Manchester United lost ground in the race for European qualification after a 2-1 defeat to Leeds United at Old Trafford, with Noah Okafor scoring twice to seal a famous win.
Okafor struck twice before the break to hand the visitors a deserved lead against a disappointing United side. The home team struggled to find rhythm, and it was a surprise when manager Michael Carrick chose not to make changes at half-time.
Leeds continued their strong performance after the restart, showing composure and discipline to maintain control of the match. Their efforts were rewarded with a first victory at Old Trafford since 2002.
United pulled one back in the second half through a header from Casemiro, but it proved to be only a consolation despite a lively spell that saw both sides create chances.
The hosts’ hopes of a comeback were further damaged when Lisandro Martínez was sent off following a VAR review for pulling the hair of Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
The victory lifts Leeds further away from danger, with Daniel Farke’s side now six points clear of relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur. It also deals a fresh blow to Roberto De Zerbi’s survival hopes, which were already dented by the injury to captain Cristian Romero earlier in the weekend.
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