Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi praised Rodrigo Bentancur after the Uruguay midfielder was sent off for headbutting Luke Shaw in the 1-1 draw at Manchester United. Despite being reduced to 10 men, Spurs salvaged a point when Dominic Solanke headed home in the second minute of added time. De Zerbi said he "kissed Rodrigo" in the dressing room, calling the reaction "the type of reaction Tottenham needed to finish the game." For a long time Tottenham played "without this blood, this character." The incident occurred after Shaw shoved Bentancur off the pitch, prompting the midfielder's reaction.
Bentancur called it a "mistake," but De Zerbi insisted it showed the character needed. Tottenham remain winless in the Premier League after six games with just three points, leaving them in the relegation zone. However, the manager praised the team's spirit and organization, saying "for the first time this season we showed we are a team." Spurs have spent over £250m on new talent but organized a warm-weather training camp in Spain to help the squad bond.
They face Coventry on Monday before traveling to Chelsea the following Saturday.
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing