Tottenham claimed a narrow 1-0 victory over Manchester United on Sunday in a clash between two underperforming Premier League sides, deepening the struggles of United manager Ruben Amorim.
James Maddison netted the decisive goal in the 13th minute, securing Spurs’ third win over United this season and lifting them to 12th place in the table, ahead of their opponents.
The victory provided some relief for Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou, who has been under pressure following recent exits from both domestic cup competitions and the club’s disappointing league campaign.
Manchester United, meanwhile, have slumped to 15th in the standings, though they maintain a 12-point cushion above the relegation zone.
“My concern is our position in the table, not my situation,” said Amorim, who has won only four of 14 league matches since taking charge in November.
“I hate losing. That feeling is the worst. The rest, I am not thinking about. I understand my job and my responsibilities, and I just want to win games.”
Despite securing their first home league win since November, Spurs fans continued to vent their frustration at the club’s ownership.
Before kick-off and after the final whistle, supporters directed their anger towards owners ENIC and chairman Daniel Levy.
A large banner reading, “24 years, 16 managers, 1 trophy—Time for change,” reflected growing discontent, with many fans joining a protest calling for Levy to step down.
However, Postecoglou received a boost before the match with the return of several key players from injury.
Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario made his first appearance since November, while Maddison returned to the starting lineup.
Destiny Udogie, Brennan Johnson, and Wilson Odobert were also named on the bench, giving Spurs a much-needed lift.
Manchester United’s injury problems worsened as Amad Diallo was ruled out for the rest of the season alongside Lisandro Martinez, while rising star Kobbie Mainoo faces a month on the sidelines.
With limited options, Amorim named eight teenagers on the bench and was forced to start Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee together in attack, despite both being overlooked in United’s previous 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace.
Hojlund had an early chance but fired his effort too close to Vicario, who later produced a stunning save to deny Alejandro Garnacho.
Tottenham, however, capitalised on their first real opportunity when Lucas Bergvall’s shot was only parried by Andre Onana, allowing Maddison to tap into an empty net for his 10th goal of the season.
United had opportunities to equalise before halftime, with Garnacho blazing over from close range after being played through by Bruno Fernandes. Vicario frustrated the Argentine again after the break with another fine save.
Zirkzee missed a golden chance to draw level 20 minutes from time, heading Noussair Mazraoui’s cross wide despite being unmarked.
United’s goal-scoring struggles were once again evident, as only the league’s bottom three clubs and Everton have netted fewer than their 28 goals in 25 matches this season.
Onana kept United in the contest by parrying a powerful strike from Dejan Kulusevski, but Spurs’ makeshift defence held firm to secure a much-needed win for Postecoglou, while Amorim’s side continued their downward spiral.
