Man United 1 Leeds United 2: Star's brilliant brace for 45-year first in huge boost amid comeback and red card — YEP 13/4/26
By Lee Sobot
Inside Elland Road: Historic FA Cup moment
Leeds United resumed their Premier League survival bid with
Monday night’s clash against fierce rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Leeds United gave themselves an enormous boost in their
quest for Premier League survival as a brilliant brace from Noah Okafor sealed
a 2-1 win at arch rivals Manchester United for a first league win at Old
Trafford since 1981.
Swiss international attacker Okafor was one of three Leeds
injury doubts for the contest but all three of them started and two excellent
Okafor finishes in the first half ultimately gave his side a massive three
points.
A dominant Whites could and should have been out of sight at
half time and again after Manchester United’s Lisandro Martinez was sent off
midway through the second half for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair.
Despite having a man less, the Red Devils set up a
grandstand finish as Bruno Fernandes teed up Casemiro to start a potential
comeback but Daniel Farke’s held firm for a monster win that sent them six
points clear of the dropzone with just six games left.
Leeds squandered a brilliant chance to go ahead with just
three minutes on the clock as a lovely low cross from Gabi Gudmundsson picked
out Dominic Calvert-Lewin who fired his shot from close range straight at
keeper Senne Lammens who saved.
The Whites, though, went ahead just two minutes later as a
cross from the other side of the pitch from Jayden Bogle fell to Noah Okafor
after Calvert-Lewin challenged Leny Yoro and Okafor produced a lovely first
time finish into the bottom right corner of the net
The Red Devils were very slow to get going but Amad Diallo
fired in the home side's first attempt in the 12th minute with a low shot from
the edge of the area to which Karl Darlow got down well to save
Amad was looking like the clear main Red Devils threat and
the winger again cut in from the right past Gudmundsson just before the 20th
minute but sent his low shot wide of the left hand post.
But both Leeds full backs were causing problems at the other
end and another cross from Bogle was hacked behind for a corner which led to a
chance for Jaka Bijol who sent a header wide.
Back up the other end, Amad lost his footing when picked out
in the box but back came Leeds, Calvert-Lewin unable to flick home after more
bright play from Bogle and Okafor.
But the Red Devils defence looked at all sea and a failure
to clear several balls into the box led to the Whites doubling their lead on
the half hour mark though Okafor who bagged his second goal of the game with a
superb volley from the edge of the box.
The hosts looked to respond and Matheus Cunha who had early
been booked for simulation fired a decent effort just over the bar from 20
yards after a Red Devils corner.
Whites defender James Justin was then booked for smashing
into Cunha on the touchline but another Leeds chance then presented itself as
another lovely cross from Bogle picked out Calvert-Lewin whose header on the
stretch sailed wide.
The brilliant Bogle then came up with a huge contribution at
the other end as he cleared a deep Bruno Fernandes cross for a corner which
ended with Noussair Mazraoui hammering a shot well wide.
But the half ended with Leeds squandering two more brilliant
chances to bag a third goal, Ao Tanaka looking certain to score after
intercepting as the Red Devils made a mess of playing out from the back only
for Lisandro Martinez to produce a goal saving challenge on the line.
From a subsequent corner, Tanaka's delivery picked out
Pascal Struijk but his free header was saved by Lammens as part of a half in
which Leeds could and should have been out of sight, Michael Carrick's men
booed off at the break.
Carrick surprisingly did not make any changes at the
interval and his side almost pulled a goal back a few minutes after the restart
through Benjamin Sesko who beat Bijol but saw his shot saved by Darlow before
Justin headed over the bar on the line with the ball set to drop in.
But things got even worse for the Red Devils just before the
hour mark as VAR intervened as Martinez pulled Calvert-Lewin's hair as he
challenged for a header, referee Paul Tierney sent to his monitor and retuning
to give Martinez a straight red card for violent conduct.
Now with a man advantage, Leeds continued to create a stream
of chances, Justin seeing two efforts deflected wide and Gudmundsson sending a
shot the wrong side of the post after a storming run from the halfway line.
But the Red Devils kept going and a strong save from Darlow
was needed to turn a fierce stroke from Cunha behind for a corner. Cunha in
particular was causing a threat and the hosts pulled a goal back in the 69th
minute as another deep cross from Fernandes picked out Casemiro who converted
with a looping header at the far post.
The game was now incredibly stretched and Whites boss Daniel
Farke made a double change as Willy Gnonto and Ilia Gruev were brought on to
replace Okafor and Tanaka.
Leeds got themselves some decent possession of the ball
which was exactly what was needed and the Whites then squandered another
glorious chance to finish the game as a Bogle cross teed up Calvert-Lewin whose
header was just about saved by Lammens on his line.
But at other end a brilliant tackle by Bijol was needed to
stop substitute Bryan Mbeumo in his tracks and Darlow then saved Leeds again
with a strong stop to thwart Cunha.
The game was far from done and Darlow then produced a
massive save to keep out a Sesko header. Moments later, Calvert-Lewin saved the
day with a brilliant headed goalline clearance from a corner.
Leeds then had to see out seven minutes of added time but in
truth it passed without one more major chance for the hosts as part of an
incredible night to remember for Leeds United Football Club and Farke’s Whites.
