Manchester United can use Tottenham wake-up call to their advantage

If the damp 1-0 win over Wolves was the morning alarm you hit snooze on for five more minutes in bed then the defeat to Tottenham was the horrible wake-up call when you're already five minutes late for work.

After a promising summer, the opening week of the new season has been a brutal reality check for United. On the opening weekend they only just scraped past a Wolves team who had changed managers five days earlier yet still looked fitter and better drilled. Only the saves of Andre Onana and the incompetence of officials ensured Erik ten Hag's side took home the three points.

But the winning start was short-lived as United travelled to North London on Saturday and were soundly beaten by another side thought to be in a bit of disarray. Spurs have lost their talismanic striker Harry Kane and are also under new managership but Ange Postecoglou is already getting a tune out of his new side.

More refereeing madness denied United a penalty this time around but it can hardly be pointed to as the sole reason for the defeat. Though United actually played rather well in the first half and if Bruno Fernandes could head on target it might be a different story, they completely crumbled after the break.

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The midfield has once again been pointed to as a problem. Mason Mount has been introduced to the side alongside Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro and so far it isn't working. Ten Hag wants Mount to press high, which he does well, but his advanced position leaves 31-year-old Casemiro completely exposed.

Against Wolves, the Brazilian was often left with four opponents on his hands and on Saturday he struggled to cope with the energetic trio of James Maddison, Yves Bissouma and goal scorer Pape