Tottenham started brightly and, according to manager Roberto De Zerbi, had done enough in the opening period to establish a substantial advantage. United improved after the break, however, and Bryan Mbeumo put the hosts ahead as they looked to secure another important victory.
The match changed when Bentancur was dismissed for headbutting Luke Shaw, leaving Tottenham to finish with ten men. Rather than surrender, the visitors continued to push and were rewarded when Solanke found the net in stoppage time to deny United all three points.
De Zerbi believed his side had been the better team for much of the first half, while acknowledging that United’s response after the interval had caused problems.
“I think we are playing very well. We can’t forget the opponent. Big players. But I think in the first half we deserved to be two goals up,” he told BBC Match of the Day.
“The first part of the second half, we suffered. The red card was the switch. It was the right reaction after the red card because we deserved to score.”
The Tottenham manager defended Bentancur’s character despite acknowledging the midfielder had made a mistake.
“Bentancur is a good guy, top player, great character. He made mistake but in this moment, this club needs a reaction. Sometimes it’s not nice, it’s not right.”
Solanke also pointed to Tottenham’s resilience, insisting the late equaliser reflected the determination shown after going behind and losing a player.
“I wouldn’t say it feels like a win. In the first half, we played so well. Dominated the majority and should have been a couple of goals ahead,” the striker said.
“In the second half, we go a man down and still managed to get something from the game. It shows the mentality and the character of the team.”
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick was left frustrated after his side failed to capitalise on its advantage. He felt the team had improved after a difficult start but should have managed the closing stages more effectively.
“To get the game as we wanted it, in such a good position – we should see it through. We have to manage those situations,” Carrick said.
The draw extended United’s recent frustration with late goals, while De Zerbi urged Tottenham to keep believing despite their position near the bottom of the table. Both managers now face the task of turning encouraging moments into more consistent results.