Leeds stun Man United
Leeds beat Manchester United 2–0 at Old Trafford — the club’s first win there in 45 years — with Noah Okafor scoring a brace that gave Leeds a 2–0 lead in the match. (x.com) The game reignited debate after Lisandro Martínez received a red card that some pundits, including Jamie Carragher, called harsh. (x.com)(x.com)
Leeds left Old Trafford with a 2-1 win on Monday, their first league victory there since 1981, after Noah Okafor scored twice in the first half. (skysports.com) Okafor put Leeds ahead in the fifth minute and added a second before halftime, giving Daniel Farke’s side control of a rivalry match played on April 13 in Manchester. (espn.com) Manchester United got one back through Casemiro in the 69th minute, but Lisandro Martínez had already been sent off in the 56th for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair during an aerial challenge. (skysports.com) The result shifted the stakes at both ends of the table. Sky Sports reported Leeds moved six points clear of Tottenham with six games left, while ESPN said United stayed third after missing a chance to strengthen their hold on a Champions League place. (skysports.com) (espn.com) The game also reopened a familiar argument about what counts as violent conduct. Reuters reported Martínez was dismissed for the hair pull, while postmatch reaction centered on whether the act warranted a straight red rather than a booking or no card at all. (thestar.com.my) (independent.co.uk) Michael Carrick, managing United, said the decision was “one of the worst” he had seen, and Jamie Carragher was among the pundits who said the punishment was too severe. (bbc.co.uk) (independent.co.uk) For Leeds, the bigger number was 45. The club had gone four and a half decades without a league win at Old Trafford, and this one came with a forward line led by Okafor and Calvert-Lewin troubling United from the opening minutes. (theathletic.com) (skysports.com) For United, the loss was Carrick’s first home defeat in charge and ended a night that began with hopes of tightening their grip on third place. Leeds walked away with the points, and the red-card debate followed them out of the stadium. (skysports.com)
