2nd defeat under Carrick
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Leeds United and coach Daniel Farke have taken an important step towards staying in the Premier League. On Monday evening, the Whites inflicted their second defeat on arch-rivals Manchester United under successful coach Michael Carrick. The promoted team won 2-1 (2-0) at Old Trafford on Monday evening.
Swiss international Noah Okafor scored a brace for Leeds in the first half (5th/29th). Casemiro only managed to connect with a header in the 69th minute. Bruno Fernandes contributed his 17th assist of the season. The United captain is still on track to break the record for assists in a season. Thierry Henry holds this with 21 assists in the 2002/03 season. At the Red Devils, Fernandes drew level with his fellow Portuguese Nani, who also had 17 assists in 2010/11.
While Leeds are now at 36 with the three-point win, six points ahead of the relegation zone, which begins with Tottenham Hotspur in 18th place, Man United missed out on securing third place. With 55 points, the Carrick team is level with Aston Villa and three ahead of defending champions Liverpool FC. Since fifth place is now definitely eligible for the Champions League based on the UEFA season rankings, United no longer has to worry too much about it. Chelsea are in sixth place, seven points behind.
Red for Man United’s Martínez provides explosives
Under Carrick, who took over at the beginning of the year and led the club back to success, it was only the second defeat in the eleventh game for the English record champions. The sending off of defender Lisandro Martínez in the 56th minute caused trouble for the 44-year-old former United captain. In a header duel, the Argentine had his hand on the hair of his opponent Dominic Calvert-Lewin and pulled him – this was considered assault.
Referee Paul Tierney was then sharply criticized by TV experts for the decision. Carrick himself said after the final whistle: “You see, this is the second game in a row in which these decisions have been made against us. It’s shocking to send Licha off the pitch. Shocking. One of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen.” Fernandes was reminiscent of José Mourinho with his statement to “Sky”: “I don’t talk about the referee. If I talk about the referee, I get into big trouble.”
