Three Things We Learned From Manchester United’s 2-0 Win Against Antonio Conte’s Tottenham Hotspur

Manchester United bounced back after their stale 0-0 draw against Newcastle United last weekend with an emphatic performance and result against Antonio Conte’s Tottenham Hotspur.

Their 2-0 win could have seen six or seven goals go in, such was their overall dominance and electric play. The intensity from the players was present throughout, which is something Manchester United fans have been crying out for for years.

It was arguably the best performance by a Red Devils side for half a decade and certainly the best under new manager Erik Ten Hag. His stamp on the club is beginning to shine through.

Here are three key takeaways from Man United’s resounding win:

Team Unity Beginning To Show

It might have been a rocky road in Manchester United’s two opening games, which both culminated in humiliating defeats, but since then, Ten Hag has created a bond among players that has proven its worth.

There is a clear process behind the Dutch manager’s thinking with the current crop of players he has, and has shown that they are beginning to gel together under this regime.

The performance against Tottenham was fantastic from the first whistle to the last, showing how their fitness levels have improved and how they are becoming more comfortable in possession with one another.

This should only be the beginning for Ten Hag’s Red Devils, but the signs are there across the squad that they are enjoying being under the tutelage of the former AFC Ajax manager.

How Manchester United Have Longed For Casemiro

For at least three seasons now Manchester United fans have been crying out for a defensive midfielder that can still perform at the elite level.

Unfortunately for Nemanja Matić, his legs had started to go some three years previous and would not be able to raise his level to what was required as a defensive midfielder in the PremierPINC
League on a regular basis.

As he left on a free transfer last summer, the Red Devils finally secured a replacement in Casemiro. Given his time to get into the team under Ten Hag, some wrongly wrote him off and accused Manchester United of another failed transfer.

However, as the Dutch manager quite rightly said about Casemiro settling into life in England, the Brazilian midfielder has risen to the occasion and shown his utter brilliance.

Sitting in front of two world class defenders in Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro is the perfect cover for any team. Strong, a physical bully, composed, eager to get on the ball, and an eye to move forward and transition, he is exactly the player Manchester United have needed. If only they had signed him three years ago!

No Player Is Bigger Than The Club

As shown by Ten Hag’s ruthlessness by dropping Cristiano Ronaldo out of the match-day squad for their trip to Chelsea this weekend, no player is bigger than the club itself.

The Dutch manager might be playing it coy with the media and giving very direct answers, but behind the scenes there has been a sense of acceptance from the board that Ten Hag does not want Ronaldo in the building.

After proving to be yet another distraction with his antics off the pitch, Manchester United were at a crossroads after the Tottenham game. Back their manager and his decision to punish Ronaldo, or go against him. Luckily for all, the hierarchy made the right decision and accepted Ten Hag’s point of view.

The Dutchman is building something at Manchester United and must be given the full backing and confidence to bring it to fruition. It might not go down with certain sections, but Ten Hag made a decision for the good of the team which will be remembered as such.