In the red and white heat of the first top-flight Pennines derby to be played at a packed Elland Road in 19 years, victory was always likeliest for whichever one of these historic rivals kept their cool. The occasion demanded that Manchester United play on the edge and they almost came careering off it, at one point surrendering a two-goal lead in the space of 59 seconds. It briefly seemed this would be another collapse to add to Ralf Rangnick’s growing collection.
Instead, it was the first time that they have lost a lead and regained it under his management and an important lesson that no setback is insurmountable. Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes’s pair of first-half goals should have made this much-welcome win over Leeds United more comfortable than it was, but two strikes by substitutes Fred and Anthony Elanga made it comfortable all the same.
Leeds’ thrilling fightback – led by Rodrigo and Raphinha – was in vain. It seemed that Elland Road’s patrons could leave celebrating one of the most memorable wins in their recent history during the frenetic moments after that quickfire double. Anything seemed possible for a team driven by a loud and ferocious crowd. But having already taken the sting out of the occasion once, United knew they could do so again and did so again with a quiet, impressive air of composure.
Given the occasion, it was easy to forget that this was a meeting of two pioneering coaches cited as innovative and influential thinkers by many of the world’s best, but any chance of a high-minded tactical battle was subsumed by the blood, dirt and wet. The tail end of Storm Eunice made the Elland Road surface treacherous for the more technical players on display but added a little more pace and ferocity to each sliding challenge for each of those who came for a fight.
That did not always make for the best spectacle. Save one brief sight of goal for Jack Harrison, there was initially little to report apart from a series of stoppages. The longest of those came when Scott McTominay clashed heads with Robin Koch, leaving a deep, pouring gash on the Leeds defender’s forehead. He was bandaged up, handed a clean shirt and sent back into the fray. There did not appear to be much concern for the concussion protocols.
But whether they were followed or not, Koch could not last, and was forced off again on the half hour. In the intervening period, United recovered from a messy start and began exploiting the gaps that Leeds’ man-to-man marking provides. Ronaldo, somehow, failed to convert a tap-in from all of two yards out, with Illan Meslier stretching to deny him after excellent work down the left by Pogba.
And not long after Koch’s departure, United led. And what’s more, they led through a corner. A previous 139 attempts had failed – the longest streak of its kind in the top flight – but Maguire made this look easy, dominating Diego Llorente in their personal duel then rising highest to nod past a stranded Meslier. The knee slide celebration at the corner of the Don Revie and John Charles Stands was possibly ill-advised but it is hard to begrudge a United captain that moment.
Fernandes doubled United’s lead in the time added on at the end of the first half for Koch’s injury but the play was made by Maguire’s defensive partner.
Victor Lindelof picked up the ball deep inside his own half and, with the help of Jadon Sancho to his right, brought it all the way up to the edge of the box. Sancho’s cross was beautifully clipped, sitting upright for Fernandes to apply a downward header. When United went in at the break, it was difficult to distinguish between the sound of applause and appreciation from the away end and the hail lashing down on the roof.
Rarely have things come so easy under Rangnick, though, and this would be no exception. Bielsa introduced Raphinha at half time, as he had to, and Leeds had soon turned everything around in the space of less than a minute. It began when Lingard was dispossessed by Koch’s replacement Junior Firpo, who then played in Rodrigo. His deep cross deceived David de Gea and floated gently inside the far post and below the crossbar, nestling in the top right-hand corner. It was unintentional, surely, but 59 seconds later Leeds were level.
Presumably still reeling from the goal, Fernandes took a fraction of a second too long on the ball deep in United’s own territory and allowed Adam Forshaw to steal it off his toes. The ball broke for Dan James, who punished his former employers first by standing up both Lingard and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, then by sending a low cross past both of his markers and towards the far post, where a sliding Raphinha converted. Save the away section, all four stands of Elland Road were a mass of flailing limbs.
If that collapse raises familiar questions about United’s mentality and in-game response to setbacks, then their recovery is worthy of some praise too. Leeds’ forward momentum – unrelenting in that hot minute for the two goals – was gradually broken and interrupted. The move for Fred’s winning goal was patiently constructed, taking in a one-two with Sancho after contributions from Fernandes and Ronaldo. Elanga was struck by a missile in the celebrations and briefly needed treatment but would enact revenge.
The fourth was also impressively put together, with another spell of sustained possession ending with the excellent Fernandes chipping the ball over Pascal Struijk, making his way into the box and sliding a pass through for Elanga, who finished past Meslier. Yet the way United limited Leeds to just three speculative shots after the decisive third should not go unnoticed. For United to collapse again will worry Rangnick, but for them to respond and recover should please him much more.
