Four days after visiting Barça, Manchester United showed their grayest face against Leeds, very thick throughout the game, but took the three points from Elland Road thanks to a toned Marcus Rashford. The striker was the author of the first goal in the final stretch, when the peacocks were closer to opening the scoring. Garnacho sentenced the victory.
The Englishman has lived in a state of grace since he returned from the World Cup and will be the great threat at the Camp Nou for the Blaugrana. In the last 15 games he has scored 13 goals and he already has 21 so far this season. Rashford rescued the red devils, who saved a bad day and continue to dream of the Premier League title.
Both teams met last Wednesday at Old Trafford, where the locals wasted two goals ahead and gave up a draw (2-2). On this occasion, the gunpowder of those from Manchester settled a duel that Michael Skubala’s pupils won on points well into the second half, with much more work by David De Gea in his 400th game in the Premier, the club’s first goalkeeper in reach that figure and the youngest in the history of the competition to achieve it.
With a view to the Europa League duel, Erik Ten Hag introduced changes to the starting eleven. He reserved Varane and tested Luke Shaw as a left-footed central defender in the absence of Lisandro Martínez in Barcelona due to suspension. The experiment in the axis of the defense uncovered the embarrassments of Harry Maguire, a gift for the advanced pressure exerted by Leeds.
Added to the lack of clear-sightedness of the central defenders to get the ball out was the ineffectiveness of the double pivot formed by Sabitzer and Fred, who greatly missed the suspended Casemiro, undoubtedly the key player who gives balance to the team. Bamford already put De Gea to the test in the 3rd minute and in the rebound Summerville failed to hole the ball between the three sticks.
United gradually took possession of an unsuccessful possession, too timorous, while the locals waited for a counterattack. Before the break, the Red Devils only came close to scoring on a cross from Bruno Fernandes that Meslier saved with his leg.
After the restart, United’s bad feelings redoubled, unable to get out of their field, especially a Maguire who lost possession on several occasions. Mckennie and Harrison were close to the goal. Only Dalot, with a shot from outside the area that hit the crossbar, disturbed the rival goal until Rashford’s decisive appearance in the 80th minute.
Shaw, already as a left back with the entry of Lisandro Martínez, put a great cross into the area that the British striker headed into the net free of mark, on the limit of offside. Leeds responded with a half Chilean from Ayling at the exit of a corner, but Garnacho, recently admitted, got rid of Koch’s speed and beat Meslier with a great shot at the near post to seal the victory. Rashford and Weghorst were able to seal the win, but both goals were disallowed for offside.
Leeds United: Meslier; Ayling, Koch, Wober, Firpo; McKennie (Greenwood, m.87), Adams, Harrison (Aaronson, m.73); Summerville, Gnonto y Bamford (Rutter, m.58).
Manchester United: De Gea; Dalot (Wan-Bissaka, m.73), Maguire, Shaw, Malacia (Martínez, m.61); Fred, Sabitzer, Fernandes; Rashford (Elanga, m.91), Sancho (Garnacho, m.61) and Weghorst.
Goals: 0-1. Rashford, m.80 and 0-2. Grenache, m.85.
Referee: Paul Tierney admonished Firpo (m.18) and McKennie (m.40) for Leeds and Fred (m.21) for United.
Incidents: Match corresponding to day 23 of the Premier League played at the Elland Road stadium (Leeds).
