Leeds United 1-1 Manchester United: Points shared among rivals at Elland Road
In the end, it was a result that suited both sides and the noticeable struggle for quality felt deeply characteristic as well, as Leeds United and Manchester United shared the points in a muted 1-1 draw at Elland Road.
Ruben Amorim’s selection on the visitors’ side told its own story. There were nine defensive-minded players in the starting XI, with United’s first team having been gutted by injuries and Afcon absences. As Amorim pointed out before the game, United’s top three creators in Bruno Fernandes, Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo have all been absent in recent games, reducing chance creation very close to nothing. Meanwhile the United bench would not have looked out of place in an U-21 game.
From that perspective, a draw away to the in-form Leeds is a decent result, even if it will not feel that way to supporters – already calling for Amorim’s exit – even if it will not feel that way with another opportunity to close the gap into the top four missed. Leeds arrived on their longest Premier League unbeaten run since 2001. They had not been beaten since the start of December, six games in total, and in that time they have beaten Chelsea and drawn Liverpool twice. Both are United’s competitors for Champions League football next season.
The draw makes it seven games now unbeaten for Leeds, and more importantly pushing them eight points clear of the relegation zone. And still more importantly, Daniel Farke’s side continue to look organised and increasingly confident, even without key figures such as Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu and Jayden Bogle. Along with the high-flying Sunderland, who also held Manchester City to a draw at home this week, they are set to end the recent run of newly promoted teams going straight back down.
Most of the game saw both sides cancelling each other out. They have the same shape, Leeds having morphed to a 3-5-2 which started their impressive run, and Amorim banishing his recent foray into the four-man defence zone and returning to his familiar 3-4-3 formation.
It meant that space was limited and chances were scarce. United thought they had taken the lead when Matheus Cunha’s outrageous volley found the net, but the flag was up for offside. At the other end, Dominic Calvert-Lewin glanced a header against the post from Anton Stach’s inviting cross. United’s best moment before the break came when Leny Yoro forced Lucas Perri into a quick reaction save from close range.
The match finally stirred after te interval. Leeds struck first in the 62nd minute. Brenden Aaronson beat Ayden Heaven to a long ball forward and drove a low finish past Senne Lammens. Elland Road erupted, but three minutes later United had hit back. Amorim responded to going behind by introducing Joshua Zirkzee, the only real option on the bench, and the substitute made an instant impact, his precise through ball splitting the home defence and sending Cunha through to catch Perri slightly off his line.
United at times looked the more likely to push on. The struggling Sesko wasted a clear chance from a Zirkzee cutback and Cunha later saw a powerful effort clip the post as Leeds clung on. The home side had their moments too. Substitute Joel Piroe curled a late effort just over the bar but ultimately neither side did enough to justify a winner.
