Manchester United and Leeds United fought to a 1-1 stalemate at Elland Road on Sunday afternoon. In a high-stakes encounter, the hosts broke the deadlock through Brenden Aaronson, but their lead was short-lived as Matheus Cunha struck back almost immediately.
The result leaves Ruben Amorim’s side searching for consistency as they continue to grapple with a significant injury list and a lack of clinical edge upfront.
Below are the player ratings and performance summaries for the Manchester United squad:
Senne Lammens – 6.5
The young goalkeeper showed impressive composure in a hostile environment. He was unfazed by the Elland Road crowd, distributing the ball with accuracy and making several vital interventions. He pulled off two standout second-half saves from Gabriel Gudmundsson and Noah Okafor to keep United in the contest.
Luke Shaw – 6
Deployed in a defensive role that required him to balance his positioning, Shaw was an agile presence. While he managed his defensive duties well and contributed to early clearances, he appeared to struggle when the system demanded more overlapping runs and attacking output.
Ayden Heaven – 5
The youngster continues to show why he is highly rated, putting in another solid shift in the heart of the defense. Though he was ultimately beaten for pace by Aaronson for the Leeds goal, his overall reading of the game was excellent, and he avoided making any reckless challenges that could have seen him sent off.
Lisandro Martinez – 6.5
Acting as the defensive anchor, Martinez led from the back with his characteristic aggression. He was the primary source of ball progression, carving out long-range passes to the forwards while ensuring the United box remained secure against Leeds’ aerial threat.
Leny Yoro – 6.5
Yoro was a constant threat at set-pieces and nearly opened the scoring with a powerful header in the first half. Defensively, he was tested frequently in one-on-one situations by the Leeds wingers, showing flashes of brilliance mixed with some moments of youthful vulnerability.
Patrick Dorgu – 6
Playing in an advanced right-sided role, Dorgu failed to replicate his previous heroics. While he worked hard to find pockets of space, his final ball was lacking, and he squandered several promising opportunities to put the Leeds defense under serious pressure.
Diogo Dalot – 4
It was a day to forget for the fullback, whose lack of quality on the ball became a glaring issue. His sloppy touches and misplaced passes frequently killed United’s momentum, and it was his loss of possession that directly led to Leeds’ opening goal. Despite his poor form, his lack of a natural replacement remains a major headache for Amorim.
Manuel Ugarte – 6
The scrappy nature of the “Roses Derby” suited Ugarte’s combative style perfectly. He patrolled the midfield with high intensity, winning back possession and even coming close to scoring with a looping header that forced the Leeds keeper into a frantic scramble.
Casemiro – 6
Partnering Ugarte, the veteran midfielder provided much-needed stability. He mirrored his partner’s aggression off the ball but offered more in terms of progressive distribution, attempting to break the Leeds lines with vertical passes throughout the match.
Matheus Cunha – 7
United’s standout performer once again. After having a brilliant volley cruelly ruled out for offside in the first half, he kept his head and eventually found the equalizer with a clinical far-post finish. His movement and goal threat make him the most essential component of the current attack.
Benjamin Sesko – 4.5
The summer signing endured a difficult afternoon, looking largely out of sync with the pace of the Premier League. While he managed to get into goalscoring positions, his finishing was wayward, and he struggled to impose his physicality on a disciplined Leeds backline.
Substitute
Joshua Zirkzee – 8
Introduced immediately after United fell behind, Zirkzee proved to be the ultimate game-changer. His vision and perfectly weighted pass set up Cunha for the equalizer, injecting a much-needed sense of urgency and creativity into a team that had looked stale until his arrival.