'Captain Son Heung-min is out of shock'→ If there was even SON, it would have been a disaster! Tottenham's 'Bruno exit' vs Manchester United 3-0 victory...the first league win of the season

Sep 30, 2024

Tottenham won a big victory over Manchester United despite the absence of captain Son Heung-min, and succeeded in winning the league in a row. Tottenham missed Son Heung-min due to injury. Son Heung-min had left the ground in the Europa League match against Karabakh FK, asking for a replacement due to a hamstring injury during the match. At the time, both Son Heung-min and manager Enze Postecoglou said after the game that it was not a big problem, but Tottenham chose to take a break by excluding the list without overusing Son Heung-min. The last time Son Heung-min missed due to an injury was an orbital fracture in November 2022.

AFP Yonhap News

Despite the absence of captain Son Heung-min, Tottenham won a big victory over Manchester United and succeeded in winning the league in a row.

Tottenham won 3-0 in the sixth round of the English Premier League (EPL) match against Manchester United in the 2024-2025 season at Old Trafford in Manchester, England on the 30th (Korea time).

Tottenham won this game and succeeded in winning the league for the first time this season. On the other hand, Manchester United failed to rebound from the disappointing atmosphere, recording its second consecutive home loss in six league games.

Tottenham formed a starting lineup excluding Son Heung-min, the captain of the game. Timo Werner, Dominic Solanke and Brennan Johnson were three-top players on the front line, while James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski worked together in the midfield. The defense was built by Destiny Udoji, Mickey Panderpen, Christian Romero and Pedro Porro. The goal was guarded by Guglielmo Vicario.

Son Heung-min had left the ground in the Europa League match against Karabakh FK, asking for a replacement due to a hamstring injury during the match. At the time, both Son Heung-min and manager Enze Postecoglou said after the game that it was not a big problem, but Tottenham chose to take a break by excluding the list without overusing Son Heung-min. The last time Son Heung-min missed due to an injury was an orbital fracture in November 2022.

United fought back with a 4-2-3-1 formation. Joshua Girksey on the front line, Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho on the second line. The third term was Manuel Ugarte and Kobe Maino. The Four Bags consisted of Nusair Mazraoui, Matthias Duricht, Lisandro Martinez, and Giogu Dalot. The goalkeeper's gloves were on Andre Onana.

Tottenham pushed strongly against Manchester United from the first half and took the lead with the first goal early on. In the third minute of the first half, Panderpen, who stole Rashford's ball from the defense, immediately dribbled deep into the penalty box. Panderpen made a low, fast cross with his left foot, and the ball connected to Johnson on the other side. Johnson scored by calmly pushing the ball into Onana's empty goal.

After the opening goal, Tottenham struggled to widen the gap. In the 11th minute of the first half, a shot attempted after receiving Kulusevski's sensational pass hit Onana's shoulder. After Kulusevski's pass in the 12th minute, Udogi's left footed shot headed over the net. He also missed a crucial opportunity. In the 20th minute of the first half, Johnson caught the ball from the right side of the box through Udo-gi and Kulusevski in a counterattack. The shot he calmly attempted bounced off the post and swallowed the disappointment.

Manchester United also worked hard to counterattack. In the 22nd minute of the first half, Garnacho on the right side of the box gave the pass to Mainu's penalty box center Zirkji. Zirkji immediately tried to shoot, but the ball fell into Vicario's hands. In the 24th minute of the first half, Rashford's pass toward Garnacho, who was inundated, crossed the goal line.

Tottenham's offensive to score additional points was also fierce. Johnson did not miss Dalot's pass mistake in the 30th minute of the first half, and Madison even tried to shoot but headed straight to Onana. In the 32nd minute of the first half, Solanke connected a ball cut from the center to Udo-gi, who Werner penetrated. U Do-ki's shot hit the defense and flew directly over the net. Romero finished off Porro's cross with a bicycle kick on the ensuing corner kick, but headed to the side of the net.

Manchester United gradually began to create opportunities. In the 37th minute of the first half, Garnacho, who was waiting for Rashford's cross from the left, finished with a volley, but hit the post as it was.

Tottenham lost Werner's chance to score extra points. In the 38th minute of the first half, Werner received a good pass from Kulusevski and had a one-on-one opportunity, but the shot was caught on Onana's leg and lamented. It was a scene where the decision of Son Heung-min, the existing left winger, had to be remembered.

Manchester United suffered a numerical inferiority due to the exit of captain Bruno Fernandes. In the 41st minute of the first half, with Madison driving the ball forward, Bruno openly raised his soles and hit Madison's calf with his feet. After confirming this, the referee immediately took out the red card and ordered the exit. After Bruno's exit, Manchester United took out Mainu and put in Mason Mount.

No additional points are scored, and the first half ended with Tottenham's 1-0 lead.

At the start of the second half, Manchester United took out Zirkji and replaced him with Casemiro. Tottenham also put in Jed Spence without Udo-gi, who is feared to be injured.

In the second half, Tottenham also scored an additional goal at an early point, widening the gap with Manchester United. In the second half of the second half, Johnson's cross deflected off Derricht and headed to Kulusevski in front of the gate. Kulusevski cut the United goal with a sensational shot that changed direction.

Tottenham had no intention of settling for the gap between the two goals. However, Werner lost his chance. In the 11th minute of the second half, Kulusevski delivered an accurate pass to Werner, who was rushing to the left in a counterattack. Werner immediately grabbed the ball and tried to shoot, but once again failed to cross Onana and lowered his head.

United were rarely able to capitalize on the chance to score a chase goal. Casemiro connected the ball that fell off Romero in the attack after a corner kick in the 15th minute of the second half to Lisandro, and finished with a shot, but the ball went off to the right side of the net. In the 24th minute of the second half, Lisandro's lobbing pass exactly fell to Casemiro in front of the gate, but Casemiro's non-stop shot flowed to the side of the net and hit the ground. In the 27th minute of the second half, Garnacho's shot was caught by the defense after breaking through the left side of the penalty box.

Tottenham made changes in the 31st minute of the second half by putting in Mikey Moore, Lucas Veribal and Papesar, excluding Johnson, Madison and Werner. The change immediately led to a score. In the 32nd minute of the second half, Sar changed the direction of Beribal's cross from a corner kick to his head, and Solanke pushed it in front of the goal and scored his team's third goal to seal the net.

Solanke aimed for a multi-goal opportunity. In the 45th minute of the second half, Solanke had a one-on-one chance in the box, but the shot was caught in Onana's leg and went out of the goal.

In the end, the game ended with a 3-0 victory for Tottenham.

digh1229@sportschosun.com