Manchester United lost 2-1 to Leeds United at Old Trafford, in what turned out to be Michael Carrick’s first home defeat in charge.
It didn’t start well for United and that set the tone early.
Noah Okafor put Leeds ahead in the 18th minute after hesitation at the back. He added his second in the 34th minute, reacting quickest in the box as United struggled to deal with the situation.
United came into the game with fewer matches behind them but instead of looking fresh they looked a step off it.
The passes were loose at times, the tempo was low, and it took them too long to settle.
Leeds looked sharper and more direct from the start.
That slow first half left United chasing the game.
Things got worse in the 63rd minute when Lisandro Martínez was sent off after a VAR check for an off-the-ball incident. It was a moment that made the comeback even harder.
Even with ten men, United tried to respond.
Casemiro pulled one back in the 72nd minute with a header, and there was a spell of pressure after that.
But it never really felt controlled enough to force an equaliser.
Leeds stayed organised and saw out the game.
For United fans, this is the stage where questions will start to come.
Whether Michael Carrick can handle the deeper end of the job will now be debated, especially with earlier games coming a bit more smoothly for him.
This result tightens the race for the top four and leaves United with little room for more slip ups at home.
