Manchester United duo Kobbie Mainoo and Bryan Mbeumo fell short of making Troy Deeney’s BBC Sport Premier League Team of the Week after the Tottenham match.
Kobbie Mainoo made his fourth consecutive Premier League start of the season and once again played the full 90 minutes under interim head coach Michael Carrick.
Michael Carrick is just another Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with better players: __ % AGREE
Fill in the blank. Is Carrick actually a better coach, or are we falling for the same trap again?
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick as Man Utd managers
The 20-year-old Manchester United midfielder also picked up his second assist in four Premier League matches after setting up Bryan Mbeumo against Tottenham.
Mbeumo, who has been a key attacking option for Michael Carrick, broke the deadlock in the first half from a well-orchestrated Man Utd set-piece at Old Trafford.
Tottenham were on the back foot against United after Cristian Romero received a straight red card for his poorly timed challenge on Casemiro in the first half.
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty ImagesKobbie Mainoo and Bryan Mbeumo did well, but Troy Deeney’s attention was all on Man Utd captain Bruno Fernandes
Kobbie Mainoo set up Bryan Mbeumo with a first-time pass from a clever corner kick that Bruno Fernandes played out in Manchester United’s 2-0 win over Tottenham.
Fernandes might not have assisted Mbeumo in the end, but the 31-year-old Man Utd captain’s name was added to the scoresheet late in the second half at Old Trafford.
Diogo Dalot swung a dangerous low cross into the Tottenham box and an onrushing Fernandes superbly stabbed the ball home from close range to put United 2-0 up.
Prove us wrong… Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes are the best midfield trio in the Premier League
There is not another trio we would swap them for!
Getty Images
Troy Deeney praised the work that United legend Michael Carrick has done in unlocking Fernandes’ best ability in an attacking position for the Red Devils.
“What a difference a manager makes – being able to be free, get on the ball, go wherever he wants and be creative,” he said in his column for BBC Sport.
“I think Michael Carrick takes a lot of credit for that, but again, another goal for him against Spurs, another win for United – he has to go in.”
Bruno Fernandes is thriving under Man Utd legend Michael Carrick at Old Trafford
Bruno Fernandes’ attacking influence was restricted in the 2025-26 campaign after Ruben Amorim chose to deploy the Portugal international in the two-man pivot.
The Red Devils skipper had dropped into a deeper role in Ruben Amorim’s tactical system at Man Utd and was unable to dictate the match as he had done before.
Bruno Fernandes is up there with United’s greats in the Premier League era
Do you think Bruno can get to 300 combined goals and assists for United?
Getty Images
However, Carrick’s tactics for United have massively pivoted away from the polarising approach of Amorim, who was sacked as United manager last month.
Fernandes has been used as the No 10 under Carrick and the Man Utd and Portugal midfielder has forced a superb partnership with Cameroon forward Mbeumo.
The former Sporting CP star has netted once and picked up four assists in Carrick’s first four matches in charge of the Red Devils as interim head coach.
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox