De Ligt Saves Manchester United with Last-Gasp Equaliser Against Tottenham

Matthijs de Ligt rescued a point for Manchester United in a thrilling 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, as both sides missed the opportunity to move into second place in the Premier League.

United appeared to have lost after a late Tottenham comeback, with Mathys Tel levelling the score and Richarlison heading home in stoppage time to make it 2-1 for Spurs. But in the 96th minute, De Ligt powered in a header from a Bruno Fernandes corner to salvage a dramatic draw and extend United’s unbeaten streak to five games.

“Luckily, we got a point. I think we deserved more from the way we played,” De Ligt told TNT Sports. “I’m proud of how the team fought back and earned a result at such a tough venue.”

Both teams now sit on 18 points from 11 matches, with Spurs in third place and United in seventh, separated only by goal difference. The Red Devils have now gone eight matches without a win against Tottenham, including a 1-0 defeat in last season’s Europa League final that cost them a European spot.

Despite the financial and reputational setback from missing Europe, United’s manager Ruben Amorim appears to be finding stability, taking advantage of extra time on the training ground to rebuild momentum.

Summer signing Bryan Mbeumo, who joined from Brentford for £65 million, has proven his worth. The Cameroonian, recently named Premier League Player of the Month for October, continued his fine form by heading in Amad Diallo’s cross in the 32nd minute, his fourth goal in four games.

Spurs Rally After Poor First Half

Following their disappointing 1-0 derby loss to Chelsea last weekend, Tottenham struggled again in the first half and were booed off the pitch. However, they came alive after the break.

United goalkeeper Senne Lammens made key saves to deny Cristian Romero and Joao Palhinha, while Brennan Johnson had a goal disallowed for offside. Frustration grew when manager Thomas Frank substituted Xavi Simons, prompting boos from the home fans, but his changes eventually paid off.

Substitute Destiny Udogie set up Mathys Tel, whose deflected shot levelled the game. Moments later, Wilson Odobert’s curling effort was redirected by Richarlison into the net, sending the Brazilian into emotional celebrations.

Despite their late surge, Spurs still could not secure their first home league victory since the opening weekend. United’s persistence paid off when De Ligt, unmarked at the back post, thundered home a header past Guglielmo Vicario in the final seconds.

“I take a lot of positives from this performance,” said Spurs boss Thomas Frank. “There’s something to build on, but we know we can do much better.”