Manchester United draws 1-1 with Leeds United, missing out on the top four again! Amrabat’s late tactical change rescues the game, while Sheshko remains cursed.

Manchester United traveled to Elland Road to face a strong Leeds United side. Without eight players, the Red Devils drew 1-1, again failing to secure a top-four Premier League spot, even if that position might have lasted just a few hours. Leeds maintained a seven-match unbeaten streak—their longest since 2001—advancing toward survival, yet they missed their first home win over Manchester United since September 2002.

Bruno Fernandes, Mason Mount, Koby Meno, De Ligt, and Maguire remained sidelined with injuries. Mbemo, Amad Diallo, and Mazraoui were still competing in the Africa Cup of Nations. Ruben Amrabat reverted to his favored 3-4-3 formation and opted for as many as nine defensively minded players, aiming for stability above all.

Leeds United also missed three key players—Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu, and Jayden Bogle—and had played a tough away match against Liverpool less than 72 hours before this “Rose Derby,” leaving them at a physical disadvantage.

Leeds showed clear hostility toward Manchester United; the home announcer refused to say “Manchester United” when introducing the starting lineup, instead calling them “the red side.”

Apart from around 3,000 Manchester United away supporters, the Elland Road crowd stood up and loudly sang their famous chant: “If you hate Manchester United, stand up.”

Fans from both sides exchanged intense insults in the stands, forcing the broadcast to lower the live audio volume to avoid corrupting young viewers. At one point, there was silence lasting nearly three minutes, with TNT Sport apologizing via on-screen text.

However, the match itself lacked excitement. Manchester United players struggled to find rhythm in Amrabat’s heavily promoted attacking scheme. Patrick Dogu, a €30 million signing, was the clearest example—playing again as a right winger, but every time he touched the ball, it was obvious he was more of a defender, prompting Amrabat to shout instructions from the sidelines.

In the 8th minute, Manchester United had a chance to take the lead. Cunha’s impressive volley hit the net, but before the ball reached his feet, Sheshko, who was offside, tried to control the ball and was ruled to have interfered with play, invalidating the goal.

Leeds came closest to scoring before halftime when English striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed the ball against the post. The first half ended goalless, and both teams returned to the locker rooms.

On the stands, Sir Alex Ferguson, watching alongside former kit man Albert Morgan, appeared somewhat bored.

After the break, Leeds broke the deadlock first. In the 62nd minute, highly praised young Manchester United center-back Aiden Haven made a defensive error. Brenden Aaronson took advantage of his position and scored with a low shot past goalkeeper Sena Lamens, giving Leeds a 1-0 lead.

Following Leeds’ opening goal, Amrabat recalled Manchester United’s style this season, which favors quick counterattacks, and substituted Lenni Juro for Zirkzee.

Three minutes later, Zirkzee, who is seeking a move to Roma, provided a through ball, and Cunha calmly finished with a low shot to the far corner, leveling the score at 1-1.

Unfortunately, Manchester United’s strikers in recent years have all suffered from a scoring “curse.” The latest victim is the €85 million striker Sheshko, who has gone nine consecutive games without scoring. The three players who wasted the most chances in this match were Sheshko, Sheshko, and Sesko!

Zirkzee created another scoring opportunity by crossing from the left flank, but Sheshko, unmarked, shockingly blasted the ball over the bar. He had three shots in the match, none on target, missed two big chances, was offside twice, and made no key passes—essentially contributing nothing.

Since joining Manchester United for a high fee, Sheshko has scored only two goals and provided one assist in 21 appearances across all competitions. Like his predecessor Hojlund and current teammate Zirkzee, he has struggled to find form and goals at Old Trafford. When a teammate, Ugart, passed forward, Sheshko didn’t even watch the ball and ran aimlessly like a headless chicken.

In the final moments, Cunha’s long-range shot struck the outside of the post. Leeds had one or two threatening attacks saved by Manchester United’s goalkeeper Lamens. The match ended 1-1, with both sides sharing the points—likely feeling both satisfied and unfulfilled.

Amrabat probably now hopes Mbemo and Amad exit the Africa Cup of Nations soon, although Manchester United wouldn’t be invincible even with them. In November, their teams lost to a ten-man Everton and later were held to a draw by West Ham, who are third from bottom.

Without these players, Amrabat has virtually no attacking options and clearly does not trust young players Chido Obie or Shay Lacy.

After the match, Manchester United’s manager stated: “I think we performed well, with much better control than against Wolves, which was crucial. It shows we learned from that game, managing set pieces and second balls well, and withstanding Leeds’ pace. We had chances to win, but mistakes in details cost us, like Leeds’ goal—at that moment, we had possession but lost advantage due to a simple misplaced pass during a transition.”