100% duels, 3 clearances, 3 shots: Utd disjointed, but one Red gave Amorim food for thought in first half

Manchester United are trailing 2-0 early in the second half of this evening’s Carabao Cup quarter-final away to Tottenham Hotspur.

Dominic Solanke was in the right place at the right time to latch on to Pedro Porro’s shot being parried out by Altay Bayindir and convert the follow-up chance, etching his name onto the scoresheet against the Red Devils for the fourth game in a row in the process.

Shortly after play got back underway, Dejan Kulusevski extended the hosts’ lead to two, putting United on the brink of exiting the competition unless they’re able to produce a convincing turnaround in the remaining 40 minutes.

Despite creating half chances here and there, the Reds have been unable to register a response to Spurs’ well-taken efforts. Fixtures will be coming thick and fast on the horizon over the festive period, so a win today would only boost morale ahead of such a pivotal, and potentially season-defining, run.

Christian Eriksen’s notable first-half statistics

One Red made his return to the starting XI for the first time since Ruben Amorim’s first game: a 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town on November 24.

Indeed, Christian Eriksen was given the nod tonight having not featured for almost four weeks – not even as a substitute.

The experienced Dane is seeing out his final six months at the club before his contract expires in June 2025. There is no one-year option for United to exercise, and the board are unwilling to offer him new terms now he’s past his peak at 32 years old.

He’s still been keeping the cogs turning tonight, though. In the first 45 minutes, he won 100 per cent of his duels, completed 100 per cent of his long balls and recorded a 91 per cent passing accuracy. Eriksen also made three clearances, three crosses and had three shots when up against his former club, as per StatmanDave.