Manchester United beat bitter rivals Leeds 4-2 at Elland Road to claim the bragging rights. Here is a look at six things we learned from the game.
Lingard gets rare league start
The inclusion of Jesse Lingard was probably the big news when United’s team news came out.
It was the English midfielder’s first Premier League start for the club since January 2020. That is a Phil Jones level of absence.
He played on the right of midfield and his diligence helped United keep tabs on Leeds’ willing runners out wide.
Lingard looks all set to depart at the end of the season but it remains to be seen whether he is seen as a genuine first team option in the wake of this show of faith from the manager.
United battle Leeds and the conditions
This was always going to be a battle given how long Leeds fans have waited to see their side host United in the league at Elland Road.
The pouring rain only added to that and United had to withstand some early pressure in front of a baying home crowd.
United did that, standing up physically and should have gone ahead when Cristiano Ronaldo somehow failed to convert Paul Pogba’s cross after some great work down the left by the Frenchman.
This was a test of character for a United side which has not always shown it this season. They passed it in the first half but far less so after the interval.
United finally end corner goal hoodoo
We wrote earlier this week that this game represented a great opportunity to end United’s goalless run from corners in the Premier League this season.
Harry Maguire got the monkey off the club’s back at the 140th time of asking, nodding home Luke Shaw’s cross amid some dubious home marking.
United just needed one to go in to end the hoodoo and that’s exactly what they did here to break the game open on a tricky afternoon.
Defenders step up and contribute to goals
It was Maguire, who has come in for criticism, who stepped up and scored on an important afternoon.
Raphael Varane returned to the squad here after his absence against Brighton but was on the bench, with VIctor Lindelof keeping his place in the side.
Lindelof made a huge contribution to the second goal, storming out of defence deep into Leeds’ territory before laying the ball on for Jadon Sancho.
The English winger dinked a sumptuous ball in to allow Bruno Fernandes to double United’s lead right on the stroke of half time.
Unfortunately, the defence was not so decisive when it came to holding onto the lead they had helped to earn…
United throw away a lead again
Two of United’s rivals in the chase for the top four won yesterday and the most eye-catching result was Tottenham’s victory at Manchester City.
United had to respond with a win here against a team pumped up to beat them and they looked to have the game all but won by half-time.
But they have let matches out of their grasp too often in recent weeks and within ten minutes of the second half, the score was 2-2.
That said, it was not a complete sense of deja vu…
United show character to recovery
At 2-2, in awful conditions, in front of a noisy crowd against a bitter rival, United faced an even more intense test of their character.
Rangnick brought on Fred and Anthony Elanga for Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard and the first of those changes was surprising given how well the Frenchman played.
But the rain died down slightly, the pitch calmed down and United went again.
Fred made an instant impact, firing home to make it 3-2 within three minutes of his introduction and Elanga rounded off the win with two minutes remaining.
Rangnick deserves credit for his changes and his players earned credit for the way they recovered, admittedly from a mess which was of their own making.
United have given recent matches away but they turned over a new leaf here, earning a vital three points.
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