Author: BBC Sport
Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho combined to deny managerless Leeds a rare Old Trafford victory as Manchester United came back from two goals down to snatch a point from a thrilling Roses clash.
The hosts looked finished when Raphael Varane turned Crysencio Summerville’s cutback into his own net to put Leeds two ahead after Wilfried Gnonto had given them a first-minute lead.
But Rashford halved the deficit when he headed home Diogo Dalot’s inviting cross before Sancho, only just back to first-team duties after recovering from physical and mental issues, scored his first Premier League goal since September when he drove home from 10 yards after Luke Shaw’s initial shot had been blocked.
Varane brought an excellent save out of Illan Meslier as Manchester United hunted a goal to extend their 13-match winning streak on home soil.
Anything less than a point would have been extremely harsh on Leeds, who sacked manager Jesse Marsch on Monday, and they also hit the post through Brenden Aaronson in between the home side’s two goals.
The result moves them a point clear of the relegation zone and above West Ham into 16th, although after this superb contest, the Elland Road rematch in four days’ time will be an occasion to relish.
Leeds claim a precious point
The general narrative around Elland Road in the wake of Marsch’s dismissal has been that the Leeds’ hierarchy would use a week that features two games against Manchester United to recruit a replacement before key clashes with relegation rivals Everton and Southampton later this month.
Leeds had not won at Old Trafford since 1981 and before kick-off many of their fans were speculating about what their margin of defeat would be, rather than whether they could get something from the game.
That assessment reckoned without a super motivated Leeds team, led by former England futsal head coach Michael Skubala and lethargic hosts, who began with a sloppiness seldom seen under Ten Hag since that woeful opening to his tenure that featured defeats to Brighton and Brentford.
Italian teenager Gnonto took maximum advantage of the room afforded to him by a failure to track his first-minute surge to the edge of the area by burying his shot in the bottom corner.
If he was watching as Varane turned Summerville’s cutback into his own net three minutes after the break, Marsch must have wondered why he could not have enjoyed the same slices of fortune.
Leeds are not his responsibility now of course and Skubala’s celebrations on the touchline were full of sheer delight, along with those of a coaching team that includes Chris Armas, who spent the second half of last term being derided for his contribution to Ralf Rangnick’s Manchester United staff.
Football management is not so easy though and Skubala went through a full range of emotions as Manchester United fought back, appealing for every throw and free-kick, no matter how obviously it was that they were not his team’s.
However, with the backing of their noisy support, Leeds made it to the final whistle, lifting some of the pressure off the players and placing the focus back on sporting director Victor Orta, who returned from a trip to Madrid talking to potential managers to see for himself the battling spirit that remains in this group of players.
“I’ve been really busy just looking after this job for the last few days,” said Skubala, adding he did not know whether he would be in charge at the weekend. “That’s up to other people to decide but it’s a great opportunity for the players and the staff.
“If I’m called upon then I just want to help the club in the best way I can.”
Sancho’s welcome return
Leeds’ supporters paired Rashford and Sancho in a ‘you let your country down’ song.
The pair’s careers have moved in different directions since that Euro 2020 penalty shootout loss to Italy.
Rashford has now scored 20 goals in all competitions – and 12 since the World Cup, when he excelled.
Sancho’s likely omission from Gareth Southgate’s squad for Qatar was put forward as one of the reasons why his early-season form deteriorated, bringing with it physical and mental issues it took a spell training on his own to overcome.
The former Borussia Dortmund winger’s celebration as he ran away had an element of relief to it.
At a time when Manchester United are without the creativity of Christian Eriksen, the unpredictability of Antony and game management skills of Casemiro, Sancho’s quality is something Ten Hag really needs right now.
Player of the match
GnontoWilfried Gnonto
with an average of 8.28
Manchester United
Squad number25Player nameSanchoAverage rating
6.48
Squad number10Player nameRashfordAverage rating
6.36
- Squad number6Player nameLi MartínezAverage rating
5.54
Squad number23Player nameShawAverage rating
5.46
- Squad number28Player namePellistriAverage rating
5.18
- Squad number8Player nameBruno FernandesAverage rating
5.01
Squad number1Player namede GeaAverage rating
5.00
- Squad number19Player nameVaraneAverage rating
4.98
- Squad number15Player nameSabitzerAverage rating
4.89
Squad number20Player nameDiogo DalotAverage rating
4.76
- Squad number49Player nameGarnachoAverage rating
4.57
- Squad number12Player nameMalaciaAverage rating
4.35
Squad number2Player nameLindelöfAverage rating
4.29
- Squad number27Player nameWeghorstAverage rating
3.98
Squad number17Player nameFredAverage rating
3.88
Leeds United
-
Squad number29Player nameGnonto
Average rating
8.28
-
Squad number1Player nameMeslier
Average rating
8.15
-
Squad number39Player nameWöber
Average rating
8.05
-
Squad number12Player nameAdams
Average rating
7.96
-
Squad number2Player nameAyling
Average rating
7.90
-
Squad number5Player nameKoch
Average rating
7.72
-
Squad number28Player nameMcKennie
Average rating
7.67
-
Squad number11Player nameHarrison
Average rating
7.47
-
Squad number10Player nameSummerville
Average rating
7.46
-
Squad number9Player nameBamford
Average rating
7.35
-
Squad number21Player nameStruijk
Average rating
7.24
-
Squad number7Player nameAaronson
Average rating
7.12
-
Squad number23Player nameSinisterra
Average rating
7.03
-
Squad number3Player nameFirpo
Average rating
6.87
-
Squad number24Player nameRutter
Average rating
6.82
-
Squad number42Player nameGreenwood
Average rating
6.72
-
Squad number49Player nameMateo Joseph
Average rating
6.67
Line-ups
Man Utd
Formation 4-2-3-1
1de Gea
20Dalot19Varane6Li Martínez23Shaw
17Fred15Sabitzer
10Rashford8Bruno Fernandes49Garnacho
27Weghorst
- 1de Gea
- 20DalotSubstituted forMalaciaat 82’minutes
- 19Varane
- 6Li Martínez
- 23Shaw
- 17Fred
- 15SabitzerBooked at 80minsSubstituted forLindelöfat 82’minutes
- 10Rashford
- 8Bruno Fernandes
- 49GarnachoSubstituted forPellistriat 59’minutes
- 27WeghorstSubstituted forSanchoat 59’minutes
Substitutes
- 2Lindelöf
- 5Maguire
- 12Malacia
- 22Heaton
- 25Sancho
- 28Pellistri
- 36Elanga
- 55Iqbal
- 73Mainoo
Leeds
Formation 4-2-3-1
1Meslier
2Ayling5Koch39Wöber21Struijk
28McKennie12Adams
23Sinisterra11Harrison29Gnonto
9Bamford
- 1Meslier
- 2Ayling
- 5Koch
- 39Wöber
- 21StruijkSubstituted forFirpoat 23’minutesBooked at 77mins
- 28McKennieBooked at 53minsSubstituted forGreenwoodat 90’minutes
- 12AdamsBooked at 56mins
- 23SinisterraSubstituted forSummervilleat 8’minutes
- 11HarrisonSubstituted forAaronsonat 63’minutes
- 29GnontoSubstituted forFernándezat 90’minutes
- 9BamfordSubstituted forRutterat 63’minutes
Substitutes
- 3Firpo
- 7Aaronson
- 10Summerville
- 18Gyabi
- 22Robles
- 24Rutter
- 25Kristensen
- 42Greenwood
- 49Fernández
Referee:Simon Hooper
Attendance:73,456
Match Stats
Live Text
Post update
Match ends, Manchester United 2, Leeds United 2.