Manchester United couldn't turn a promising display into three points, settling for a 1-1 draw with Leeds. The result does little to ease their league struggles or address their worst start in four decades. Nevertheless, there were encouraging signs, particularly before half-time, that the team may finally be moving in the right direction.

Lisandro Martínez returned to the starting lineup after controversy over his outspoken reaction to United's 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid the previous week. The defender was fined for publicly criticising the club but was still selected for the trip to Elland Road.

With the home crowd expected to make it difficult, United initially faced considerable pressure. However, they gradually settled into the contest and took the lead in the 35th minute when Bryan Mbeumo converted Youri Tielemans' low delivery, giving the visitors an advantage at the interval.

That lead proved short-lived. Leeds came out strongly after the break, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin restoring parity just six minutes into the second half. Both teams then created chances to snatch a winner, but neither found a decisive breakthrough. Although the result offers little in terms of league progress, United's improved first-half display provides at least some grounds for optimism, with a share of the points ultimately reflecting the balance of the match.

As expected, there was a fiery start to the game, with both sides putting in some crunching challenges as the two sides battled out the opening 20 minutes to establish a foothold in the game.

One such challenge was one by Gabriel Gudmundsson on Andrey Santos when the Leeds left-back made quite a rash tackle on the Brazilian midfielder, escaping with just a yellow card.

Speaking to Ref Watch, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher believed Leeds could have easily been reduced to ten men.

“I can only try and second guess the referee, it is not a nice tackle, but I can only assume that because he was so close, he has not got the speed and intensity.

“It is up there on his Achilles and if you make that challenge, you are going to run the risk of a red card all the time.”

Another former Premier League official, Darren Cann agreed with Gallagher assessment of the challenge. Speaking on Match of the Day, he said, 

"Gabriel Gudmundsson made a very risky challenge on Andrey Santos.

“His tackle had similarities with Ryan Sessegnon's red card for Fulham on Saturday, with both players making contact with their studs on the back of the calf/Achilles of their opponents.

"Gudmundsson could also have easily seen red instead of the yellow card he received. I think what saved him was that there was a little less intensity in his challenge, however he could've had no complaints had a red card been shown."

Judging by Manchester United's recent record against ten men, perhaps the side was better off playing against 11 Leeds players than being a man down, with the tackle happening around the same time Phil Foden was sent off in the Manchester derby, and we all saw how that ended.

Leeds themselves thought they should have been awarded a penalty when Harry Maguire brought Ethan Ampadu to the ground in the second half, but the referee on the day, Darren England, waved away appeals, and VAR upheld the decision.

Dermot Gallagher agreed with the referee's decision, saying, "They tangle up together. Leeds' No. 5 also grabs Maguire, so he brings him back to bring his teammate down. All in all, play on."

Manchester United will now travel to face Como on the 21st of October, then host Bournemouth on the 25th, continuing their congested fixture list for the rest of October.