Leeds United fought Manchester United with hand tied behind their back - Graham Smyth's Verdict - YEP 21/2/22

Leeds United will never stop swinging but fighting with a hand tied behind your back will only ever lead to pain.

By Graham Smyth

The fighting spirit they showed in a 4-2 defeat by Manchester United is in itself a good sign, proof of the character and belief they will need to take their Premier League stay into a third season.

But, as Marcelo Bielsa admitted at full-time, having watched his team storm back into a game that looked lost, only to fall to defeat, fight alone will not be enough.

In what felt like a departure from his usual post-defeat script, Bielsa brought up the absence of Kalvin Phillips.

For a head coach who never accepts as an excuse his being without key individuals to even mention the England midfielder spoke volumes of just how problematic that area was.

It wasn’t just a Phillips problem, Bielsa said, but the first-half departure of understudy Robin Koch to a head injury and the need to move Pascal Struijk, who replaced Koch in the role, back into the defence.

Shipping four goals took the tally Bielsa’s men have conceded without Phillips to 28, in just nine top-flight games.

His strengths as a defender include a wilful disregard for his own physical wellbeing and an uncanny knack of finding just the right body position to dispossess or hold off attackers. His anticipation helps him to be in the right place at the right time and he’s a physical presence, a big, strong body standing in the gap.

Koch isn’t Phillips but he can do a job and, while it could not be said that Leeds were dominating when he went off, they were at least level.

His exit, caused by the effects of a Scott McTominay challenge that left him in need of a head bandage and a fresh kit, was the bloody nose before a one-two combination that rocked Leeds and sucked the life out of a rocking Elland Road.

There had been something different in the air even prior to kick-off, something that mixed with the pouring rain as the teams came out to warm-up. It was an edge, a hatred that seethed all afternoon and beefed up what has been a raucous din all season.

Even the confusion and concern that greeted a team sheet showing a substitutes bench including Raphinha, Leeds’ best player and most potent attacker by far, did little to dampen the home support’s fervour. Bielsa could have fielded his Under-23 side and they would have been roared onto the pitch and encouraged to get stuck in.

Leeds did get stuck in, too, emboldened by referee Paul Tierney letting firm but fair challenges go and waving Aaron Wan-Bissaka back to his feet after Mateusz Klich felled him. Play went on, the Pole curled the ball to Jack Harrison and he could only steer wide, a fine chance going begging. Klich was the attacking threat in Bielsa's midfield, with Forshaw and Koch providing a solid-looking defensive foil.

At the other end, Paul Pogba showed how much of a problem he would be, slipping Adam Forshaw too easily and drilling low at Illan Meslier, who saved. Then McTominay ploughed into Koch, with no more than a free-kick as his punishment for what was the first in a bewilderingly long series of yellow-card worthy offences.

Koch exacted a measure of revenge with a strong challenge on Bruno Fernandes, the Portuguese staying down in the first of a series of anguished pleas for help and attention, at least until he realised Tierney had seen nothing wrong.

A Forshaw shot was palmed away by David de Gea but there was very little in the way of goalmouth action for Leeds to defend until they started creating problems for themselves.

Meslier’s poor pass required rescue by Stuart Dallas and then Forshaw let Pogba get away from him to find Cristiano Ronaldo whose effort brought Meslier to the rescue.

When Koch went off, looking dizzy, Bielsa shuffled the back. Junior Firpo came on to play left-back, Dallas moved to right-back, Ayling to centre-back and Struijk to defensive midfield.

The goal that followed shortly after had little to do with that however. Leeds had been looking less and less assured and creaking a little as they came under pressure that brought a corner. When it was swung in, Diego Llorente ignored the ball, failed to jump and let Harry Maguire head in unopposed.

What was a depressingly familiar sight for Leeds was, astonishingly, Manchester United’s first goal from a corner all season.

A second, in first-half stoppage time, had Leeds on the ropes and knocked the wind out of Elland Road. Leeds had been playing bravely in possession to reach the final third but, without the ball and with the visitors counter attacking, they were so shapeless and passive that some slick but very simple football unlocked them so comprehensively that Fernandes had a free header from a few yards out. The defenders trailing in his wake, helplessly ball watching, could only look at each other in despair as Meslier was beaten again.

The half-time introduction of Joe Gelhardt, for Llorente, and Raphinha for Jack Harrison, was Bielsa’s recognition of just how dramatically things needed to change. It did mean that Struijk went back to centre-half, which left Leeds less defensive in midfield, but initially it looked a master-stroke.

As they put together bright attacks that finished in the visitors’ box - a shot Mateusz Klich dragged wide and a Daniel James cross that just eluded Gelhardt - something crept into the air again and space opened up that Leeds used to their advantage.

Firpo’s challenge allowed Rodrigo to set off down the left and, although he shaped to cross, he somehow curled the ball over de Gea and into the far top corner. It was the luck that deserted him so badly at Everton, but it was hard-earned.

A goal gave the stadium its second wind and a minute later Elland Road was bouncing, arms aloft, Leeds not only back in the fight but bossing it.

Leeds’ route to goal took in the sights of two red-shirted players being felled fairly, Fernandes the second of them as Forshaw got the better of him, before James’ cross was tucked in at the back post by Raphinha.

The game teetered on the very edge of madness and certain players trod a very fine line - the battle between Forshaw and Fernandes became niggly with off-the-ball chats, shoves and heel clips.

Having struggled in the first half, Forshaw was flourishing and his ball found Gelhardt, the teenager testing de Gea with a low shot.

Leeds’ big moment came and went soon after, Firpo’s cross giving James the chance to be a hero against his former club only for the winger to fluff the header.

Manchester United went down the other end, found space where Phillips, Koch or Struijk should have been and worked Fred into a near-post shooting position that he didn’t waste.

When the visitors found Fernandes with no midfield screen to disrupt the pass and when he beat Struijk, Anthony Elanga supplied the knockout blow.

The circumstances of not being able to count upon Phillips or Koch at the same time were far from ideal but this defeat and the manner in which it came added fuel to the burning anger of those who believe a neglectful recruitment strategy has left Leeds wide open for punishment this season and unable to press forward. It has to be noted, though, that no matter how much motivation a rivalry like the one that crosses the Pennines gives Leeds, it will be a long time before a win over Manchester United is anything but a shock result. They were always up against it in this one. As they will be in their next fixture, and the one after that.

Leeds must get up again to face heavyweights Liverpool on Wednesday, still without Phillips, before hosting Tottenham Hotspur. The hits keep coming and Bielsa must find a way to somehow protect his team from further pain.