Premier League Logbook: Manchester United didn't lose away to Tottenham this time

"Perception Management," or "perception management" in Turkish, is a strategic process aimed at influencing how an individual, organization, or issue is viewed by others, how information is presented, and how it is interpreted. This is a frequently employed method by the AKP, which has governed the country as a single party for 23 years. For example, Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek recently declared, "The worst is over." He has repeated the same phrase seven times since December 2016: "The worst is over." However, the country's situation belies his words. According to October data from the Turkish Statistical Institute, our country is experiencing as much inflation in just one month as the entire European Union in a year, at 2.55 percent. Data from the Inflation Research Group (ENAG) confirms this: the ENAG group Consumer Price Index (E-CPI) increased by 3.23 percent in August compared to the previous month. The annual inflation rate was calculated at 65.49 percent. In short, the government isn't finding a solution to poverty; it's simply managing it through perception. Perception, but to what extent?

Let's get back to football. The match kicks off early on Saturday, and Tottenham, who have only taken four points from five home games this season, will face Manchester United, who have been on a roll in recent matches. Tottenham have lost the most home games in the league in 2025 (9). As for this match, Tottenham beat their opponent twice last season, and a win would make it the first time they've won three consecutive matches against United since the 1959-60 season. United's odds against Tottenham are bleak; they are winless in their last seven meetings (D2, L5). The last team to win five consecutive victories against the Red Devils was Liverpool in 2000-02. The only team to have taken more shots in the league this season than Manchester United (153) is Liverpool (156), and no team has had more shots on target (54). 66.7% of their shots came from inside the penalty area (102/153), the highest rate since their last title-winning season, 2012-13 (66.8%). The team's star is captain Bruno Fernandes, who has 53 assists in the league since his debut in February 2020; only Mohamed Salah (64) and Kevin De Bruyne (58) have more than that.

Hosts Tottenham are in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Vicario in goal, Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, and Spence in defense, Palhinha and Sarr in midfield, Muani, Simons, and Johnson in attack, and their goal-scoring prospect Richarlison in front of them. Guests United are in a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Lammens in goal, Maguire, De Ligt, and Shaw in defense, Diallo, Casemiro, Fernandes, and Mazraoui in midfield, Mbeumo and Dorgu in attack, and their striker Cunha in front of them. It's worth noting that the attacking trio of Amad, Cunha, and Mbeumo have never started a match together before. Tottenham, who took the first corner from the left in the first minute, couldn't get a result, and while United were coming out of defense with long balls in the first half, they tried to create chances with Mbeumo on the left. He started on the left for the first time since joining the team in the summer transfer window, and with four goals and one assist in 10 appearances, he's one of the team's standout players. In the 8th minute, Fernandes passed the ball behind the opposition's defense, but Mbeumo cut the ball into the penalty area, but the Tottenham defense intervened before the opposition. United held 52 percent of possession in the first 15 minutes, during which neither team could find the back of the net, but they were ineffective in the third. In the first 20 minutes, Tottenham developed most of their attacks with Johnson on the right, but their goal-scoring hopes were lost amidst the crowded defense of Richarlison. United came close in the 22nd minute, but Cunha's shot from the right side of the penalty area was met with a foot from Sarr, who averted the danger. Both teams quickly penetrated the second area and tried to create impact in wide areas, but no shot was found on target in the first 30 minutes. United took the lead in the 32nd minute, and when the Tottenham defense couldn't clear the ball from the dangerous area, Diallo sent a superb cross from the left, and Mbeumo headed the ball into the left corner. Tottenham's defense was flawed in manning the ball in the 34th minute. Romero received a yellow card in the Tottenham defense. Richarlison and Muani, the two players who had the least touch of the ball until the 40th minute, naturally struggled to create clear-cut scoring opportunities for the home side. In the 45th minute, they failed to create a corner from the right. United held 53 percent of possession and tested the opponent's goal three times, ending the half with a one-goal lead.

At the start of the second half, Odobert replaced Muani, who hadn't lived up to expectations in the first half for Tottenham. They started the half on the offensive, but with Maddison, the team's creative force, they struggled to create chances in the third. In the 54th minute, Spence's cross from the left cleared Romero's goal-scoring touch off the line. United's Lammens, in a potential turning point, prevented another clear goal in the 56th minute. The 23-year-old, number 31, tucked away Palhinha's goal-scoring shot from the left corner, amidst a packed defense. He's been a significant contributor to the team's recent rise, and with his form, he deserves to be the first choice ahead of Altay Bayındır. Sesko replaced Mazraoui for United in the 58th minute. Four minutes later, in a Tottenham attack, Johnson found the far post from Richarlison's pass from the right. However, the attempt was ruled offside, and manager Thomas Frank lamented the situation on the sidelines. After the 60th minute, they shifted the game to the opposition, with Udogie replacing Porro in defense in the 67th minute. Yoro replaced the injured Maguire for United in the 70th minute, while Mount replaced Casemiro. Bentancur replaced Palhinha, who received a yellow card for Tottenham in the 75th minute. Three minutes later, Tel replaced Simons, one of the team's best players, and the Tottenham fans reacted to the substitution. Dalot replaced Dorgu for United in the 80th minute. They equalized in the 84th minute, but Udogie crossed from the left, but Tel turned and struck hard into the top left corner, resulting in Thomas Frank's substitution. Sesko was substituted for the injured player in the 87th minute, and United exercised their substitution rights, leaving them down to 10 men. With six minutes of added time, the home side leveled the score at 2-1 in the 90+2 minute. Richarlison, who had been unable to clear the ball from the left, struck the ball brilliantly from the United defense and slotted it into the right corner. Tottenham's magnificent stadium was brought down. While the match was expected to end with a draw, the visitors equalized in the 90+6 minute. De Ligt headed home a corner from the left, demarking it at the far post. The match, witnessed by 61,201 fans, ended 2-2, and the teams shared the points. Down to 10 men, United equalized for the second consecutive away game, demonstrating greater resilience than in previous seasons. Man of the Match: Mbeumo in Manchester United's forward line...