Manchester United were unable to recover from a disastrous first-half as Michael Carrick's side were deservedly beaten by Leeds United at Old Trafford
21:55, 13 Apr 2026Updated 22:00, 13 Apr 2026
Michael Carrick
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Michael Carrick fell to a frustrating first Old Trafford defeat as manager(Image: PA)
The worst first half performance all season long from Manchester United is a huge statement given the shambles of Ruben Amorim’s tenure. But that’s exactly what the opening 45 minutes were in an unforgivable display.
Dominated and battered all over the pitch, Leeds United incredibly would have been feeling like they missed out on a buffet. Despite being 2-0 up at the break, the Whites were all over their hosts and Michael Carrick’s bullied side left the pitch at half-time to boos for the first time in his tenure.
The Reds did eventually show life, but not until Lisandro Martinez had been sent off. However, the damage was already done by Noah Okafor's first-half double with Casemiro's second-half goal proving only academic in the 2-1 defeat.
Leny Yoro - Dominic Calvert-Lewin
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Leny Yoro was bullied by Dominic Calvert-Lewin(Image: Getty Images)
United headed to Ireland during the international break for a training camp, staying at Carton House just outside of Dublin, but the 24 days without a game and slow start to the match made it seem like the Reds had spent their time hanging around St James’s Gate Brewery drinking Guinness.
Carrick was forced into two changes from his usually cemented starting line-up with Kobbie Mainoo out with a minor injury and Harry Maguire suspended. While the build-up centred around Mainoo’s absence in midfield with the erratic Manuel Ugarte replacing him, it was Maguire’s commanding presence at the back United missed just five minutes in.
A centre-back pairing of Leny Yoro and Lisandro Martinez was never going to be able to handle the towering Dominic Calvert-Lewin and that fact told when the Frenchman’s woeful attempt to head clear a cross under pressure from the 6ft 2 striker fell straight to the feet of Okafor six yards out.
Noah Okafor of Leeds United celebrates
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Noah Okafor netted twice for Leeds at Old Trafford(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Although the ball dropped kindly the way of Leeds’ No.19, he still had a lot to do as he swept the ball past the wrong footed Senne Lammens on the half-volley.
Leeds started confidently and on the front foot with Calvert-Lewin missing a chance of his own beforehand as he failed to tap Gabriel Gudmundsson’s low cross either side of Lammens, but their reward did come.
Managers *cough* Pep Guardiola *cough* complain about their players playing too many games, but Carrick will be ruing the failings of his predecessors for his players not playing and looking rusty.
A shocking opening half hour was capped off when Okafor deservedly doubled Leeds’ advantage. This time the goal came through good fortune but you have to make your own luck.
Lisandro Martinez
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Lisandro Martinez was sent off in embarrassing fashion(Image: Phil Duncan/Every Second Media/Shutterstock)
A dismal attempt to play out between Martinez and Casemiro saw Leeds regain possession with United unable to clear. A loose ball dropped the way of the forward who unleashed a volley outside the box that deflected in off Yoro. Okafor having the confidence to take on the shot and Yoro bottling his defending duties again and turning away from the ball merited the luck.
Without Mainoo United lacked any sort of control in the midfield in possession. Bruno Fernandes hopelessly searched for space to receive the ball while Matheus Cuna was forced to come inside to find a touch. While Amad Diallo had just 18 touches in the first-half.
Ugarte’s ability on the ball was summed up by a wayward through ball that brought boos from the 70,000 fans inside Old Trafford. It’s been painfully clear he’s not good enough since the moment he walked through the doors as a £42million signing, and he’ll likely be shipped back off this summer with anything close to United’s asking price of £35m a bonus.
Leeds continued to batter the hosts and incredibly would have been disappointed they weren’t three or four goals up come the break. Yoro was again caught out as he stretched to receive a pass from Lammens flat footed – turning the ball to Ao Tanaka who rounded the keeper only for Martinez to make an outstanding last-ditch goalline tackle.
The half-time whistle was a welcome break, especially for Carrick to make the required chances to wrestle the game back after being tactically outclassed by Daniel Farke, but bizarrely no substitutes were made when the two teams returned from the tunnel.
One player who had nothing in the first-half and was crying out for a chance created one through good play just two minutes into the second half as Benjamin Sesko nutmegged Jaka Bijol before being denied one-on-one by Karl Darlow.
It was the first time United had shown their teeth but they couldn’t force the game into their control. It then got worse when Martinez was sent off following a VAR review for tugging on the hair of Calvert-Lewin. A completely laughable sending off and law – but the Argentine only had himself to blame.
United were crying out for a chance from nothing and they got it when Fernandes registered his 17th assist of the season, finding the head of Casemiro, who powered home another crucial header to half the deficit.
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Old Trafford was up as United looked to complete an impossible turnaround and they remained alive after Calvert-Lewin headed the chance to seal the game straight at Lammens unmarked from six yards.
United’s threat came from the head of Sesko and Casemiro again, with the latter seeing an effort cleared off the line with five minutes to go.
It proved to be the last big chance of the game as Leeds picked up a huge three points to move six points clear of the drop. A result celebrated like they had stayed up at full-time, and they might well have done so.