brace in the second half for Crystal Palace, ending Manchester United’s three-match winning run in all competitions. This streak had come after Amorim’s controversial comments about his team being “the worst team, maybe, in the history of Manchester United.”
The Amorim era at Manchester United looks set to be without England international Marcus Rashford, at least until the end of the season, as the forward is reportedly undergoing a medical examination at Aston Villa ahead of a potential loan move with a view to a permanent transfer.
Even with Rashford absent, Amorim fielded a team with no out-and-out striker, and United failed to create many good chances against Palace, which punished them on the counter-attack. Mateta’s goals came in the 64th and 89th minutes, handing United their seventh home defeat in the Premier League this season, a stat that hasn’t occurred since the 1893-94 season.
“It is difficult to play here because we want to please our fans,” Amorim said. “This season is going to be like that, I said it since the first day.”
United’s loss saw them drop to 13th in the standings, one place and two points ahead of Spurs, whose victory ended their four-match losing run in the league.
Vitaly Janelt scored an own-goal at a corner to put Tottenham ahead at halftime, and Pape Sarr added the second goal in the 87th minute.
“We needed a big effort again today, a physical effort. We put that in,” said Postecoglou, who rested defender Micky van de Ven after the defender returned from injury in the midweek win over Elfsborg in the Europa League. “Outstanding effort by the players.”
The result was a significant boost for Tottenham as they prepare for their crucial League Cup semi-final second leg against Liverpool on Thursday.
Overall, it was a mixed weekend for the two clubs, with Manchester United’s injury woes continuing and Tottenham Hotspur finding some much-needed relief with a crucial victory.
