Leeds United boosted their survival hopes with a vital 2-1 victory over 10-man Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Noah Okafor was the standout performer, scoring twice in the first half to earn all three points and move Leeds six points clear of the relegation zone. United threatened a comeback late on after Casemiro pulled one back with a 69th-minute header.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin had an early chance to give Leeds the lead but missed, though it didn’t prove costly as Okafor soon struck, finishing after capitalising on a poor clearance from Leny Yoro.
He doubled the advantage before the half-hour mark with a well-taken volley from outside the box after United failed to deal with the danger. Ao Tanaka nearly added a third just before half-time, but Lisandro Martinez cleared his effort off the line.
Martinez’s game took a turn for the worse in the 56th minute when he was sent off following a VAR review for pulling Calvert-Lewin’s hair.
Casemiro later reduced the deficit by heading in a Bruno Fernandes cross, and United pushed for an equaliser. However, Calvert-Lewin played a crucial defensive role late on, clearing another Casemiro header off the line and blocking a follow-up effort from Manuel Ugarte.
Leeds were the better side overall, registering 2.37 expected goals from 15 shots, compared to United’s 1.31 from 20 attempts.
The win ended Leeds’ long wait for a league victory over Manchester United, their first since September 2002, and their first at Old Trafford since February 1981, snapping an 18-game winless run there.
Okafor also made history as the first Leeds player to score more than once against United in a Premier League match, while Calvert-Lewin impressed with his all-round display, leading the game in shots, touches in the box, and duels contested.