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Rashford continues his incredible scoring form with another goal to help Manchester United to victory over Leeds
Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho scored in the last 10 minutes of Manchester United’s Premier League match against Leeds United to give the Red Devils a comfortable victory against their bitter rivals.
Manchester United left it late after struggling to break Leeds down and needed inspiration from the Premier League Player of the Month for January to finally see them over the edge.
Leeds will feel hard done by with the result and will feel they should have gotten a better result from the game, but are ultimately left to rue their missed chances.
How it happened
Leeds will be fuming at the final result, having managed to keep Manchester United at bay for 79 minutes only to collapse in the last few moments of the game.
Leeds had the better first half despite having only 31% possession. They created the best chances in the game and had more shots than their visitors.
Leeds should have taken the lead as early as the fourth minute when Summervile pounced on a loose ball following a mistake by David De Gea, but could only see his shot under pressure from Tyrell Malacia go over the bar with the goal gaping.
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The hosts came close to finding the net again later in the half, but De Gea stood tall to deny Crysencio Summerville from point-blank range.
The only moment of note for Manchester United’s attack in the opening 45 minutes came at the end of the half with Bruno Fernandes spurning a 1 v 1 opportunity to keep the scores level going into the break.
The second half played out much like the first, with Leeds soaking up pressure and hitting Manchester United on the break relentlessly, but while the first half saw Leeds create the better chances and miss them, the second half saw Manchester United create two big chances and score them both. This would ultimately be the difference between the two sides.
Leeds fired 12 shots in the second half alone against Manchester United, but it was the Red Devils who first came close to scoring when Diogo Dalot hit the crossbar with an effort from just outside the area.
The shot against the crossbar should have been a warning to Leeds that their visitors were on the ascendency, but they could not stop missing their own chances and soon paid the price.
On the stroke of 80 minutes, Luke Shaw found Marcus Rashford with a deep cross, and the forward made no mistake with a brilliant header to score his 12th Premier League goal of the season.
Manchester United were 2-0 up just five minutes later as 18-year-old Argentine forward Garnacho stole a march on the Leeds defence and finished with aplomb at the near post to give the Red Devils some breathing room.
Leeds should have won, but Manchester United keep title dreams alive
With a total xG of 1.83 to their opponents’ 1.12, Leeds will feel they could have had the better of Manchester United if they only finished their chances, but the three points will be returning with the victors to Manchester all the same.
Manchester United will cherish the three points, especially after league leaders Arsenal dropped points against Brentford, as the win now leaves them just five points behind the Gunners at the top of the table, although Manchester United have played two more games than Arsenal.
With Arsenal also set to face Manchester City in midweek, Manchester United will be hoping for the Gunners to drop more points to leave them with a chance of winning the Premier League for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson retired.
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