Michael Carrick's team struggled to find their rhythm in the opening half, with Tottenham's aggressive pressing causing problems for the hosts. Senne Lammens kept United in the contest by denying Dominic Solanke, while Mohammed Kudus sent an attempt narrowly wide.
Conor Gallagher also tested the goalkeeper, as frustrated supporters voiced their displeasure from the stands. Amad Diallo offered one of United's few attacking highlights before the break.
The encounter intensified after half-time, with Youri Tielemans briefly appearing to put Tottenham ahead in the 56th minute. However, the goal was ruled out because the ball had crossed the boundary before the scoring move was completed.
United eventually broke through in the 73rd minute when Matheus Cunha burst into the penalty area and squared the ball for Bryan Mbeumo, who slid his finish into the net. The strike was Mbeumo's third goal of the season and appeared to have secured victory for the home side.
Tottenham's hopes suffered another setback when Rodrigo Bentancur received a red card. The midfielder headbutted Luke Shaw after the United defender reacted angrily to a challenge, prompting referee Stuart Attwell to dismiss him.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Tottenham refused to give up and launched a late offensive push. Solanke rose to meet a cross and powered a header beyond Lammens to restore parity, rescuing a point for the visitors.
The result denied United maximum points despite their late advantage, while Tottenham climbed off the bottom of the standings. United remain 12th in the Premier League table.
