Noah Okafor propelled Leeds United to a long-awaited 2-1 victory over 10-man Manchester United at Old Trafford, giving the Premier League strugglers a crucial boost in their fight against relegation.
Okafor capitalized on United’s defensive lapses, scoring twice in the first half. The hosts’ troubles deepened after the interval when Lisandro Martinez was shown a red card for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair.
Casemiro pulled a goal back for United, but Leeds held firm to claim their first win over United since a stunning FA Cup upset in 2010, when they were in the third tier.
This triumph marked Leeds’ first Premier League victory against United since 2002, and their first league win at Old Trafford in 45 years.
Daniel Farke’s team ended a seven-match winless run in the league, moving six points clear of the relegation zone with six games remaining as they aim to secure top-flight status after last season’s promotion.
In addition to their survival battle, Leeds have reached the FA Cup semi-finals, where they will face Chelsea at Wembley on April 26.
While Manchester City and Liverpool are United’s main rivals on the pitch, the fierce rivalry between United and Leeds fans has a long, often turbulent history. The defeat stung for United supporters, who booed Michael Carrick’s side off at full-time.
It was only Carrick’s second loss in 11 matches since replacing the sacked Ruben Amorim as interim manager in January.
United remain third in the table, seven points ahead of sixth-placed Chelsea as they chase Champions League qualification.
The last time United faced Leeds, Carrick was vacationing in Barbados with former teammate Wayne Rooney and their families. Since taking charge, Carrick has revitalized the squad, but just one win from their last four games represents a setback.
A visit to Chelsea on Saturday offers United a chance to get back on track in their pursuit of a Champions League return for the first time since the 2023-24 season.
Leeds, who had failed to score in their previous four league matches, stunned United with a fast start. In the fifth minute, Jayden Bogle’s cross found Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and although Leny Yoro failed to clear, Okafor finished clinically from ten yards.
With Harry Maguire suspended, United’s defense looked disorganized, and Okafor struck again in the 29th minute after more poor defending. United failed to clear their lines, and Okafor’s shot deflected off Yoro, beating Senne Lammens.
After a 24-day break, United looked rusty. Lisandro Martinez had to make a last-ditch clearance on the goal-line to deny Ao Tanka a third for Leeds following some dazzling footwork from the Japanese midfielder.
Benjamin Sesko’s header was cleared off the line early in the second half, before Martinez’s night got worse when he was dismissed in the 56th minute for needlessly pulling Calvert-Lewin’s hair—a decision confirmed after a VAR review.
Down to ten men, United still managed to reduce the deficit in the 69th minute when Casemiro powered home a header from Bruno Fernandes’ cross. It was Fernandes’ 17th league assist of the season, edging closer to the single-season record of 20 held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.
Calvert-Lewin missed a chance to seal the win, heading straight at Lammens from close range. Darlow denied Sesko with a superb save, and late efforts from Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte were cleared off the line as Leeds withstood intense pressure in a frantic finale.
