Manchester United-Leeds 2-2: Gnonto is not enough for the guests

THE MATCH

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Leeds United, after having sacked Jesse Marsch, are looking for a victory that has been missing for the past 7 days. On the bench of the Whites sits Michael Skubala, interim coach from the under-21, who tries to get his men relegated to 18 points back on track. The formation chosen by the English coach is a dynamic 4-2-3-1 with an all stars and stripes midfielder, formed by Tyler Adams and former Juventus player Weston McKennie, making his absolute debut in the Premier League. The Red Devils, with the inclusion of new midfielder Marcel Sabitzer in the mirror formation proposed by ten Haag, earn just one point to 43, remaining in third place, two lengths behind Manchester City and seven points behind leaders Arsenal.

Leeds got off to a strong start with a dash from Gnonto who after a minute, following an assist from Bamford, slipped de Gea into the bottom right corner. The Whites pushed hard, and tried again with a dangerous cross towards Struijk, who headed the ball into de Gea’s arms. Ten Haag’s men try to react with the two liveliest additions of this first part of the match, namely Sabitzer and Garnacho. In the 27th minute it was precisely the Argentine who burst into the area and fired a very strong shot, but which came out to the left of the goal defended by Meslier.

In the second half it was Leeds who struck again: Gnonto, with an infallible flicker, unmarked Summerville who, from an impossible angle, crossed Varane’s run who intercepted the ball and pushed it into his own goal. It seems over for the Red Devils, but ten Haag doesn’t give up: in the 59th minute the Dutch coach makes a double substitution, replacing Weghorst with Sancho and Garnacho with Pellistri. From here on, the face of the team changed and, after just three minutes, Marcus Rashford reopened the game by putting in Meslier on an assist from Dalot. Leeds manage to defend themselves, but also to attack, and they do so with newcomer Aaronson who sends them to the left post from a set piece. But after the narrow escape, it was United again who made themselves dangerous: a quick exchange was born between Shaw and Sancho, who tried in the area, the ball passed between two opponents and overtook Meslier. Old Trafford is a bedlam, and ten Haag’s men try in every way to score the opening goal, but Leeds, thanks also to a miraculous intervention by Meslier, manage to save the result. The final score does not change United’s fortunes, while the Whites relaunch themselves in the race for salvation.