Leeds 0-2 Man Utd (Rashford 80′, Garnacho 85′)
ELLAND ROAD — For Erik ten Hag and Manchester United, there was beauty in this ugliest of victories.
Less than six months have passed since Gary Neville foamed that it was like “under-9s versus men” as a meek Manchester United were obliterated by Brentford in the west London sun. Back then the charge laid almost weekly at this group’s door was that they lacked personality and wilted under pressure. Pundits battled to come up with vivid new ways to condemn their lack of character.
No more. Not when largely the same collection of players manage to tear down a wall of Elland Road enmity without being anywhere near their best.
For long spells here Manchester United’s fluency was missing along with their midfield. Fred and Marcel Sabitzer are far from the first choice engine room pairing and Leeds‘ energy and endeavour matched the intensity of the Elland Road atmosphere. The portents were ominous as Harry Maguire turned the clock back to his pre-World Cup days as a calamity waiting to happen.
But the moment when he recovered after coughing up possession to Jack Harrison carelessly in the first half probably summed up the afternoon for the visitors. A grisly performance atoned for by a resolve that allowed them to pounce when Leeds’ eventual energy waned.
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That it came in the fiercest of Premier League crucibles will be cause for further celebration for the exacting Ten Hag, who admitted afterwards his team had been below par. At times the game felt like a bit of a melee, players crashing into tackles and yellow cards being brandished with abandon. The noise from the stands matched the bedlam, unrelenting and reflecting the mutual loathing.
But somewhat inevitably, it was Marcus Rashford who rose above the mediocrity to swing this contest in Manchester United’s favour. Luke Shaw had stood the ball up for Rashford and his cute movement saw him slip the Leeds back four to nod past Islian Meslier.
“He’s definitely one of them,” Ten Hag said afterwards when pressed on whether he was one of Europe’s elite. “He has the skills. I was convinced from the first moment, I was really excited to work with him, I thought I could get more out of him.”
Somewhat inevitably, there was a caveat. “Now, if you are satisfied with it then it will stop. Because satisfaction goes to laziness you have to keep investing every day and when he keeps the investment and keeps the focus in every game and bring the energy in and the belief, he will score, he will keep scoring,” Ten Hag said. Such are the levels required at Old Trafford these days.
OF COURSE IT HAS TO BE RASHFORD!!!!
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 12, 2023
VAR checks and the goal is givenpic.twitter.com/7djzmF82O4
How Leeds need a leader like that as they continue their managerial search.
There was little consolation for the home side in the chaos. Michael Skubala’s set-up was competent and a decent platform for his energetic side to punish a Manchester United side well below their best. But for all their frenetic zeal there was little composure when it mattered most.
In his programme notes before the match, CEO Angus Kinnear struck a defiant tone about the rate of progress being made but if all roads lead to Alfred Schreuder they are taking a risk. Peddled out of Ajax amid reports of a dressing room revolt, his CV does not scream a huge upgrade on the misadventure of the Jesse Marsch era.
There is much to admire about Leeds’ strategy under the irascible Victor Orta and whoever gets the job is inheriting a talented group with massive potential that has been re-stocked expensively in January. The Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie, which outmanoeuvred England in Qatar, is going to give every midfield in the Premier League problems and striker Georginio Rutter just needs to find his feet.
But relegation is not part of the plan and they are taking a sizeable gamble that all they require is a better head coach to extricate themselves from danger. Perhaps a dash more experience and know-how might be required to navigate the moments that matter.
When those arrived in this contest, it was Manchester United who took them. Crysencio Summerville, just 21 years of age and the hero of Anfield last year, had the chance to add to his lore when he sprung the Red Devils defence but David De Gea proved equal.
By contrast Rashford and the precocious Alejandro Garnacho, on as a late substitute, were emphatic.
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