Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim disappointed with Spurs draw as Casemiro overreliance causes problems

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim said his team "have a lot of problems" as he delivered a reality check after the 2-2 draw at Tottenham.

Matthijs de Ligt's 96th-minute equaliser salvaged a point for United to extend their unbeaten league run to five games, their longest under the Portuguese, but Amorim was frustrated to see his side repeat the mistakes of last Saturday's draw at Nottingham Forest.

United led for nearly an hour through Bryan Mbeumo's first-half header, but late goals from Spurs substitute Mathys Tel and Richarlison, seven minutes apart, turned the game before De Ligt rescued a draw with his side a player down after Benjamin Sesko's injury.

Amorim said United, who would have gone second had they held on to win, struggled to cope when he took Casemiro and Harry Maguire off with less than 20 minutes to go as he struck a downbeat tone ahead of the international break.

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"We have a lot of problems," said Amorim. "We are just in the beginning. I know that sometimes the results show to people that we are improving, but we have a lot to do.

"You can divide the game in the final 10 minutes, also when we have to take out Harry Maguire and Casemiro at the same time, then suffer two goals, then losing [Sesko], even before the second goal with a big opportunity.

"To play with 10 men, but then to overcome everything and to manage to score, is a good thing, but if you look at the rest of the game, we were comfortable.

"I think we should do better, be more aggressive, feeling the environment in the stadium.

"The three points were there, the space was there, and I think we felt too comfortable during the game, and we need to expect that in one play anything can happen and change the mood of the stadium, and today was that.

"We controlled the game well, but we need to do better, because the game was there for the taking."

'Sesko knee injury bigger concern than confidence issues'

Sesko, who was dropped from the starting line-up at Spurs, was forced off with a knee injury coming off the bench and could miss Slovenia's World Cup qualifiers.

The striker had a chance to put United in front shortly after Tel's late equaliser for 1-1 but let the opportunity pass him by, taking too long to shoot before Micky van de Ven recovered, picking up the injury in the process.

That was Sesko's last act as he headed straight down the tunnel with the medical team, who will assess the severity of his problem, which was enough to stop him playing on despite United having used all five of their subs.

Asked about Sesko being low on confidence, Amorim said: "No, I think that is not the biggest concern now. That happened in the same way that he was not scoring and then he scored two goals in the next two games.

"That happens, especially with a striker. I'm more concerned with his injury because it's in the knee and I don't know [how bad it is]. We need Ben to be a better team."

Asked if it is a serious injury, he added: "I have no idea, but because it's the knee, we never know."

Amorim refuses to rule out January signings

United are already set to lose Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui to AFCON, which begins on December 21 and ends on January 18, and a serious injury to Sesko would leave Amorim in a precarious position.

Joshua Zirkzee, who Amorim does not view as a No 9, was the only senior striking option on the bench at Spurs and was an unused substitute, with Mason Mount preferred as an impact player.

Asked if they will be active in the January window, Amorim said: "We have to check everything, we have to check what's happened with Ben.

"Of course we are going to have a problem [with AFCON], but we already knew [that]. Managing that situation is going to be hard, but let's see when the window is open if we can improve the team and try to repair something. Until then, we have to take the chance."

Asked if he wants to make January signings, Amorim added: "We'll see."

Analysis: Finding Casemiro heir a transfer priority

Sky Sports' Zinny Boswell:

Sky Sports News has reported that signing a midfielder is a priority for United this summer with Elliot Anderson and Carlos Baleba among a number of options the clubs have looked at.

But the numbers show that those plans might have to be brought forward to the January window if, of course, PSR will allow.

Casemiro, 33 and in the final year of his deal at Old Trafford, cannot be relied on to hold everything together for the whole season and clearly the other options are not up to the job.

Of the 20 goals United have conceded this season, only five have come when Casemiro is on the pitch, which means the other 15 have come in his absence.

That will surely be a huge concern for Amorim, who has only used the Brazilian for the full 90 once this season. He needs to find Casemiro's heir and fast.

(c) Sky Sports 2025: Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim disappointed with Spurs draw as Casemiro overreliance causes problems