A terrible night for a relegation-threatened team who play in white. Although that team, admittedly, is Tottenham Hotspur. For Leeds United, this was a seminal, spectacular evening; a historic one, too, though even the significance of a first league win at Old Trafford since 1981 felt less immediate than the growing probability they will stay up. <\/p>\n
But for Michael Carrick and Manchester United, even a rousing attempt at a rescue act could not alter the combination of a wretched first half and a dreadful result. It was compounded by the consequences, with Lisandro Martinez\u2019s comeback short-lived as he was sent off for grabbing Dominic Calvert-Lewin\u2019s hair. Just when it seemed they were certainties to qualify for the Champions League, Manchester United contrived to inject an element of doubt. Carrick lost his 100 per cent record at Old Trafford as United manager. The danger is the favourite to become the permanent manager loses rather more than that.<\/p>\n
Carrick was an unused substitute for Leeds\u2019 previous win at Old Trafford in 2010. This, however, was a first league victory on enemy turf in 45 years and Noah Okafor can now join Brian Flynn in Leeds folklore. The summer signing\u2019s volleyed double was his first brace for Leeds. The goals came in a pair for this particular Noah, perhaps changing the arc of each United\u2019s fortunes.<\/p>\n
Noah Okafor\u2019s brace proved the difference in Leeds\u2019 first league win at Old Trafford since 1981 (AP)For Daniel Farke, though, a survival mission is almost complete, especially with home games against Wolves and Burnley to come. This, indisputably, was Leeds\u2019 finest day since returning to the Premier League, perhaps their best in the division since the 2022 triumph at Anfield. \u201cVery proud,\u201d said Farke. \u201cWe were outstanding in the circumstances. There is no doubt we deserved the win.\u201d<\/p>\n
But as Leeds know from bitter experience, however, they rarely do things the easy way. Carrick\u2019s United threatened an act of escapology. They mounted an assault in the second half. James Justin headed off the line to deny Benjamin Sesko, whose shot had looped up off Karl Darlow after the striker made a buccaneering run. The goalkeeper made a terrific save from Matheus Cunha.<\/p>\n
Manchester United halved the deficit with Casemiro\u2019s terrific far-post header from Bruno Fernandes\u2019s deep cross, underlining why United will miss his goalscoring habit when he leaves, and taking the captain one closer to the Premier League assist record.<\/p>\n
Casemiro halved the deficit for Man United as Michael Carrick tried to stage a salvage mission (AP)There was almost an equaliser. Sesko, no stranger to late goals, forced a brilliant save from Darlow. Casemiro\u2019s second terrific header was superbly cleared off the line by Calvert-Lewin. \u201cDoing my job,\u201d said the striker who, without scoring, was ubiquitous in other respects.<\/p>\n
Manchester United had various reasons to rue his involvement. Carrick thought that the Leeds forward had clocked Leny Yoro before Okafor\u2019s opener. \u201cIt’s a clear, clear forearm smashing the side of his head,\u201d said the beaten manager. \u201cThe first goal should not have stood.\u201d He felt his side luckless, but took heart from their response to adversity. \u201cIt was a really good reaction,\u201d he said. Yet there was much to fault in their start, without citing the officiating. Carrick\u2019s side were good with 11 men, poor with 10.<\/p>\n
It was their first game for 24 days and they scarcely looked ready for it. Carrick has shown great consistency in selection but made four changes, two enforced. United appeared a team of strangers.<\/p>\n
They looked dozy and dopey as Leeds hassled and harried them. They were fired up but fantastic. If sterility in attack threatened Leeds\u2019 place in the Premier League, that changed as they made the most vibrant of starts. They arrived equipped with ambition and confidence. They could have been two goals ahead inside five minutes. They got one. <\/p>\n
A tactic of outflanking Manchester United with their raiding wing-backs worked even before they led and produced chances from either flank. First Gabriel Gudmundsson was the creator, with a low cross that Calvert-Lewin met, sliding in only to be denied by Senne Lammens, who made a brilliant close-range block.<\/p>\n
Michael Carrick\u2019s side could have conceded many more on a bad night at Old Trafford (AP)Then Jayden Bogle delivered a deep cross that Okafor converted for Leeds\u2019 first goal in five league games and their first in open play for six. A second followed before the half-hour, struck from 20 yards after Manchester United had missed a series of chances to clear.<\/p>\n
Leeds had chances to get another. \u201cWe could have been easily 3-0 or 4-0 up,\u201d added Farke. \u201cWe could have buried the game.\u201d Calvert-Lewin spurned one opportunity, heading at Lammens when unmarked. Before his early exit, Martinez made a remarkable goal-saving challenge on his own line, denying Ao Tanaka, who had gone past Lammens, after the goalkeeper had given the ball away.<\/p>\n
Martinez produced a stunning goal-saving challenge to deny Ao Tanaka on the brink of half-time (Getty)And yet it was not why Martinez\u2019s night will be remembered. His first appearance in two months was curtailed when the fit-again defender was sent off for pulling Calvert-Lewin\u2019s hair, a replay persuading referee Paul Tierney to dismiss him. \u201cOne of the worst decisions I have ever seen,\u201d said the usually mild-mannered Carrick. \u201cIt was shocking.\u201d His argument was that an off-balance Martinez only touched Calvert-Lewin\u2019s hair. \u201cIt’s not aggressive,\u201d he said. \u201cThere’s no jolt. There’s no tug. There’s no sudden movement.\u201d<\/p>\n
He is considering appealing Martinez\u2019s dismissal. If it fails, a ban takes in clashes with Chelsea, Brentford and Liverpool, with the possibility Harry Maguire will also be suspended for the trip to Stamford Bridge. Feeling himself unfortunate, Martinez walked off shrugging in surprise.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was not happy about the red card because we were by far the better team,\u201d said Farke. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t say it was a key moment in our favour.\u201d It galvanised Manchester United, he thought. But Leeds prevailed. \u201cWe work hard to get rid of that old narrative that Leeds are falling apart,\u201d said Farke. It is a familiar chant, to the tune of Joy Division. But this, for Leeds, was joyous and could keep them in the division.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A terrible night for a relegation-threatened team who play in white. Although that team, admittedly, is Tottenham Hotspur. For Leeds United, this was a seminal, spectacular evening; a historic one, too, though even the significance of a first league win at Old Trafford since 1981 felt less immediate than the growing probability they will stay […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5620,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5619","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n