Roberto De Zerbi has a lot hinging on Dominic Solanke. Perhaps not all of it by design but by ostracising Richarlison, selling Will Lankshear and signing Omar Marmoush who does not look like a natural fit at centre forward in this system, the Tottenham boss needs Solanke’s fire to rekindle.
Having spent the international break working on him and the three forwards in support, none of whom were away playing for their countries, the Spurs boss asked him to lead the team at Old Trafford in every sense.
Solanke was given the honour of pulling on the armband and being the captain despite not being part of the five-man captaincy group.
It was, according to De Zerbi, a popular move to show faith in a striker who has been the target for criticism during Spurs’ sluggish start to this season.
He started by missing a sitter and the time it took to collect the ball and work it into a shooting position portrayed his fragile confidence. Senne Lammens made a good save, but the Spurs skipper should have scored.
Dominic Solanke netted his first of the season to lift Spurs’ spirits
Then he missed another glorious chance at the start of the second half but to his credit he kept going. He refused to let the misses haunt him. He held up the ball, fought to protect it when he could and drew Manchester United’s centre halves into a physical contest.
In the end, Solanke earned his reward, outmuscling Lisandro Martinez to reach the teasing, inswinging cross from Sandro Tonali, the midfield general signed for a club record £100million who finished the game at left back from where he delivered his most significant contribution in a Spurs shirt.
Tonali’s relief was clear. He is impatient to make an impression and produce a return on what he realises is a huge investment, and yet it will be nothing compared to Solanke’s.
Centre forwards need to score, and he was his first in the Premier League since March. His problems in front of goal since returning from an ankle injury which ruled him out of the first half of last season have been amplified by the team’s problems finding the net.
There was no way Solanke was going to let anyone think he had not applied the slightest touch to the ball. He raced away to a jubilant away end to bask in the glory.
Solanke’s header was his first league goal since March
De Zerbi applauded his performance. ‘We need this Dominic Solanke because Dominic Solanke is able to make the difference in this team,’ said the Spurs boss.
Having been reduced to 10 men, his team showed some of the fighting spirit they have been accused of lacking in the last 12 months.
As a collective, Solanke’s equaliser cast a positive glow across another game when they have failed to win.
Three points from six games is barely cause for celebration but De Zerbi has been searching for what he called a ‘click’.
Perhaps this goal will be it. Something to change the narrative. Perhaps to instil faith in what they are trying to do.
Something also to remind them they can fight back. De Zerbi adored the reaction. ‘The first time we have played as a team,’ purred the Italian.
Spurs have not come back from behind to win in the Premier League for almost two years and the counter has ticked to 49 games.
It is an embarrassing statistic but fighting back to take a point with 10 men will go down as progress and De Zerbi will be thrilled at Solanke’s part in the rescue act.
Rodrigo’s red mist
Spurs have often been guilty of emotional fragility in the last two seasons. Start well but fail to score, make a mistake, go behind and then crumble. It has been a familiar routine.
So when they started well at Old Trafford only to fade and go behind, then see Rodrigo Bentancur lose discipline and leave them a man down as well as a goal down it seemed like another one of those days.
Bentancur is one of De Zerbi’s favourites because he is canny and experienced, and a little bit cynical.
Rodrigo Bentancur saw red in the second-half and was sent off for headbutting Luke Shaw
He started on the bench after a long-haul international break playing friendlies for Uruguay in India, South Korea and Japan, and came on when the game was goalless.
Within seven minutes, Spurs were behind and within five more he had left his teammates in the lurch by losing his head. First, jumping recklessly into a tackle and then springing up to headbutt Luke Shaw.
‘I gave him a kiss and said thanks,’ said De Zerbi. ‘It’s a mistake but the red card gave us the spark. For a long time, Tottenham played without this blood and this character. I want to see it in every game. You can’t win with only quality but with the right energy we are going to win many games.’
Senesi shines
Centre halves in modern football are invariably the players with the most time on the ball and the most touches and it helps if they have vision and a good range of passing.
As Marcos Senesi’s composure shone in the first half it was tempting to wonder if Micky van de Ven’s future at Spurs will be at left back, where he plays for the Netherlands.
Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke seemed perfectly comfortable together and relished the late rearguard.
Sunshine break
Spurs will go to Spain for a training break before the next game at home to Coventry on Monday week.
