Man United salvaged a point against Leeds by coming from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 and maintain their unbeaten home Premier League run.
Erik ten Hag opined on Tuesday changing managers “most of the time doesn’t work out well”. It worked out perfectly for Leeds United for 62 minutes.
The Leeds caretaker Michael Skubala built them up only for them to “fall apart again”, as the Stretford End crowed. Leeds did not completely collapse, though.
Manchester United remain unbeaten on home territory since August and the disappointment of two dropped points will be tempered by the goalscoring return of Jadon Sancho. Illness prevented Sancho from a first start in 109 days. The wait could end after 113 at Elland Road on Sunday.
Sancho charged to the corner to celebrate his 70th-minute equaliser and mimicked Marcus Rashford’s signature celebration. He then broke into a sprint towards the centre circle. Bruno Fernandes had the ball under his arm. United were after a winner.
It did not come but Brighton remain the only side to have returned to the M6 with three Premier League points this season. United also trailed them 2-0 in the second-half on the opening day and recovery was beyond them. Ten Hag has since imbued the squad with fortitude.
The United supporters only forgot to serenade Sancho for they felt they were in the midst of another rip-roaring comeback. Ten Hag’s proactive game management was pivotal again with the introduction of not only Sancho but the livewire Facundo Pellistri, whose doggedness made United’s first goal possible.
Ten Hag had to make half-time changes, demurred, and when the changes came they changed the game. From now on, Ten Hag will think twice about inhibiting Rashford by starting him on the right.
Relocating Rashford to the centre forward role resulted in a goal within three minutes against Crystal Palace on Saturday and this time it was reduced to two. Rashford has already broken the 20-goal barrier for this season, four times as many as he tallied in the entirety of last season.
Wout Weghorst’s impotence and Sancho’s scoring return no longer ensure the Dutchman is a starter in the absence of the brittle Anthony Martial. Sancho’s goal also offsets the absence of a fearsome frontman.
In keeping with the rivalry, this was a chaotic and committed addition to the Roses fixture. Leeds were fired up and United were caught cold. United kicked off the contest and a minute later Wilfried Gnonto was taunting the Stretford End and dodging a missile.
“Take your pictures and f–k off home,” crowed the Leeds fans at full-time. They have still not triumphed at Old Trafford in the league since 1981 but this was a minor triumph in a unique week they host United.
Jesse Marsch’s dismissal beat the deadline of the United Review programme that still listed him as manager. The Leeds co-caretaker manager Michael Skubala was aided by Ralf Rangnick’s former assistant manager, Chris Armas, and analyst Ewan Sharp, and their Old Trafford highlight indubitably came in the away dugout. There was no love lost from the colourful Scotsman Sharp as he cursed the five minutes of added time.
In the last two seasons, Leeds was a home banker for United. They put 11 goals past them in two home games under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Without the anarchic Marcel Bielsa and the oblivious Marsch, Leeds got more of a managerial jolt than bounce three days on from defeat at Nottingham Forest.
Ten Hag will be encouraged by United’s fightback amid their goalscoring issues beyond Rashford. They are unlikely to abate before the end of the campaign and a more pressing issue is the stop-gap Weghorst, out of kilter again and hooked before the hour again. Weghorst has one goal in seven games now.
Ten Hag’s hand was forced by the absence of seven players. Fred, effective as a squad player, regressed as a starter. The Brazilian conceded a free-kick, misplaced a pass and was dispossessed all in one second-half minute. At one stage, Ten Hag was so appalled by Fred’s carelessness he tossed his chewing gum to the floor.
To concede at the start of one half may be regarded as a misfortune, to concede at the start of the next half looks like carelessness. Leeds were 1-0 up after 56 seconds and their second goal came less than three minutes after the restart.
“F–k them up, get into ’em,” urged the Leeds fans. Their players did. United were casual and Leeds combative. The challenge on a dithering Fernandes that Gnonto scored from was celebrated with such a Yorkshire roar it was identifiable as a tackle executed in Lancashire.
Switching Rashford to the opposite flank for a whole half was a mistake. United suggested Sancho was discounted as a starter as he was unwell at the weekend and this was an atmosphere too ferocious for the 18-year-old Alejandro Garnacho, so naive he attempted to dribble away from his own third. Seconds later, the ball had deflected in off Raphael Varane.
The Argentine began the night by slipping in the left-hand channel; an identical start to his first appearance after the World Cup against Burnley. Garnacho did not get going that night and it was particularly galling for Rashford that the standout chance of the first-half fell to Garnacho, positioned where Rashford ordinarily would be.
Garnacho tidied up his early sloppiness and beat Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier but not the covering Maximilian Wober, stationed on the goal line. United had opportunities to be level at the pause but impatience was already audible over delayed goal kicks at either end and United’s ropy set-pieces that were either rushed, overhit or underhit. Skubala preached calm as half-time loomed, in stark contrast to the tempo his team favoured.
The baying away-dayers turned the air blue airing an unrepeatable chant about three United figures while Rashford and Sancho were taunted over their unsuccessful penalties in the European Championship final. Worse was the airplane gesture from a handful of fans, some using the stewards to elevate themselves as they goaded United supporters they were segregated by
It was going well for them for 62 minutes.
Source: www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk
