Manchester United dropped points against Leeds United in the race for a place in the Champions League.
After the 1:2 (0:2) home game against Leeds, Manchester is still in third place and is still seven points ahead of sixth place. The Premier League will have five places in the Champions League next season. Next Saturday Manchester will play sixth-placed Chelsea.
Leeds moved away from the relegation zone. The win puts Leeds, coached by Daniel Farke, six points ahead of the relegation places with six games left. Noah Okafor (5th/29th) scored both goals for Leeds. The club will face bottom-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers next weekend.
Leeds Brenden Aaronson in a duel with Manchester United’s Luke Shaw
Leeds strike twice
Manchester hardly had any dangerous shots, Leeds struck twice in the “Rose Derby”. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was denied by goalkeeper Senne Lammens in the 3rd minute, then Okafor gave Leeds the lead with a shot at the second post after a cross from the right (5th).
The third-place team’s defense couldn’t get the ball out of the danger zone, Okafor scored with a direct shot from 20 meters that Yoro deflected away (29′). Shortly before the break, Lisandro Martínez saved the hosts from 0-3 (45th) with a defensive move on the line.
Outnumbered, Manchester can only catch up
Nothing improved for Manchester United after the break. During a short period of urgency from the Red Devils, the video assistant switched on. Martínez had pulled Calvert-Lewin’s hair in the header duel – red card (56th).
The game wavered back and forth in this phase, Manchester managed to catch up when they were outnumbered: After a corner, Bruno Fernandes crossed from the right, Casemiro was free at the second post and headed in (69′).
Manchester United’s Casemiro in the game against Leeds United
The game became nothing short of dramatic. Calvert-Lewin failed for Leeds from six meters past Lammens (78th). Manchester literally despaired with several chances. Benjamin Šeško couldn’t beat Karl Darlow with a header from six meters. Calvert-Lewin cleared a header from Casemiro off the line (both 85th). Manchester pressed for the equalizer until the end – in vain.
