What next for Michael Carrick and Manchester United? Game-wise, the answer is Wednesday’s trip to Como yet after failing, again, to double their league win tally to two, you have to wonder the destination for an already flatlining team.
This display was the latest unconvincing outing under the 45-year-old. It featured an odd formation, zero rhythm or control, and the same prevailing sense that the wheels could clatter off anytime.
Bryan Mbeumo’s first-half opener was answered, inevitably, by Dominic Calvert-Lewin after the interval for hosts who were not markedly better but did not need to be, so fragile are Carrick’s cadre. Elland Road was the scene of Ruben Amorim’s last stand, Carrick’s predecessor reacting to January’s 1-1 draw by demanding his colleagues in the recruitment department “do their job”. The result? Being sacked two days later.
For now Carrick should avoid a similar fate, but for how long? United remain stuck on one league victory – at the end of August, against Ipswich – and so Como, in the Champions League, becomes the next must-win fixture.
To hear Carrick hail this result as a “fresh start” hints at desperation and the state his team are in. Even more quaint was another comment. “I understand the situation doesn’t look too good if you look at it from a certain way, but I have no doubts that we can go on a good run,” he said.
Precisely how else United having only seven points from their opening seven games can be viewed seems comical to even consider. As the Leeds manager, Daniel Farke, said: “We should have won the game but we move on. We are slightly disappointed, it is just a point.”
Five days after his scathing diatribe aimed at Jason Wilcox – for the director of football’s questionable recruitment – Lisandro Martínez was selected by Carrick, the defender’s apology on Thursday enough to clear the way, though his day ended at the interval due to a tight thigh.
Farke’s team, unchanged for a fifth consecutive game, were roared on by a crowd who delighted in Martínez’s first contribution, a stray pass hoofed out of play.
The visitors lined up in an “Amorim shape” of 3-4-3, a lesser-seen Carrick configuration. In this, Bruno Fernandes was fielded as the nominal centre-forward, curtailing the captain’s ability to pull strings from midfield, though his was a free role.
The noise from a febrile home support was dialled up when Carlos Baleba sent Anton Stach to the turf and Darren England saw no infringement. After Fernandes ran through and a clumsy touch caused him to scythe down Tarik Muharemovic, England did act – booking Manchester United’s captain when play next paused, to the delight of Leeds fans.
Gabriel Gudmundsson was also shown a yellow card – for clipping Andrey Santos – in a contest that was blood and thunderous but lacked regular goalmouth incident.
Instead, the fare was bitty throughout. Gudmundsson, the left-wing-back in Farke’s 5-2-2-1, splayed the visitors’ defence with a cross that wrongfooted Harry Maguire but this found no teammate, before Jayden Bogle, the right- wingback, repeated the act as Leeds exerted momentary control. A Stach free-kick, from the right, had Nico Elvedi flying at the ball to fashion a header Senne Lammens had to be quick to repel.
At last, the match had livened. Carrick’s men carved a clear chance when Youri Tielemans dropped the ball on to Mbeumo’s head at close range but he missed – badly. But next Mbeumo struck via a quick move that sundered Leeds. Along the right Tielemans found Amad Diallo who returned the ball and the Belgian’s cross was finished by the forward.
Martínez’s removal brought Noussair Mazraoui to the fray as 45 minutes stood between Carrick and a morale-boosting victory. They held firm for five. A Mazraoui header sent Bogle’s cross out for a corner. When this was swung in Mazraoui was bested by Muharemovic whose flick fell to Calvert-Lewin: he outmuscled Mbeumo and crashed home. With the crowd propelling them forward, Ao Tanaka boomed a volley just over and Farke’s men pinned back Carrick’s side, who lacked ideas: Baleba’s unconvincing long-range effort summing this up. Better was Fernandes’s turn and shot that spun narrowly wide but he followed this with a weak attempt that the Leeds goalkeeper James Trafford held easily.
On 73 minutes Farke took off Noah Okafor for Lukas Nmecha and Carrick removed Baleba for Mason Mount but none of the changes could spark a winner. Maguire continued Carrick’s attempt at PR. “You can’t question the togetherness, spirit, the fight,” said the veteran defender. “This is a tough place to come. Leeds have been flying in the league. We can be better. We have to show more quality with the ball. Throughout we felt comfortable in our shape. They didn’t create too many chances. To concede a set piece after half-time is disappointing – we had to dig in and we got a foothold at about 70 minutes and probably looked the more likely to go and win it but a draw is probably fair.”
