Rashford takes Ten Hag advice
Manchester United did not deserve to win this game at Elland Road. They did so because they have one of their most in-form forwards in Europe in their ranks at the moment.
For the third game in a row Marcus Rashford moved into a centre-forward position in the second half and went on to score a crucial goal. It can't be long before he starts games there.
He's certainly tormented Leeds with his head this week. Rashford points a finger to his temple as part of his now widely-copied goal celebration. It isn't meant to infere a player becoming a major threat in the air, but it could be.
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Both of his headers this week have been outstanding, leaving Illan Meslier routed to the spot. He had to stretch a little to reach Luke Shaw's cross this time, but the direction was perfect.
Rashford now has 13 goals in 15 games since the World Cup and maybe the ones with his head will be the most pleasing. It was an area Erik ten Hag asked him to work on when he arrived at the club and he is doing just that.
"Getting into the areas is one thing, but the technique and the desire and wanting to get your head on the end of it, that’s what I’ve been working on," Rashford said back in September, after scoring a header against West Ham.
The desire has been on show this week and Rashford has added another string to his increasingly impressive bow.
Losing control
United's inability to control a game without Casemiro is becoming common knowledge but the balance in midfield isn't being helped by the long-term absence of Christian Eriksen either.
Ten Hag has plenty of options in midfield but there is a lack of quality on the ball once Casemiro and Eriksen are out of the picture. Having managed an impressive level of control in some games this season, United have been back to the chaotic levels of last term recently.
At the Emirates against Arsenal they never threatened to actually control the game from the centre of the pitch and they did well to stay in the game for as long as they did. It was maybe most obvious at Old Trafford on Wednesday, when the first game with Leeds turned into a slugfest when really it should have been a home game they had locked down.
It was the same story at Elland Road. The game passed United's midfield by for most of it. Marcel Sabitzer has had a difficult introduction to the Premier League and for all of Fred's energy, it doesn't result in control.
The very best teams have come here in recent seasons and coped with a fast start before running the game. There was never the sense this United team would do the same.
They won the game because they dug in, got away with some poor Leeds finishing and then had a major contribution from their true world-class player.
A lesson (partly) learned
One of United's biggest failings in the Old Trafford draw on Wednesday night was the sloppy nature in which they started both halves, conceding early in both and generally failing to match the intensity of Leeds.
They improved on that to a degree at Elland Road, in the sense that they didn't concede an early goal, although part of that was due more to luck than judgment, especially when Crysensio Summerville smashed an excellent early chance over the bar in the first half and Jack Harrison missed one early in the second.
This was an even more aggressive start from Leeds than it had been on Wednesday and the first five minutes featured thunderous challenges from Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie to get Elland Road roaring. If United didn't quite match the white heat coming from the hosts, they were close enough. They knew had to get through a frenetic opening in both halves and by hook or crook they managed to do so.
Maguire's baptism of fire
This was Harry Maguire's first Premier League start since the 3-0 win against Bournemouth and only his ninth start of the season in all competitions. It was easily the most intense, competitive fixture he's begun.
Chucking him into this game was something of a baptism of fire and while he won his fair share of headers, there were also errors in possession. One attempted backpass in the first half was blocked by Jack Harrison and a poor pass out early in the second half led to a chance for the same player.
Before this game, Ten Hag had said "I'm really happy with Harry Maguire" but mentioned the fact that he is in direct competition with Varane as a right-sided centre-back. Ten Hag mentioned Maguire is "progressing really well", but he is 29 and the club captain. It shouldn't be about progress.
He played his part in a backs-to-the-wall clean sheet at Elland Road, but it wasn't a convincing performance.
Nou Camp clues
The decision to bench Varane and Lisandro Martinez was a surprise and while the former might have been rested, the latter is suspended for Thursday's trip to Barcelona anyway.
But that call might have given away Ten Hag's plans for his absence in the Nou Camp. Luke Shaw has become a trusted left-sided centre-back since the World Cup and the decision to field him in that position here might have been based on giving him a run out in that role ahead of playing there against Barcelona.
It would be quite the elevation for Shaw to play as part of a two-man central defence against the La Liga leaders, but Ten Hag loves the balance of a right-foot, left-foot partnership and he has raved about Shaw's performances there. This team felt like an indication he will play there in one of the toughest games of the season this week.
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