Bryan Mbeumo scored for Manchester United at Elland Road, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s equaliser just after half-time left them with a 1-1 draw at Leeds United and a sixth game without a win. It is United’s worst run since 2018-19, and they have won only two of their 10 games in all competitions this season.
Mbeumo’s opener was his fourth goal in seven Premier League games. Only Bruno Fernandes, who scored a hat-trick against Ipswich in August, has scored more for Michael Carrick’s side, and nobody else in the squad has scored more than once. Mbeumo missed the target with a free header before he scored, and he then failed to stop Calvert-Lewin powering in the leveller. His output has still mattered, with Fernandes struggling for form and striker Benjamin Sesko out with a shin injury.
The build-up was noisy. Before the game, Lisandro Martinez criticised sporting director Jason Wilcox and the club hierarchy over summer recruitment. He later apologised for the timing and the forum of his comments, though not for the words themselves. Wilcox was in the stands and Martinez started. Carrick said he “had the headphones on” this week and had not heard the noise. Martinez went off at half-time with a thigh injury.
Carrick brought on full-back Noussair Mazraoui rather than Matthijs de Ligt, whose fitness is delicate after almost 11 months out with a back problem. Diogo Dalot became the fifth different player to start at left-back this season, and it is unclear whether Luke Shaw will be fit for Wednesday’s Champions League game at Como.
United finished the day 13th in the Premier League, with the chance of slipping lower before the round is over. Carrick sounded upbeat. “I’m not accepting it as everything’s great by any stretch. I’m realistic with that,” he said. “We’re more than capable of winning football matches.” He added that he had “no doubts” the team could go on a good run.
Former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher was less forgiving on Sky Sports. “Because they haven’t lost at Leeds, we’re thinking United have done all right,” he said. “But in some ways that is a negative. We are dropping the standards.”
Source: BBC Sport
