Manchester United dropped two points tonight in the home game against Leeds United, after winning thirteen times in a row at Old Trafford. After the substitution of Wout Weghorst, the man in form Marcus Rashford and substitute Jadon Sancho scored for Erik ten Hag’s team, but it only resulted in a 2-2 draw. The clubs will face each other again in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.
Manchester United fails to catch up with leader Arsenal and number two Manchester City with the draw. Arsenal now has seven points more, but also played two games less. Manchester City maintain a two-point lead over city rivals with a game less played.
Leeds United took the lead tonight after 56 seconds via Wilfried Gnonto, who came over for 5 million euros from FC Zurich last summer after Feyenoord and PSV were also interested in the 19-year-old and lightning-fast Italian. The visitors from Leeds then soon saw left winger Luis Sinisterra and defender Pascal Struijk (head injury) fall out, but bravely held on.
Shortly after the break, Leeds United struck again. From a cross from Crysencio Summerville, who had already come on for Sinisterra after eight minutes, the ball went via Raphaël Varane behind goalkeeper David de Gea: 0-2. Earlier this season, the former striker of Feyenoord, FC Dordrecht and ADO Den Haag was already important with his goals against Liverpool (1-2 win at Anfield) and Bournemouth (4-3 win at Elland Road), but now he showed himself also seen at Old Trafford.
Erik ten Hag intervened in the 59th minute. He took striker Wout Weghorst, who played a mediocre game, to the side and brought two fresh wing forwards into the field with Jadon Sancho and Facundo Pellistri. Marcus Rashford headed in the 1-2 from a Pellistri cross three minutes later. Rashford is in top form and proved it by scoring for the sixth consecutive time at Old Trafford, something Wayne Rooney last did in 2012.
Jadon Sancho, who trained for himself at OJC Rosmalen in recent months due to physical and mental problems, made it 2-2 with a nice individual action from the left in the 70th minute. With 25 minutes left to play, it then seemed to be waiting for the 3-2 for Manchester United, but that did not happen. For example, Erik ten Hag’s series of victories at Old Trafford remained at 13 and he missed an opportunity to catch up with the two main title contenders.
Leeds United climbed from seventeenth to sixteenth place, over West Ham United. Tonight, the team was led by interim trainers Michael Skubala, Chris Armas and Paco Gallardo. They are at the helm for the time being, after Jesse Marsch was fired last Monday, a day after the 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest.
Next Sunday (3 p.m.) the clubs will face each other again, then on Elland Road. Whether the interim trio will still be in front of the group is not yet clear. Leeds United would be interested in Arne Slot, but he will not leave the Premier League leader Feyenoord in the meantime. Andoni Iraola would be the main candidate in Leeds, but the Basque does not seem to be planning to leave Rayo Vallecano just yet. With the modest club from Madrid, he is now fifth in La Liga.
After the double confrontation with Leeds United, Erik ten Hag will focus on the duels with FC Barcelona. Against the leader of Spain, United must qualify for the eighth finals of the Europa League. The first leg is next week at Camp Nou, the return a week later at Old Trafford.
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