Four things we learned as miserable Man United humbled by Leeds

Four things we learned as miserable Man United humbled by Leeds

A dreadful Manchester United flopped to a 2-1 defeat at home to bitter rivals Leeds United as the Michael Carrick revolution had its biggest wake-up call to date.

The visitors ran riot in the first half, and although a ten-man United pulled one back through Casemiro after the interval they got what they deserved from the match – absolutely nothing.

Here are four things we learned from the game:

Regression session

Twenty-four days after their last match United were shockingly, startlingly bad for at least an hour. It was a return to the kind of Sunday league performance which takes the breath away when seen on the big stage, the hosts outclassed and outgunned by a Leeds side playing with the power and passion the fixture deserves.

Carrick’s men were lucky to go in just 2-0 down at half time, United rightly booed off after an execrable half of football. They rallied somewhat after the break, but their efforts were ultimately futile.

Results elsewhere in the Premier League smiled on the Red Devils over the weekend and there was a sense that the team were going through the motions – if that was really the case then the interim head coach will have to read the riot act to his players to get their heads straight, or any hopes of leading them to glory next season will be dead in the water.

Toxic traits

A limp team display was compounded by a series of individual mishaps that saw almost every player in red putting their worst foot forward.

The sometimes-magical Matheus Cunha was booked for diving. A flat-footed Casemiro was caught in possession on the edge of his own area to give away a goal. Bruno Fernandes was booked for dissent. Benjamin Sesko bafflingly fluffed a one-on-one. Leny Yoro was routinely outmuscled. All crushingly familiar sights.

It was a bleak reminder that form is temporary and laid bare the realities of a squad which is permanently on the precipice of self-destruction. The paper Carrick has stuck over the cracks was ripped away by a group of players who as one demonstrated that on their day, they are almost all replaceable.

Ugarte must go

Where many players could be charitably defended as having off days Manuel Ugarte, drafted in to replace the injured Kobbie Mainoo in midfield, surely hammered the final nail into the coffin of his United career.

The Uruguayan’s limitations on the ball are no secret, and he was a cut below the rest of his teammates on a day when nobody was up to scratch. He lost possession within 90 seconds of kick-off and was already drawing exasperated groans from the crowd before ten minutes had elapsed.

He ended up playing the full match and gradually got up to speed, but there is no way he should remain at Old Trafford when the transfer window opens if interest from other Premier League teams remains in place.

Question marks over Carrick

The interim head coach’s biggest rotation to his starting lineup to date yielded comfortably the worst half of football he has overseen from the United dugout. But his decision not to make any changes until the 69th minute was bold before the Lisandro Martinez red card but utterly perplexing after it.

The substitutes eventually came on after United pulled a goal back through Casemiro, and while Diogo Dalot and Bryan Mbeumo successfully revitalised the right flank it felt like too little too late. That the likes of Mason Mount never made it off the bench with United desperate for control and creativity is another headscratcher.

It’s hard to say that Carrick’s big tactical calls worked, and he did himself absolutely no favours in the race to become permanent United boss.

Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images

online polls

The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social