Manchester United hosted fierce rivals Leeds United today at Old Trafford in the Premier League. The Red Devils came into the match in scintillating form at home, having won 13 games in a row in all competitions. Leeds were on the other end of the spectrum in terms of form, sat near the relegation zone and having just fired their manager Jesse Marsch. Coaches Anthony Hudson, Michael Skubala, and Chris Armas were managing as an interim trio today. I was wary of a “new manager bounce” happening today. Whenever a manager is fired, there is a tendency for players to to up their level of intensity in the next game so as to impress the new man in charge. Their form has been bad this season, but a change in manager can sometimes be just the thing a team needs to rejuvenate themselves. In a scheduling oddity, this is the first of back-to-back Premier League matches against the Yorkshire side. It’s not often you get a War of the Roses in consecutive matches!
My concerns about a new manager bounce were well founded, as Leeds were ahead just 56 seconds into the match thanks to lively forward Wilfried Gnoto. Leeds had elected to press United high up the pitch in the opening minute, and it paid immediate dividends when midfielder Bruno Fernandes lost possession just inside his own half. After that Gnoto played a 1-2 with striker Patrick Bamford which created space for a shot. Gnoto took a touch before shooting, and the United back line were too far off of him to get a block in. Gnoto hit a well-placed and low shot from about 18 yards out that keeper David De Gea couldn’t get across to. A well-taken goal by Gnoto, but United were not mentally in the game at kick-off and were made to pay immediately. 0-1 to Leeds.
United responded fairly well however and began to grow into the game, having weathered the shock of going down so early. They were trying to get the ball out wide to wingers Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford, as Leeds had clogged the midfield with players. Garnacho should have had an equalizer around 20 minutes or so when he won a long ball that Leeds keeper Illan Meslier failed to collect. Meslier had left his goal open, but the shot from Garnacho was blocked by the head of a Leeds defender standing in the goal. Garnacho really should have done better, and it was a the highlight of a frustrating day for him. There were a few other half-chances created by United, most notably when Meslier was forced into saves from midfielder Marcel Sabitzer, but Leeds held firm and it was 0-1 to the visitors at halftime.
United’s misery was compounded just after the re-start, when Leeds got a second goal via the boot of United center back Raphael Varane. It was the same tactics from Leeds as the opening moments first half – pressure high up the pitch to win the ball in a dangerous area. This goal should not have counted though, as there was a clear handball by Leeds in the build up to the goal. After the Leeds player controlled the bouncing ball with his hand, he played the ball forward and it eventually found winger Crysencio Summerville on a run towards the end line. He hit a cut-back cross to his right, and Varane accidentally turned it into his own net in an attempt to clear it. The defense looked a bit scattered again on this goal, but again it never should have stood. Referee Simon Hooper and his VAR official got this completely wrong, and there’s no two ways about it. Complete shocker that the goal was allowed to stand.
Manager Erik ten Hag knew that a change was needed, now that his team were 2-0 down and not really looking like scoring. He brought on winger/midfielder Jadon Sancho for ineffective striker Wout Weghorst, and United improved dramatically. Rashford was moved from the right wing to the central striker position, with Sancho slotted in on the left wing. Winger Facundo Pellistri was also brought on for more power in attack. These changes proved to be prescient, as United got their first goal of the evening from a Rashford header on 62 minutes. Pellistri was found on the right side of the area from a pass by midfielder Sabitzer, and Pellistri did well to play the ball towards to right back Diogo Dalot in the right channel. Dalot played a peach of a cross over the top with his first touch, and Rashford was able to power a header past Meslier for 2-1. Rashford now has himself a 20 goal season, and more importantly United were right back in it!
The home side were level just 8 minutes later, despite a clear foul on Rashford in the box that the referee failed to award in the interim. It was the substitute Sancho who got his goal after a 3 month absence from the score sheet. He played some lovely combination passes with left back Luke Shaw down the left wing, and ran into the box after laying off the final pass for Shaw at the end line. Shaw’s cutback was blocked by the heel of a Leeds defender, but the rebound fortunately fell straight to Sancho on the left side of the area. He hit a powerful shot towards the opposite corner of the goal from 10 yards out, and Meslier could not keep it out. It’s great to see Sancho on the score sheet again. He has struggled with his physical and mental health this season, but ETH has done well to guide him back into the team. He’s a sensational talent when he’s on form, and we are going to need him down the stretch. Meslier should have done better to keep it out as he got his hands to it, but the teams were level for the final 20 minutes. United kept their pressure on, and seemed the more likely of the two teams to find a winner. Midfielder Fred came closest, but Meslier was equal to every United attempt on goal. After five minutes of stoppage time, Hooper blew his whistle and the match ended 2-2.
United did well to fight back and earn the draw, but its clear that midfielders Casemiro and Christian Eriksen are deeply missed when not in the team (suspension and injury, respectively). United were not able to hold the ball in midfield for large portions of this match, which is a credit to the tactics of the Leeds interim coaching staff. They employed two banks of 3 players each to just sit in the center of the park, and United were stuck playing long passes out wide. American midfielders Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie were expertly making a nuisance of themselves in the center of the pitch. Fred also had one of his worst games in recent memory. He always seemed to play the wrong pass and was caught out of position several times. Most teams would struggle when missing two starting midfielders, but Fred should be more than capable of playing well against a team like Leeds. Neither he nor Sabitzer are true defensive midfielders, and it seems without a competent defensive midfielder, this team just doesn’t function properly. Credit to the Leeds coaches for frustrating United with their tactics, but credit as well to ETH for realizing his tactics weren’t working and adjusting accordingly. Not the best result today, but certainly not the worst one either.
United remain 3rd in the Premier League table after today’s result, and they are three points clear of 4th-placed Newcastle. Newcastle have a game in hand though, which could mean United drop into 4th if Newcastle win their match. As stated above, United next play Leeds away at Elland Road on February 12th in the Premier League. Fortunately, I don’t think they’ll be caught by surprise again like they were today. They’ll be expecting Leeds to press, and I have full confidence that ETH will have a plan for that. Hopefully he goes with a front three of Sancho-Rashford-Pellistri to start off, as they were very effective against the Leeds back line once they were all on the pitch.
We All Hate Leeds Scum! Glazers Out!