Manchester United and Michael Carrick win again as Tottenham are seen off

Michael Carrick oversaw a fourth straight victory as revitalised Manchester United capitalised on Cristian Romero’s red card to extend Tottenham’s wait for a first Premier League win of 2026.

The Red Devils have been reborn since the short-term appointment of their former midfielder, whose honeymoon period continued as triumphs against Manchester City, Arsenal and Fulham were followed up on Saturday lunchtime.

Bryan Mbeumo scored from a well-worked corner shortly after Tottenham captain Romero saw red for a reckless first-half challenge on Casemiro, with Bruno Fernandes wrapping up a deserved 2-0 victory against Carrick’s old club.

United’s first win against Spurs since 2022 increased their stranglehold on fourth spot and means fan Frank Ilett is in line for a long-awaited trim should the rejuvenated Red Devils rack up a fifth successive win at West Ham on Tuesday.

Tottenham host Newcastle that night looking to end a seven-match wait for a Premier League win, but Destiny Udogie looks to have joined their lengthy injury list for a match skipper Romero will miss following his latest red card.

The Argentina international made headlines at the start of the week by claiming it was “disgraceful” Spurs only had 11 players available after he went off ill during last Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Manchester City.

Quite what Romero, or indeed under-fire boss Thomas Frank, will have to say after incurring a four-match ban for his second red card of the season will be interesting.

Tottenham’s raucous fans had audibly backed their captain – and repeatedly reminded United of May’s Europa League final result – at the start of a game that saw the 68th anniversary of the Munich air disaster marked impeccably.

Mbeumo slammed narrowly over and