Tottenham vs. Manchester United: Who to blame for 2-2 draw

Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has singled out defender Tyrell Malacia for blame following the Red Devils’ 2-2 draw with Tottenham. Schmeichel has stated that Manchester United’s defense is “vulnerable” without their key players, specifically referring to Erik ten Hag’s lack of first-choice center-backs Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez for the season run-in.

Ten Hag was forced to start Luke Shaw and Victor Lindelof at the heart of defense against Spurs, and despite a 2-0 lead at halftime thanks to goals from Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford, Spurs salvaged a point with Pedro Porro and Son Heung-min scoring in the second half.

In a post-match analysis, Schmeichel criticized the Manchester United defense, particularly Lindelof and Shaw. He stated, “Lindelof is half a center-back, half a full-back, and Luke Shaw is a full-back, and they are drawn towards the ball, they are not drawn to marking spaces or players.”

Schmeichel also criticized Malacia for his poor performance. Malacia was brought on as a substitute and allowed the ball to run past him, leading to Spurs’ second goal. Schmeichel said, “And that second goal, I don’t know what Malacia is doing. The ball runs straight past him, and he just looks at it. You have just come on; you have to make some sort of impact, you have a job to do.”

Manchester United’s draw with Tottenham dealt a significant blow to their hopes of finishing in the top four this season. The Red Devils are currently sitting in fifth place in the Premier League, two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea with just four games left to play.

The criticism of Manchester United’s defense is likely to add pressure on the team as they look to secure a top-four finish and potentially win the Europa League this season.