Man United 1 Leeds United 2: Okafor’s decisive double – but was Martinez’s red for hair-pulling the right call?
Leeds United gave their Premier League survival hopes a huge boost with an impressive victory at Manchester United, who were prevented from strengthening their position in the race for Champions League qualification.
Two first-half goals from Noah Okafor put the visitors in command — and in truth they ought to have been further ahead at the break after completely dominating the first period.
Lisandro Martinez was shown a straight red card after a VAR review for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair (more on that below).
The home team did battle back with 10 men, Casemiro converting from yet another Bruno Fernandes assist, but Leeds held on for victory.
The result takes 15th-placed Leeds six points clear of Tottenham Hotspur, who occupy the final relegation spot.
Manchester United remain third and are still on track to return to Europe’s premier club competition next season — but they will need to put this performance behind them quickly if they are to avoid being caught by those chasing them.
Laurie Whitwell, Beren Cross and former Premier League referee Graham Scott analyse the main talking points.
Martinez, a hair-pull and a miserable night for Man United’s defenders
Lisandro Martinez was sent off following a VAR review (Getty Images)
This was a torrid night for Manchester United’s defenders, with Martinez’s dismissal the low point.
How they could have done with Harry Maguire in the 18-yard box rather than the directors’ box. The England centre-back, suspended after his red card at Bournemouth, watched from the stands at Old Trafford as his side produced a bedraggled defensive display. In particular, Calvert-Lewin was able to outmuscle United’s backline.
His arm across Leny Yoro for Leeds’ first goal could have been called a foul, but referee Paul Tierney ruled it a natural coming-together.
You sense Maguire would have made sure Tierney saw it as a free kick. Failing that, he may have responded to Calvert-Lewin’s strength with a show of his own, as he did with James Tarkowski during the game at Everton. Tarkowski shoved Yoro to the ground, and Maguire replied in kind.
Later, Calvert-Lewin pushed Yoro over at the start of another Leeds attack.
File such acts in the dark arts of centre-forward play, alongside his interaction with Martinez in the second half.
Calvert-Lewin grabbed Martinez’s neck while jostling for a ball, and Martinez reacted by pulling his hair. Or more specifically, the bobble in his hair. After being called to the monitor, Tierney showed Martinez a red card for violent conduct.
Manchester United’s interim head coach Michael Carrick called it a “shocking decision… one of the worst I’ve seen” during his post-match interview with Sky Sports.
Martinez was playing his first match since suffering a calf injury two months ago and at times that rustiness showed. A pass into Casemiro invited Ethan Ampadu to jump, leading to Okafor’s second goal.
Late on, Yoro was fortunate Calvert-Lewin couldn’t place his header better when peeling into space in the box, allowing Senne Lammens to save. The communication that Maguire usually provides was missing.
Laurie Whitwell
Are hair-pulls always a certain red card?
There hadn’t really been a high-profile hair-pulling incident in the men’s game until the one involving Marc Cucurella and Cristian Romero in December 2022.
Anthony Taylor was the referee that day and Mike Dean the VAR. It was an obvious one and everyone could see it, but Mike chose not to intervene and everyone felt he should have done so.
That put the offence on people’s radars and afterwards there was a very clear message given to referees that all hair-pulls must be sanctioned with a red card.
There was evidence that was the case in January this year when Everton’s Michael Keane was sent off for a hair-pull on Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Tolu Arokodare. Keane was sent off following a VAR review and Everton were very unhappy about it, but the decision was supported by the Key Match Incidents panel, which reviews major decisions.
John Brooks was the VAR at Old Trafford on Monday and he had made 98 VAR calls this season — and every one of them had been reviewed as being correct.
Any debate about this one plays into the demand for consistency that people have. There are certain decisions where referees just have to try to apply the law consistently in the interests of fairness.
On the field, hair-pulls are very hard to detect. But for the VAR, with the luxury of time, it is much easier.
Graham Scott
Referee Paul Tierney watches the Lisandro Martinez incident again on the VAR monitor (Getty Images)
Okafor delivers his best Leeds moment yet
This was the night Okafor really arrived for Leeds in his debut Premier League season. Injury has deprived the Switzerland international of a consistent run of form and this was only his second league start since January 17.
On a night Leeds needed their attackers to shine, he was one of many to make a difference when they broke into the final third. Time and time again, the 25-year-old took care of the ball, drove at defenders, but in a patient manner, committing them before feeding a team-mate.
The goals were wonderfully taken. The first was an instinctive, curled finish after a high cross evaded the leaping Calvert-Lewin. It was one of several dangerous deliveries for Leeds in the opening moments of the game. It was critical they made their pressure pay with that early opener.
The second strike was even better. As Fernandes lay stricken on the floor, asking for a foul that never was, the game continued. The hosts were lax at the back, picked off and failed to clear their lines.
A looping ball sat up for Okafor to hit a dipping volley from outside the area. It nestled in the same far corner.
Beren Cross
Did this show why Ugarte has had so little playing time?
Manuel Ugarte had started nine matches for Manchester United before kick-off, winning only once — at home to Newcastle United on Boxing Day.
He had, instead, experienced much turbulence, with three draws and five defeats, including the Carabao Cup loss to Grimsby Town, where he was substituted at half-time.
This was his first start under Carrick, coming at the expense of Kobbie Mainoo, who suffered a minor injury in training, which United’s interim head coach felt wasn’t worth risking.
The first half could hardly have gone worse, with United trailing 2-0 at the break and fortunate not to be four down.
It was an inauspicious start for Ugarte, giving the ball away with a loose pass inside 90 seconds. From there, Leeds broke and Gabriel Gudmundsson found Calvert-Lewin inside the six-yard box. Calvert-Lewin could only find Lammens’ leg with his finish.
Respite didn’t last long, with Ugarte allowing Jayden Bogle too much room to cross from the right and when Leny Yoro was unable to get distance on his header due to Calvert-Lewin’s elbow, Okafor put Leeds ahead.
Ugarte did play a nice pass around the corner in front of Ao Tanaka to tee up Casemiro for a lovely ball out to Amad Diallo, who cut inside Gudmundsson but slashed his shot wide.
He also produced a great block to a shot by Brenden Aaronson, denying a certain goal. But the act was in vain as the ball eventually fell Okafor’s way for his second goal.
Bruno Fernandes had to drop deep to aid Ugarte’s passing through midfield, with Mainoo’s absence keenly felt.
Ugarte did improve, running himself into the ground to cover extra distances, and having a shot from close range cleared off the line by Calvert-Lewin.
But his record now reads: six defeats, three draws, one win from 10 starts and his place on the transfer market come summer is assured.
Laurie Whitwell
Could this win be pivotal for Leeds’ survival hopes?
The 45 years of waiting are over for Leeds’ supporters. At the 19th time of asking, they have finally beaten Manchester United in the league at Old Trafford, their first win here since 1981.
They could have ended the first half 4-0 up, such was the quality and quantity of their chances, and they eventually held on through pockets of sustained pressure in the second period to seal the deal. The travelling fans finally have bragging rights over their most hated opponents once again.
Eight days after ending a 39-year wait for an FA Cup semi-final, Daniel Farke can now rewrite another tired narrative in the Leeds record book. The more immediate boost is in the league table, of course.
This win, a first in the league after a six-match drought, takes the visitors six points clear of Tottenham with six games to play. It’s the shot in the arm they needed in the league, after several matches where chances were at a premium.
Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley are still to come at home, while Tottenham and West Ham United will also host Leeds before the season ends.
Beren Cross
Did the 24-day break contribute to Man United’s rusty display?
Perhaps ring rust played a part in United’s performance. This was their first match in 24 days and although many players have been in action on international duty, their connections here seemed uncertain. In the first half, some decisions in the final third were too cautious.
It was therefore a surprise that Carrick made no changes at half-time, and even more unexpected he waited until the 70th minute to send on substitutes, 14 minutes after Martinez was dismissed. By that point, as Bryan Mbeumo and Diogo Dalot celebrated on the touchline ready to come on, United had got a goal back.
Yet again Fernandes assisted Casemiro. It was a brilliant cross and an even better header, with Casemiro somehow unmarked at the far post. Casemiro’s past six goals have all been headers assisted by Fernandes.
At that stage, Casemiro had dropped to centre-back, but found himself free at a set-piece second ball. Carrick then told him to stay up once he made his changes, with Ugarte moving alongside Yoro and Fernandes as a deep midfielder, and the Brazilian repeatedly got free in the box. One time, he rose incredibly to power a Fernandes corner at goal, only for Calvert-Lewin to clear off the line.
At least United rallied with 10 men, showing character. The first flicker of resistance came when the teams were level at 11 each, with Luke Shaw playing a brilliant pass down the line to Benjamin Sesko, who cut inside, nutmegged Jaka Bijol and struck only for Karl Darlow to save well.
Then, reduced in numbers, United went aerial. Mbeumo’s whipped cross found Sesko, whose header was too close to Darlow. Ultimately, United could not rouse an equaliser.
Laurie Whitwell
What did Carrick say?
“We fought for everything and tried to get something out of the game after another shocking, shocking decision to send Licha (Lisandro Martinez) off.
“It’s two games in a row we’ve had decisions like that go against us, but that one I have to say was one of the worst I’ve seen.
“So you can elbow Leny Yoro for the first goal on the side of the head, leading arm obviously. And then you can throw your arm in Licha’s face and then as he’s off balance because of that and he’s half grappling, he kind of touches the back of his (Calvert-Lewin’s) hair which then pulls the bobble out, which then leads to look like… I don’t even know what it looks like. It’s not a pull, it’s not a tug, it’s not aggressive.
“He touches it and he gets sent off and, worst of all, he (referee Paul Tierney) was actually sent to overturn it (the on-field decision not to show a red card), clear and obvious errors. Shocking.”
What next for Manchester United?
Saturday, April 18: Chelsea (Away), Premier League, 8pm UK, 3pm ET
What next for Leeds?
Saturday, April 18: Wolves (Home), Premier League, 3pm UK, 10am ET
