Only four days after playing out a pulsating 2-2 draw at Old Trafford, Leeds United and Manchester United renew hostilities at Elland Road in the Premier League.
Wednesday’s four-goal draw left the Red Devils third in the table on 43 points, while their managerless hosts rose above West Ham United into 16th place.
Becoming only the second player in history to score a first-minute Premier League goal against Man United at Old Trafford, Leeds’ effervescent starlet Wilfried Gnonto could hardly have given Michael Skubala a more unbelievable start to life in the hotseat.
A penny for Jesse Marsch’s thoughts as Leeds went 2-0 up just after the break courtesy of Raphael Varane’s own goal, but Man United’s never-say-die attitude soon came to the fore, as Marcus Rashford and the returning Jadon Sancho forced a share of the spoils.
While Leeds continue to search for Marsch’s permanent successor, the Elland Road faithful will enjoy the new manager bounce while it lasts under Skubala, who would have been disappointed to leave the Theatre of Dreams with just one point in the bag rather than three.
Still mired in relegation danger, the hosts’ draw in midweek was enough to see them jump up a place to 16th, but only one point is separating them from 18th-placed Everton, who enjoyed their own dose of the new-manager bounce effect under Sean Dyche against Arsenal last weekend.
There were positives in abundance to take away from Wednesday’s game, but the Whites are now winless in eight successive Premier League matches, and they conceded at least twice in four consecutive games at Elland Road prior to holding Brentford to a goalless draw on January 22.
Without their first-choice midfield pairing of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen due to suspension and injury respectively, Man United’s start on Wednesday was nothing short of disastrous, while Erik ten Hag also made the questionable decision to deploy Rashford on the right-hand side.
However, a tactical tweak paid dividends after the break, and Sancho marked his first Premier League appearance since October with a calm and collected finish to level proceedings, in what Red Devils fans will hope is the catalyst for better fortunes for the ex-Borussia Dortmund man.
Man United missed the chance to go level on points with Manchester City on Wednesday night, and while they remain in a podium position, Newcastle United are just three points worse off with a game in hand as Ten Hag’s side experience a sticky patch of top-flight form.
Indeed, the Red Devils now just have one win to boast from their last four in the Premier League – during which they have failed to beat Crystal Palace and Arsenal on the road – and it is now five league games without a clean sheet for Ten Hag’s crop.
Thoughts of Barcelona in the Europa League may also be playing on the minds of the Red Devils, who bested Leeds 4-2 at Elland Road back in February, and there have been a whopping 24 goals scored in five Premier League games between Leeds and Man United since the Whites returned to the big time in 2020.
By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter
