By admin 
Manchester United were held to a frustrating 1–1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, leaving former defender Gary Neville questioning the effort and energy of Michael Carrick’s side, with two midfielders, Youri Tielemans and Kobbie Mainoo, coming under particular scrutiny.
Read more Seminoles Trip to Miami Next Saturday Will Show Whether Mike Norvell Has Any Path Left
Despite Spurs being reduced to 10 men following Rodrigo Bentancur’s dismissal, United failed to hold on to their lead after Bryan Mbeumo’s 73rd-minute opener. Dominic Solanke struck a stoppage-time equalizer to deny Michael Carrick’s side all three points, leaving United 12th in the Premier League after six games.
The disappointing result prompted boos from the Old Trafford crowd, with Neville offering a scathing assessment of United’s performance on The Gary Neville Podcast.
Neville identified the midfield partnership of Tielemans and Kobbie Mainoo as a problem. While acknowledging the quality of both players individually, he questioned whether they possess the dynamism needed to operate effectively alongside each other in the Premier League.
“With Tielemans and Mainoo, I think we’ve seen enough of it now,” Neville said. “I’m not calling time on it because I think that’s probably too drastic-but I’ve seen enough of it to think it’s not dynamic enough to play at this football club in the Premier League.
“They are both good players individually, but sometimes you have players who just don’t quite knit together and suit each other.”
Neville also pointed to the impact of summer signing Carlos Baleba, who came off the bench against Spurs with just over half an hour remaining. The former United defender felt the midfield looked more energetic when Baleba partnered Mainoo, suggesting Carrick may need to reconsider his options in the middle of the pitch.
“When Baleba came on with Mainoo, that certainly looked more like there was more energy, but there is going to have to be something done in there, and the rest of them are going to have to get a grip,” he added.
‘Are They Going Under?’
The former defender questioned the team’s work rate and intensity, arguing that their lack of effort was becoming a major concern.
United have come under scrutiny for their physical output this season, ranking among the Premier League’s lowest teams for distance covered, sprints and high-intensity running. Tielemans himself has also admitted that the team did not do enough work in that area during preseason.
Read more Patriots Week 5 Inactives vs. Raiders: Secondary Taking Hit after Hit
Neville questioned whether United’s struggles were down to a loss of confidence or a deeper issue within the squad.
“The shake of Carrick’s head will be … are they doing it for me? What’s happening with that lot?” Neville said. “Have they lost their confidence? Have they switched off? Are they going under? What is going on? Because these aren’t the players I was working with last season.”
Neville Worried About United’s Upcoming Fixture Schedule
United’s midfield concerns could become even more significant as the team prepares for a demanding run of fixtures.
They face Atlético Madrid in the Champions League in midweek before traveling to Elland Road to take on an in-form Leeds United next weekend.
With the schedule set to intensify, United are approaching a period in which they will play almost twice a week until the next international break in mid-November. Given their struggles against Spurs, Neville is worried about whether the squad has the physicality and mental resilience to cope with the increased demands.
“It is a real concern, going into a slog where you are playing every three days and the Champions League is going to hit you hard,” he said.
“You’ve got tough matches, and all of the games coming up are going to need real personality and character. It needs a group of players who are resilient, and at the moment, you do worry about them going into that run of matches and how they are going to come out of it.”
READ THE LATEST MAN UTD NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FC
- Erling Haaland Shows What He Thinks of Man Utd With Brutal Three-Word Admission
- Transfer Rumors: La Liga Giants Want Fernandes; Man Utd Plot Endrick Move
- Man Utd Sink to 40-Year Low, Giving Michael Carrick Nowhere to Hide
- Man Utd Player Ratings vs. Tottenham: Dreadful Red Devils Stunned By 10-Man Spurs
- ‘Not Quite’-Michael Carrick Offers Worrying Benjamin Sesko Injury Update
Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Read more Arch Manning Assigns Blame After Late Mistakes in Texas’ Loss to Oklahoma
This story was originally published October 11, 2026 at 8:35 AM.