Jadon Sancho scores on his Premier League return as Manchester United recover from two goals down to draw with Leeds.
The hosts looked finished when Raphael Varane turned Crysencio Summerville’s cutback into his own net to put Leeds two ahead after Wilfried Gnonto had given them a first-minute lead.
But Rashford halved the deficit when he headed home Diogo Dalot’s inviting cross before Sancho, only just back to first-team duties after recovering from physical and mental issues, scored his first Premier League goal since September when he drove home from 10 yards after Luke Shaw’s initial shot had been blocked.
Varane brought an excellent save out of Illan Meslier as Manchester United hunted a goal to extend their 13-match winning streak on home soil.
Anything less than a point would have been extremely harsh on Leeds, who sacked manager Jesse Marsch on Monday, and they also hit the post through Brenden Aaronson in between the home side’s two goals.
The result moves them a point clear of the relegation zone and above West Ham into 16th, although after this superb contest, the Elland Road rematch in four days’ time will be an occasion to relish.
Leeds claim a precious point
The general narrative around Elland Road in the wake of Marsch’s dismissal has been that the Leeds’ hierarchy would use a week that features two games against Manchester United to recruit a replacement before key clashes with relegation rivals Everton and Southampton later this month.
Leeds had not won at Old Trafford since 1981 and before kick-off many of their fans were speculating about what their margin of defeat would be.
That assessment reckoned without a super motivated Leeds team, led by former England futsal head coach Michael Skubala and lethargic hosts, who began with a sloppiness seldom seen under Ten Hag since that woeful opening to his tenure that featured defeats to Brighton and Brentford.
Italian teenager Gnonto took maximum advantage of the room afforded to him by a failure to track his first-minute surge to the edge of the area by burying his shot in the bottom corner.
If he was watching as Varane turned Summerville’s cutback into his own net, Marsch must have wondered why he could not have enjoyed the same slices of fortune.
Leeds are not his responsibility now of course and Skubala’s celebrations on the touchline were full of sheer delight, along with those of a coaching team that includes Chris Armas, who spent the second-half of last term being derided for his contribution to Ralf Rangnick’s Manchester United staff.
Football management is not so easy though. And Skubala went through a full range of emotions as Manchester United fought back, appealing for every throw and free-kick, no matter how obviously it was that they were not his team’s
However, with the backing of their noisy support, Leeds made it to the final whistle, lifting some of the pressure off the players and placing the focus back on sporting director Victor Orta, who returned from a trip to Madrid talking to potential managers to see for himself the battling spirit that remains in this group of players.
Sancho’s welcome return
Leeds’ supporters paired Rashford and Sancho in a ‘you let your country down’ song.
The pair’s careers have moved in different directions since that Euro 2020 penalty shootout loss to Italy.
Rashford has now scored 20 goals in all competitions – and 12 since the World Cup, when he excelled.
Sancho’s likely omission from Gareth Southgate’s squad for Qatar was put forward as one of the reasons why his early-season form deteriorated, bringing with it physical and mental issues it took a spell training on his own to overcome.
The former Borussia Dortmund winger’s celebration as he ran away had an element of relief to it.
At a time when Manchester United are without the creativity of Christian Eriksen, the unpredictability of Antony and game management skills of Casemiro, Sancho’s quality is something Ten Hag really needs right now.
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key1 = Give it up10 = Pure perfection
Manchester United
Starting XI
Avg
-
Squad number1Player namede GeaAverage rating
5.04
-
Squad number20Player nameDiogo DalotAverage rating
4.80
-
Squad number19Player nameVaraneAverage rating
4.99
-
Squad number6Player nameLi MartÃnezAverage rating
5.56
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Squad number23Player nameShawAverage rating
5.49
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Squad number17Player nameFredAverage rating
3.92
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Squad number15Player nameSabitzerAverage rating
4.93
-
Squad number10Player nameRashfordAverage rating
6.39
-
Squad number8Player nameBruno FernandesAverage rating
5.05
-
Squad number49Player nameGarnachoAverage rating
4.61
-
Squad number27Player nameWeghorstAverage rating
4.01
Substitutes
Avg
-
Squad number2Player nameLindelöfAverage rating
4.31
-
Squad number12Player nameMalaciaAverage rating
4.39
-
Squad number25Player nameSanchoAverage rating
6.53
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Squad number28Player namePellistriAverage rating
5.23
Leeds United
Starting XI
Avg
-
Squad number1Player nameMeslier
Average rating8.09
-
Squad number2Player nameAyling
Average rating7.87
-
Squad number5Player nameKoch
Average rating7.71
-
Squad number39Player nameWöber
Average rating8.12
-
Squad number21Player nameStruijk
Average rating7.22
-
Squad number28Player nameMcKennie
Average rating7.66
-
Squad number12Player nameAdams
Average rating7.96
-
Squad number23Player nameSinisterra
Average rating7.02
-
Squad number11Player nameHarrison
Average rating7.44
-
Squad number29Player nameGnonto
Average rating8.32
-
Squad number9Player nameBamford
Average rating7.33
Substitutes
Avg
-
Squad number3Player nameFirpo
Average rating6.85
-
Squad number7Player nameAaronson
Average rating7.11
-
Squad number10Player nameSummerville
Average rating7.44
-
Squad number24Player nameRutter
Average rating6.79
-
Squad number42Player nameGreenwood
Average rating6.70
-
Squad number49Player nameMateo Joseph
Average rating6.65
Line-ups
Man Utd
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1de Gea
- 20DalotSubstituted forMalaciaat 82’minutes
- 19Varane
- 6Li MartÃnez
- 23Shaw
- 17Fred
- 15SabitzerBooked at 80minsSubstituted forLindelöfat 82’minutes
- 10Rashford
- 8Bruno Fernandes
- 49GarnachoSubstituted forPellistriat 59’minutes
- 27WeghorstSubstituted forSanchoat 59’minutes
Substitutes
- 2Lindelöf
- 5Maguire
- 12Malacia
- 22Heaton
- 25Sancho
- 28Pellistri
- 36Elanga
- 55Iqbal
- 73Mainoo
Leeds
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Meslier
- 2Ayling
- 5Koch
- 39Wöber
- 21StruijkSubstituted forFirpoat 23’minutesBooked at 77mins
- 28McKennieBooked at 53minsSubstituted forGreenwoodat 90’minutes
- 12AdamsBooked at 56mins
- 23SinisterraSubstituted forSummervilleat 8’minutes
- 11HarrisonSubstituted forAaronsonat 63’minutes
- 29GnontoSubstituted forFernándezat 90’minutes
- 9BamfordSubstituted forRutterat 63’minutes
Substitutes
- 3Firpo
- 7Aaronson
- 10Summerville
- 18Gyabi
- 22Robles
- 24Rutter
- 25Kristensen
- 42Greenwood
- 49Fernández
- Referee:
- Simon Hooper
- Attendance:
- 73,456
Live Text
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Match ends, Manchester United 2, Leeds United 2.
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Second Half ends, Manchester United 2, Leeds United 2.
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Attempt missed. Fred (Manchester United) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left.
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Attempt blocked. Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jadon Sancho.
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Attempt saved. Fred (Manchester United) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Marcus Rashford.
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Substitution, Leeds United. Mateo Joseph replaces Wilfried Gnonto.
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Substitution, Leeds United. Sam Greenwood replaces Weston McKennie.
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Attempt blocked. Fred (Manchester United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jadon Sancho.
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Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Junior Firpo (Leeds United).
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Attempt missed. Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Luke Shaw with a cross.
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Facundo Pellistri (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Junior Firpo (Leeds United).
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Substitution, Manchester United. Victor Lindelöf replaces Marcel Sabitzer.
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Substitution, Manchester United. Tyrell Malacia replaces Diogo Dalot.
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Attempt missed. Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Jadon Sancho.
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Marcel Sabitzer (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Marcel Sabitzer (Manchester United).
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Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Illan Meslier.
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