Manchester United vs Leeds United; Premier League
Manchester United vs Leeds United. Premier League.
Old Trafford.
Manchester United 1
- L Martínez (sent off 56th minute)
- Casemiro (69th minute)
Leeds United 2
- N Okafor (5th minute, 29th minute)
Watch match highlights
Man Utd 1-2 Leeds: Noah Okafor scores two as Lisandro Martinez is sent off in shock defeat for Michael Carrick
Report and free match highlights as Leeds shocked Manchester United 2-1 at Old Trafford. Noah Okafor scored both goals for the visitors. Lisandro Martinex was sent off for a hair pull that Michael Carrick describes as "one of the worst" calls he has seen
Monday 13 April 2026 23:46, UK
Leeds took a huge step towards Premier League survival by beating Manchester United 2-1 in a thrilling game as Michael Carrick suffered his first home defeat in charge.
Noah Okafor scored twice in the first half to send Leeds on their way to a first league win at Old Trafford since 1981 and Manchester United's problems worsened after the break when Lisandro Martinez was given a red card for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin's hair.
Casemiro's header gave the 10 men hope of a stirring comeback and Leeds lived dangerously in the closing stages. Karl Darlow saving well from Benjamin Sesko. Calvert-Lewin clearing Casemiro's header off the line. But Daniel Farke's side managed to hold on.
Carrick's men missed the chance to tighten their grip on third spot but the night belonged to Leeds. The win moves them six points clear of Tottenham with six games left. With Wolves and Burnley still to visit Elland Road, they are closing in on survival.
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How Leeds caused Old Trafford upset
Fresh from securing their spot in an FA Cup semi-final last weekend, Leeds played like a team fighting to stay in the Premier League from the outset with Okafor and Calvert-Lewin, in particular, proving too hot to handle for the Manchester United defenders.
Calvert-Lewin was denied by Senne Lammens even before Okafor calmly converted Jayden Bogle's cross for the opener and the same player then lashed in a deflected volley to give Daniel Farke's side a deserved second in front of the Stretford End.
Carrick's team had not played for 24 days prior to this and were fortunate not to let in a third before the break, the returning Martinez pulling off a desperate challenge near the line to keep out Ao Tanaka with Lammens beaten. Leeds were rampant at that stage.
Sesko, in a rare start, did go close to pulling one back in the second half, Justin clearing off the line, but Martinez's red card made the task more difficult. It took a VAR review to spot him pulling Calvert-Lewin's hair but there was no escape. A needless mistake.
Manchester United actually looked better with 10 men, Bruno Fernandes' assist setting up a grandstand finish. But somehow, with nerves jangling and the crowd up, Leeds secured the win. And the neutrals can look forward to seeing this fixture again next season.
Carrick: One of the worst decisions I've seen
Man Utd head coach Michael Carrick speaking on Monday Night Football:
"We didn't start the game particularly well. We conceded, which came after Leny Yoro got a forearm smash in the back of his head.
"They didn't decide to overturn that, which was a big moment in the game. We didn't quite have the rhythm, we didn't click. We had some moments but it wasn't there for large parts of the half.
"I thought the boys stayed positive and fought for everything in the second half, after a shocking decision to send Lisandro [Martinez] off.
"That's two games in a row we've had those decisions go against us, but that one was one of the worst I've seen."
Expanding on this in the press conference, Carrick said: "There's a difference between touching somebody the way he has and actually really aggressively tugging on it, which we've seen at certain points where there's a real emphasis to it. It's really concerning.
"To start with, he gets an arm in the face. So he's kind of off balance. He almost just goes to touch him and grab his shirt and he ends up catching his ear and touches the back of his ear and a bobble comes out and you get a red card for it.
"It's not aggressive. There's no tug. There's no sudden movement. He kind of touches it and glances through it. You've just got to be careful where the game is going to go if we are giving red cards for that.
He concluded: "It's a shocking decision. Absolutely shocking."
Calvert-Lewin: It is a massive result
Leeds United striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin speaking on Monday Night Football:
"It's a massive result for us. We knew that coming into the game. We came here to win, that's how we set up and we executed the game plan and came away with three points.
"It's important we don't read too much into the external noise and we continue to focus on what's in front of us.
"It's easy to come here and make history, but it doesn't matter come the end of the season when the points tallies are in and that's all we're focused on."
On the red card: "I don't make the rules at the end of the day. I thought my hair got pulled, I told the ref and he's the one that makes the decisions.
"Unfortunate for him. Whether he meant it or not, I don't hold grudges, but it is what it is."
Farke: We need a few more points
Leeds United boss Daniel Farke speaking on Monday Night Football:
"We should have been more than 2-0 up in the first half, if I'm honest.
"Sometimes a red card can change something. We fell asleep at one set-piece and then it's more the Man Utd way and it's difficult to bring it over the line as a newly promoted side.
"To get a first win here in whatever it is, 40 years, is amazing and of course a big step forward. It gives us confidence. A win is always good for that, and for the table. But performance-wise we should be on far more than 40 points.
"We have performed with unbelievable consistency, but we can be more effective in both boxes. For that, the reality is we are on 36 points and we need a few more points."
Ugarte struggles as flaws exposed
While Yoro and Martinez were bullied by Calvert-Lewin, the bigger lesson for Carrick might have been one these Old Trafford supporters learned long ago. This was an ignominious return for the midfield partnership between Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro.
Kobbie Mainoo spent the first half of the season sat on the bench waiting in vain for an opportunity under Ruben Amorim. Little illustrates the turnaround for him more clearly than the fact that United's revival under Carrick unravelled swiftly in his absence.
With Mainoo injured, Ugarte and Casemiro resumed a double act last seen during a trio of winless games against Wolves, Leeds and Burnley - the middle of which against this same opposition proved to be Amorim's final game. Will we see the pairing again?
Casemiro has been much improved but Ugarte looked off the pace on his first start under Carrick. The crowd soon made their displeasure clear as passes went astray. Leeds spotted a weakness and seized on it. A reminder this midfield needs an overhaul.
