Manchester United held at Leeds despite improved performance for Carrick

Manchester United held at Leeds despite improved performance under Carrick

The full report

Manchester United ended a turbulent week with a frustrating 1-1 draw at Leeds on Sunday, according to Al Jazeera English. The Red Devils travelled to the Yorkshire home of their bitter rivals desperate to find a spark after just two wins in nine games in all competitions this season. The sense of a growing crisis at the club was exacerbated in midweek by an outburst from defender Lisandro Martinez, who took aim at the United hierarchy after a 2-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. The United boss insisted on Friday that the club had “moved on” from the incident and Martinez was named in the starting lineup at Elland Road.

Bryan Mbeumo, playing as United’s target man, headed wastefully wide a minute later after a fine cross from Youri Tielemans and then shot tamely at Leeds goalkeeper James Trafford. But he finally broke the deadlock in the 35th minute when Tielemans again delivered a low ball from the right which Mbeumo guided into the bottom corner for his fourth Premier League goal of the season.

Leeds started strongly after the break and were level in the 51st minute when Dominic Calvert-Lewin controlled the ball on his chest and finished at full stretch after Tarik Muharemovic got his head to the ball following a corner. The home team were now well on top, largely limiting Carrick’s team to counter-attacks. The Man United boss made attacking substitutions in the search for a winner, bringing on Mason Mount and Matheus Cunha, but neither team could force a winner.

The Guardian — Sport reported that Manchester United’s display was the latest unconvincing outing under the 45-year-old Michael Carrick. It featured an odd formation, zero rhythm or control, and the same prevailing sense that the wheels could clatter off anytime. Bryan Mbeumo’s first-half opener was answered, inevitably, by Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s equaliser after the interval for hosts who were not markedly better but did not need to be so fragile are Carrick’s cadre.