- Manchester United lose 2-1 to Leeds
- Three players ridiculously poor
- Summer sales should be on the cards
Manchester United were supposed to ease to victory over a Leeds United side embroiled in a relegation battle. The Pecocks have recently enjoyed an upturn in form, but the Reds were the Premier League’s in-form team.
A 24-day break gave Michael Carrick’s men plenty of time to rest and prepare for the top-flight run-in. But there was nothing fresh about the performance put in by the hosts at Old Trafford.
Noah Okafor gave Leeds a shock two-nil lead by half-time, capitalising on poor defending. Things went from bad to worse when Lisandro Martinez was sent off for a controversial pull on Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair, which Carrick called “one of the worst decisions he’s ever seen.”
United pulled one back through Casemiro, who headed home a Bruno Fernandes cross. An equaliser didn’t arrive, and as a result, Carrick tasted his first defeat as head coach at the Theatre of Dreams.
Manchester United 1-2 Leeds: Three Rubbish Reds
There haven’t been many complaints since Carrick replaced Ruben Amorim in January, but he made plenty of decisions that irked fans last night. Not least, keeping Manuel Ugarte on the pitch for the entirety of the game.
The Uruguayan midfielder has struggled throughout his spell with the club and last night summed up his dismal United career. So poor on the ball and losing concentration on several occasions, he should have been hooked at half-time, but Carrick decided to use him as a makeshift centre-back after Martinez’s sending off.
Ugarte should be headed for the exit door this summer, and his performance against Leeds explains why. A move to Serie A is reportedly a possibility, and INEOS will be pleased to wash their hands of the worst signing of their co-ownership.
| Manuel Ugarte vs Leeds | Statistic |
| Minutes Played | 90′ |
| Touches | 58 |
| Accurate Passes | 41/47 (87%) |
| Key Passes | 1 |
| Ground Duels (Won) | 8 (5) |
| Aerial Duels (Won) | 1 (1) |
| Possession Lost | 8 |
| Fouls Committed | 1 |
| Clearances | 1 |
| Interceptions | 2 |
| Tackles | 3 |
| Dribbled Past | 1 |
That said, the 25-year-old wasn’t the only disaster on the night. Noussair Mazraoui’s nosedive this season has somehow gone under the radar, and he’s no longer viewed as a bargain buy.
Arriving from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2024, Mazraoui enjoyed a decent debut season at Old Trafford. But the Moroccan looked way off the pace last night, too often bested by Okafor and Gabriel Gudmondsson, who had so much joy on the left flank.
| Noussair Mazraoui vs Leeds | Statistic |
| Minutes Played | 69′ |
| Shots (On Target) | 1 (0) |
| Touches | 58 |
| Pass Accuracy | 86% (38/44) |
| Crosses (Accurate) | 3 (0) |
| Long Balls (Accurate) | 2 (1) |
| Ground Duels (Won) | 5 (2) |
| Aerial Duels (Won) | 1 (1) |
| Possession Lost | 12 |
| Tackles | 1 |
| Interceptions | 1 |
| Clearances | 2 |
When Paul Scholes said he’d probably sell Leny Yoro during a recent episode of his podcast, many fans lost their heads. The French defender is only young and has potential but his showing against Leeds might just have proven the legendary midfielder right.
Yoro arrived for a hefty £58.9m from LOSC Lille in 2024, with the Reds beating Real Madrid to his signature. The La Liga giants were said to have deemed him “the Kylian Mbappe of defenders.”
| Leny Yoro vs Leeds | Statistic |
| Minutes Played | 90′ |
| Clearances | 4 |
| Blocked Shots | 1 |
| Interceptions | 2 |
| Tackles | 3 |
| Dribbled Past | 1 |
| Ground Duels (Won) | 6 (4) |
| Aerial Duels (Won) | 3 (2) |
| Possession Lost | 7 |
| Touches | 74 |
| Pass Accuracy | 91% (58/64) |
| Long Balls (Accurate) | 5 (3) |
There has been nothing to suggest the 20-year-old can reach such status during his time in Manchester. He’s fared well at times but for the fee paid, he should be rivalling Harry Maguire and Martinez for a starting berth rather than still finding his feet.
INEOS Must Get Tough
INEOS are tasked with a major summer overhaul, and that should mean no player’s future is safe. That includes Yoro, who could fetch a handsome fee, and with Ayden Heaven already proving to be a more exciting prospect at the back, opting for a more experienced replacement might be desired.
Ugarte should be a certain sale, and not one, not two, but three new central midfielders need to be prioritised. A new full-back could now also be on the agenda amid Mazraoui’s drop in performance.
