Report, reaction and highlights: United 1 Leeds 2

Noah Okafor scored twice in the first half for the visitors from West Yorkshire before the Reds were reduced to 10 men in the 56th minute after Lisandro Martinez was adjudged to have pulled the hair of Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with the VAR intervening and suggesting it was violent conduct.

Casemiro’s eighth goal of the campaign, from a Bruno Fernandes cross, got United back into the contest but the Reds, in our first game for 24 days, were beaten at home for the first time in the Premier League era by Leeds and stay third in the table, seven points ahead of sixth-placed Chelsea, who are our next opponents.

The boss made four changes from the 2-2 draw at Bournemouth last time out as Martinez returned after five games out with a calf injury in place of the suspended Harry Maguire, Noussair Mazraoui came in for Diogo Dalot at right-back, Manuel Ugarte replaced the injured Kobbie Mainoo for his first start under Carrick, and Benjamin Sesko was restored in attack at Bryan Mbeumo’s expense.

FIRST HALF - REDS TRAIL AT THE BREAK

A special flag display in the Stretford End, organised by fans group The Red Army, made for a spectacular view before kick-off and added to the electric atmosphere inside M16.

The Reds were indebted to a smart stop from Senne Lammens with his feet in the second minute to thwart Calvert-Lewin from close range from a left-wing cross by Gabriel Gudmundsson. But Leeds, who had failed to net in their previous four league outings, were not to be denied three minutes later as Jayden Bogle’s cross from the opposite flank was glanced into the path of Okafor, who stroked home the opening goal.

As the Reds looked to impose ourselves after a slow start, Amad typically caused problems with his pace down the right flank. Our no.16 forced a low save from Leeds keeper Karl Darlow with a bending shot from Casemiro’s floated pass, before curling another effort wide of the target on his left foot.

Matheus Cunha was shown the first yellow card of the game by referee Paul Tierney, who adjudged that our no.10 had committed an act of simulation after checking inside of Leeds defender Jaka Bijol outside the area.

Leeds, still battling to preserve their Premier League status, were competitive throughout the first half and threatened again when Bijol headed over the crossbar from Ao Tanaka’s corner.

It got worse for the Reds shortly before the half-hour mark as Okafor’s right-footed volley from 20 yards deflected off Leny Yoro and past Lammens to double the visitors’ advantage.

Cunha fizzed a right-footed drive narrowly over the crossbar after Leeds had initially cleared Fernandes’s corner and the Brazilian was on the receiving end of a fierce challenge by James Justin that was perhaps a little fortunate only to receive a yellow card.

Leeds almost added to their lead just before the break as Martinez made an outstanding intervention inside the six-yard box to deny Tanaka before Pascal Struijk’s header from the resulting corner was kept out by Lammens, as the Reds went into the dressing room at the break with plenty of work to do.

SECOND HALF - MARTINEZ SENT OFF AS REDS ARE BEATEN

With no changes from either team at the interval, the Reds created the first opportunity after the restart as Luke Shaw’s clever pass released Sesko, who escaped from Bijol but was denied by Darlow before Justin headed off the goalline as the loose ball looped in the air.

A key moment arrived when referee Tierney was sent to the pitchside monitor by the Video Assistant Referee John Brooks and decided that Martinez had tugged Calvert-Lewin’s hair as the Reds centre-back was shown a straight red card, to his utter bemusement.

With a player down, it became increasingly difficult for United as Leeds looked to press home their numerical advantage. Gudmundsson dragged a left-footed shot wide of the target after advancing down the left, while at the other end, Cunha took down Shaw’s raking pass and saw a snapshot parried behind by Darlow at the near post.

The Stretford End did its utmost to help lift the Reds, who kept on battling and were right back in the contest in the 69th minute when Casemiro planted a firm header past Darlow from a fine cross by Fernandes - who registered his 17th assist of the campaign. The boss injected some fresh energy by immediately introducing Dalot and Mbeumo in place of Mazraoui and Amad.

Leeds almost restored their two-goal lead when Calvert-Lewin met substitute Wilfried Gnonto’s cross but Lammens did well to get down and keep out his header on the line.

As the match opened up, the Reds continued to pose a threat as Cunha brought Mbeumo’s cross under his spell and saw his shot saved by Darlow, who also reacted well to thwart Sesko’s header from another Mbeumo delivery.

United were somehow denied a leveller twice in quick succession when Casemiro’s header from a Fernandes corner was nodded off the line by Calvert-Lewin, before Ugarte’s low shot from Leny Yoro’s knockdown was blocked by the Leeds rearguard.

With seven minutes of injury time signalled, the Reds kept on pushing as Dalot drove an effort off target from a cleared corner but Leeds held firm to condemn United to only a second defeat under Carrick.

WHAT’S NEXT?

The Reds turn attentions to a huge game on Saturday evening (18 April) against fellow UEFA Champions League challengers Chelsea at Stamford Bridge (kick-off 20:00 BST).

MATCH DETAILS

United: Lammens; Mazraoui (Dalot 70), Yoro, Martinez, Shaw; Ugarte, Casemiro; Amad (Mbeumo 70), Fernandes (c), Cunha; Sesko.

Substitutes not used: Bayindir, Heaven, Malacia, T. Fletcher, Mount, Lacey, Zirkzee.

Goals: Casemiro 69.

Booked: Cunha, Shaw, Fernandes.

Sent off: Martinez.

Leeds: Darlow; Justin, Bijol, Struijk; Gudmundson, Ampadu (c), Tanaka (Gruev 74), Bogle; Okafor (Gnonto 74), Aaronson (Longstaff 86); Calvert-Lewin.

Substitutes not used: Perri, Bornauw, Byram, Nmecha, Buonanotte, Piroe. 

Goals: Okafor 5, 29.

Booked: Justin, Ampadu.