Leeds United 2-4 Manchester United
This was an old-school Premier League classic on a wild day in Yorkshire.
Yes, the performances of both sides will continue to spark debate with the focus on familiar failings, not to mention a section of the home support rightly called out after the final whistle.
Yet putting those issues to one side for now, this was a contest full of Premier League highlights and a spectacle for the neutral to savour.
Highlights of the game
As if anyone needed reminded about the fact this was no ordinary fixture, the intensity was made clear even before a ball was kicked as home fans jeered every missed shot by the visitors – during the warm-up!
No sooner had the action began than that continued and Robin Koch had to change shirts after being on the receiving end of a full-blooded Scott McTominay challenge.
Home boss Marcelo Bielsa made one change from the Leeds side that lost 3-0 to Everton last time out with Raphinha, who suffered a knock in that match, replaced by midfielder Adam Forshaw.
As for Manchester United, Ralf Rangnick handed Jesse Lingard his first league start of the season with Paul Pogba and Aaron Wan-Bissaka also returning in one of three changes for the visitors following their 2-0 midweek win over Brighton.
Then the goals arrived and the opener was rare on two counts.
One it was a powerful Harry Maguire header from a Luke Shaw corner, secondly it was the first goal United had scored in the top-flight from a corner since April last year.
The United captain has been far from at his best this term and criticism has been as just as it has been prolific recently.
But here he was leading by example and that lead was doubled in first half stoppage time in a move which saw Lingard, Pogba and Jadon Sancho play a key role in allowing Bruno Fernandes to double their advantage.
Against injury-hit Leeds that should have been that, but a combination of the hosts’ character and the visitors’ failings was evident twice in as many minutes shortly after the restart.
Firstly, Rodrigo’s cross drifted over David de Gea before substitute Raphinha made an instant impact as he pounced on a cross from ex-United man Dan James.
Elland Road was a cauldron of noise and, at that point, the SBOTOP Premier League betting odds may have swung more towards a surprise result.
However, the character which the Red Devils have so often been accused of lacking of late was in abundance as Rangnick brought on Fred and Anthony Elanga and both made their mark.
Almost immediately, Ronaldo and Sancho combined and Fred provided a fantastic finish – a section of the home fans letting down their club again by throwing coins at the players as they celebrated restoring the lead amidst a hostile atmosphere.
Elanga needed to be treated by medics but really did have the final laugh as the teenager showed composure which belied his years to ignore the boo-boys and slide the ball home after a Pascal Struijk error.
Game, set, match United.
Key statistics
Leeds’ only win in their last 17 top-flight games against United was a 1-0 success at Elland Road in September 2002. They have won just four of the 28 Premier League meetings.
Leeds have lost five of their past nine league matches, as many defeats as they suffered in their opening 15 fixtures this season.
Only Norwich City have conceded more Premier League goals than the 50 by Leeds so far this season. They have let in 30 goals in 10 league games since their last clean sheet against Crystal Palace in November.
United are unbeaten in seven league away games since a 4-1 loss at Watford in November and are the only side to have scored in all of their top-flight away fixtures this season. They last failed to score in a league away game in this corresponding fixture last April.
Fernandes has six goals and two assists in just four league appearances against Leeds.
He is also the first United player to score four league goals against Leeds in a single season following his opening weekend hat-trick.
United have scored nine Premier League goals against them this term, the most they’ve netted against the Whites in a single league campaign.
What’s next?
This was the first of three key games for Leeds who face Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday night (Feb 23) and then welcome Spurs to Elland Road next Saturday. It’s also a busy week for United who now travel to Spain to take on Spanish champions Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie before hosting strugglers Watford at Old Trafford next Saturday.
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