‘It’s a pen all day long’: Woodgate spotted incident during Leeds vs Man United, wasn’t checked by VAR

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Leeds against Manchester United was a nice feisty affair in old school conditions yesterday, with the Old Trafford outfit running out 4-2 winners in the end in a pulsating fixture.

Two late goals from Fred and Elanga sealed the deal for Ralf Rangnick’s side, who strengthened their grip on fourth place at the same time as beating their old rivals here.

For Leeds, it was a case of same old same old in terms of their defending. On another day, Manchester United could have scored even more. The tone was set by conceding from a set-piece as Harry Maguire nodded in in the opening 45 minutes. And watching the goal back, former Leeds man Jonathan Woodgate felt that even if the goal hadn’t gone in, there was a potential penalty amid the action.

“If you look at Llorente’s position here he looks at the ball in the last second and basically Harry Maguire bullies him.
If you look he’s not even looking at the ball, he’s fixated on the man. That’s not how you mark. You have to go ball and man, you have to be looking at both,” Woodgate told MOTD.

“Even Meslier makes it too easy as well, he comes and then he’s in no man’s land. If he stays on the line he just catches it. Then you look as well at the back post and Pogba’s shirt is getting pulled. It’s a pen all day long, especially if they go back on VAR and look at it. That’s not how you mark.”

TBR’s View: Leeds Have To Sort Defensive Frailties

The one big thing you have to say here is that Leeds are missing Kalvin Phillips. He is so, so important to this Leeds side and every time they concede, you could argue if Phillips might have made a difference.

But, Marcelo Bielsa has had this problem for long enough now. Time and again Leeds go high up the pitch, lose the ball, then end up conceding on the break. At times, it can be quite ridiculous.

Leeds are teetering with the drop at the moment. And if they don’t sort this part of their game out, then they might well be in that bottom three come May.