Martínez sent off, Leeds shock United
Manchester United were reduced to ten men when Lisandro Martínez received a straight red, and Leeds went 2-0 up as Noah Okafor scored twice in the match — it was Okafor’s fourth goal in four games. (x.com) The red card changed the game’s shape immediately, leaving United chasing the result while Leeds pressed home momentum. (x.com)
Leeds United beat Manchester United 2-1 at Old Trafford on Monday, with Noah Okafor scoring twice before Lisandro Martínez was sent off in the second half. (premierleague.com) (espn.com) Okafor struck in the fifth and 29th minutes to give Leeds a 2-0 lead, and Casemiro pulled one back after Martínez was dismissed in the 56th minute. (espn.com) (thestar.com.my) Martínez was shown a straight red after a Video Assistant Referee review for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair, a decision interim manager Michael Carrick called “shocking” after the match. (espn.com) The result was Leeds’ first league win at Old Trafford since 1981, ending a 45-year wait in one of English football’s oldest rivalries. (apnews.com) (manutd.com) It also gave Leeds a badly needed lift near the bottom of the table. Reuters reported the win moved Leeds’ survival fight forward, while Manchester United stayed third on 55 points, ahead of Aston Villa on goal difference. (thehindu.com) (sportstar.thehindu.com) For Okafor, the two goals capped a sharp run after a quiet season. The Premier League’s player stats page lists him on four league goals in 24 appearances, meaning all four have come in his last four games. (premierleague.com) For United, the red card carries into domestic competitions. The Premier League’s suspension tracker lists Martínez as banned for matchweeks 33, 34 and 35 after the dismissal. (premierleague.com) Carrick said United would look at the decision again, arguing Martínez had only brushed Calvert-Lewin’s hair rather than violently tugged it. Leeds forward Calvert-Lewin said he felt the pull, told referee Paul Tierney, and left the call to the officials. (espn.com) By full time, Leeds had protected the early damage Okafor inflicted and the advantage the dismissal preserved. Old Trafford had waited 45 years for a league loss to Leeds; Monday delivered it. (nbcsports.com) (apnews.com)
