Two bitter foes clashing was always likely to throw up a lively start, and it was relegation-battling Leeds who started on the front foot, firing in an early warning sign when Dominic Calvert-Lewin turned Gabriel Gudmundsson’s cross against the legs of Senne Lammens from six yards.
It proved to be a warning United didn’t heed, as another Leeds cross into the box this time yielded the opening goal, with the unmarked Noah Okafor steering home Jayden Bogle’s delivery in front of the Stretford End.
United’s response was fairly muted, with Amad Diallo proving to be their brightest spark, first hammering an effort straight at Karl Darlow before curling wide of the post moments later.
It was Leeds getting the better sightings of goal, though, and they added a deserved second shortly before the half-hour mark.
There was an element of fortune in how it came about as Okafor’s volley from distance deflected off Leny Yoro and into the corner, but Daniel Farke’s men were certainly good value for their two-goal lead.
United should’ve been three behind at the break as another defensive calamity saw them give the ball away on the edge of their own box, but as Ao Tanaka rounded Lammens, a heroic challenge on the line by Lisandro Martínez kept them in the game.
Michael Carrick surprisingly decided against making any HT changes, and his decision almost paid dividends within five minutes of the restart as Benjamin Šeško saw his effort loop up off the goalkeeper before James Justin headed off the line to deny a certain goal.
The head of steam they’d built up was soon extinguished when a peculiar incident saw Martínez pull the hair of Calvert-Lewin, and after it was missed on-field, VAR stepped in to advise Paul Tierney to check the pitchside monitor, which he duly obliged and sent off the Argentine.
Incentivised by what they felt was a burning sense of injustice, United stepped things up a gear and halved the deficit 20 minutes from time when Casemiro steered home Bruno Fernandes’ delivery at the far post to set up a grandstand finish.
The final 10 minutes ought not to have been so nervy for the Whites, who should’ve added a third when the unmarked Calvert-Lewin headed straight at Lammens from six yards, and his miss almost proved costly when Šeško’s effort was saved by Darlow, Casemiro’s follow-up was headed off the line by Calvert-Lewin, and Manuel Ugarte saw an effort blocked inside the six-yard box on the rebound.
Calvert-Lewin’s block on the line proved to be a game-winning moment, as Leeds held on to move six points clear of the drop zone.
United, meanwhile, remain comfortably inside the top five ahead of Saturday’s huge trip to direct rivals Chelsea.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Noah Okafor (Leeds United)