There was anger as Lisandro Martinez escapes punishment after an ugly challenge on Patrick Bamford, while Leeds fans take to taunt Man Utd.
Martinez avoided any kind of booking when his boot made contact twice with Patrick Bamford’s head just before half time of the Premier League clash, NOT televised on Sky Sports or BT Sport.
Martinez and Bamford both fell to the ground with Martinez trying to get up, only for his studs to scrape Bamford’s face.
As he lifted his boot above Bamford, the studs of his shoe made contact with the back of his head.
VAR checked the incident, but there was no further action.
i don’t understand how that is not a red, if that was bamford doing that to martinez he would be sent off. disgusting tbh pic.twitter.com/KPSCKcn7Mz
— kye⚽️🇧🇼 (@MCFC_kye) February 8, 2023
Patrick Bamford × Lisandro Martinez #MUNLEE pic.twitter.com/mDEaum6qsU
— Yacine HQ (@YacineHQ) February 8, 2023
Man Utd overturned a two-goal deficit to salvage a draw against their bitter rivals Leeds at Old Trafford; Wilfried Gnonto netted inside 55 seconds before Raphael Varane’s own goal after the break. Then Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho goals secure a valuable point for the hosts.
Leeds fans got a lot of people talking too, being heard chanting ‘you let your country down’ to Marcus Rashford. The song was heard from the away end at Old Trafford by multiple journalists in attendance during the first half, referring to the missed penalties in the Euros final shoot-out loss to Italy at Wembley.
“She said no Greenwood, she said no” and “if we was Greenwood — you’d let us out” were allegedly what the Leeds fans also could be heard singing, with accusations of some being seen doing airplane gestures too.
Leeds fans to Marcus Rashford: “You let your country down.”
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) February 8, 2023
Player ratings
Man Utd: De Gea (6), Dalot (6), Varane (5), Martinez (8), Shaw (7); Fred (6), Sabitzer (6), Fernandes (7); Rashford (8), Weghorst (5), Garnacho (6).
Subs: Sancho (8), Pellistri (6),
Leeds: Meslier (8); Ayling (8), Koch (6), Wober (7), Struijk (5); Adams (6), McKennie (6); Sinisterra (N/A), Harrison (7), Gnonto (8); Bamford (7).
Subs: Summerville (7), Firpo (6), Aaronson (6), Rutter (6).
Player of the match: Lisandro Martinez.
Leeds goalscorer Wilfried Gnonto: “We did a really good game. We tried to stay together and fight together. We proved we have a top team. It’s a little bit mixed emotions because we wanted to win.
“We always want to start games well. We want to show the opponents we’re there and want to win. Of course it went well but we conceded two goals at the end. It’s a shame.
“I don’t really know. When we go into a game we try to do our best. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. I don’t think we did something differently.
“Today was a positive game. We showed we have character. From now on we try to show our character. We can beat anybody.”
Leeds caretaker boss Michael Skubala: “Tough place to come. They are a good team. I’m really proud of the performance of the players. They worked hard. I thought we did enough to win the game.
“[We put] a lot of emphasis to be aggressive and not be passive. We did that really well.
“I think he [Wilfried Gnonto] is pivotal to the team. We’re a team, we stick together. They stuck to the plan today.”
On Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie: “I thought they were good and strong. When they got yellow cards, professionally they saw the game out.
“They [Man Utd] have quality with the ball. We did really well without the ball. We have to respect their quality.
“They can be proud and we can take a lot. We have to go again on Sunday.”
On the manager situation: “I’ve just been busy with this game. That’s up to the board. I hope the fans and club can be proud.”
Leeds caretaker boss Michael Skubala to BBC MOTD: “Yeah I enjoyed it. It’s an exciting opportunity for the players and the staff so we have to try get a result. We got one.
“We set the team up to be pragmatic but to go after the game as well and try to score goals.”
On Wilfried Gnonto’s performance: “He’s a superb player. He’s a superb talent and a great person to work with but I thought everyone put their shift in and played out the gameplan. Willy did his shift but there were some strong defensive performances too. The fans and the club should be proud.”
Message at half-time? “Be positive. Go out and go after the game. Let’s try and’s score goals.”
On Man Utd’s comeback: “It’s a tough place to come. They have quality and haven’t lost in 13 games in all competitions. I’m disappointed we didn’t win but at the end of the day they were going to throw quality at us in the last moments. We needed to see the game out and I thought we did that well.”
More from Leeds caretaker boss Michael Skubala to BBC MOTD: “I think it instills belief in the players that they are good enough at this level. They know that and we know that and we just need to go after every game between now and the end of the season.”
Will he be in charge for the next game? “I’ve been really busy just looking after this job for the last few days. That’s up to other people to decide but it’s a great opportunity for the players and the staff.”
Would he want to stay in charge? “If I’m called upon then I just want to help the club in the best way I can.”
On Pascal Struijk’s head injury: “We will assess it. It looked like he got concussion so we had to make changes but we’ll look after him and make sure he’s OK.”
🎙 “Really proud of the performance” pic.twitter.com/IxnQmRCaTP
— Leeds United (@LUFC) February 8, 2023
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag: “Mixed feelings. Of course in the end we were happy to win a point – but we dropped two points. It’s a very bad start, unacceptable, especially in a derby you have to be ready to battle and take responsibility. We didn’t do that.”
Did the quick start surprise the players? “It looked like it but not me. [We knew] they will go aggressive, front foot, against a team on a good run they’ll try to get into duels and that’s what they did.
“We created great chances. Garnacho twice. Sabitzer. The header of Raphael. At half-time we had to equalise. If you start the second half the same as the first half you make it really difficult.
“I have to complement the team and resilience to fight back. We made two great team goals.
On bringing Jadon Sancho on: “I wanted a different dynamic. In that moment we weren’t in the game. Luckily it succeeded because we scored two goals. Very happy. He’s all the way back. We know he’s a magnificent player. I think consistently he can have a big impact. But he has to work hard. It will motivate him to get more. I really enjoyed it, especially for him. It will strengthen him.
“If you play a derby you need a different attitude. You have to start and be ready and take responsibilty, win your battles and be composed on the ball.”
🗣️ “He’s brilliant” 👏
Erik ten Hag is impressed with Jadon Sancho since his return to action after their 2-2 draw against Leeds last night 💪 pic.twitter.com/qR3LcuugAt
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 9, 2023
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag to BBC MOTD: “You can say we won a point because when you are in a derby and come back from 2-0 down it is good. But on the other hand when you start a derby like we did it’s unacceptable. You have to be ready to fight and we weren’t ready for the battle.
“It was my first remark at half-time, to take care and make sure we were ready and we weren’t so that was really disappointing straight after half-time to concede that goal.
“Of course it will encourage us for when we play the second game in a couple of days that if we play our game, we can beat them. We have to beat them. But you need composure all the time. In the last 20 minutes when it was 2-2 we created so many chances but the finishing was not always that good. We have to be more clinical.”
On Marcus Rashford playing centrally again next game: “First of all this game we will analyse and reflect then we will see how the team is and pick the starting XI.”
On Jadon Sancho’s impact: “I’m very happy for him. Of course also for the team because it’s all about that. But it will encourage him and motivate him further. He is in the right direction and if he keeps going with that process he can do even more to really help us to achieve our goals.”
Playing Leeds again: “We knew before how they would play with attitude and style. We didn’t know what system they would play but you have to be ready and read the game. You have to anticipate it. Definitely you have to win your battles. That is for everyone to take the responsibility. If you win those individual battles, you will win this game.”
This is what Twitter users said with anger as Martinez escapes any kind of punishment after an ugly challenge on Bamford…
@Londonwanderer2: Martinez Kicks bamford clear in the chin then again just after. Tf is the linesman doing.
@LukeGleadle: Nice Martinez purposely kicks Bamford in the face and VAR somehow isn’t reviewing it? 🤔
@SteveinLC: How was Martinez not booked for kicking Bamford in the face? #LUFC
@Jimmypeak62: These situations always favour the “big teams” 🤷♂️. He knew what he was doing 😡
@DNieL14817326: Its united at old trafford surely everyones used to it by now
@MaynardM: Martinez absolutely kicked Bamford in the face and got away with it. Typical nonsense at Old Toilet.
@georgeaLfc: Martinez defo knows what he’s doing there kicking Bamford in the face
@notrouserson: How TF is #VAR not picking up Martinez studs on Bamford’s fkin head?!?!?!!! #lufc
@Lee6378: As beckford just said on tv.. Leeds wouldn’t get away with that!! So dodgy
@LUFC4EVA_MOT: Oh it was checked, “he’s wearing red, he’s fine”
@ollyclarke4: Its Man Utd? Do you expect any less for them to get favourable decisions?
@wallace_danny: No punishment for Bamford head butting Martinez boot?
@JenoLUFC: That’s a Leeds player gets looked at! Mckennie getting a chat too for pushing a player… Martinez does that nothing too see! Linesman woukd have seen it done nothing
@ryan_astley: I know not many people like Bamford but Martinez got away with kicking him in the head while he was down?! #lufc #mufc
@ajguk: No need for him to swing his leg backwards with studs up. All he has to do is move his leg forward to stand up. Deliberately trying to injure a player. Shocking officiating.
@roamhamilton: Martinez knows exactly what he’s doing there. Lucky not to be off. It’d be soft but he knows full well he’s dragging his boot across Bamford’s face.
@marksothcott: Can the FA look at this & ban him?
@arsestream: What exactly is VAR for if it’s not seeing Martinez sent off for backpacking Bamford in the face??! It’s so obviously deliberate.
@Th0rneickle: Not sure how VAR ain’t looking at Martinez on Bamford there. Blatantly done him.
@Niallwright5: Ref is just trying to avoid making a decision time and time again
@TheArsenalTom: Martinez the ‘Butcher of Amsterdam’ getting away with running his foot across and down Bamford’s face there. VAR check, no red card.
@rickyachew: Martinez clearly kicking Bamford in the face then the dirty bastard
@SargentBobo: Martinez deliberately swings his boot into Bamford’s face while they’re on the deck. Doesn’t even get looked at lol
@robmeddy: How has Martinez got away with leaving his boot in on Bamford?
— Doctor Khumalo (@CS23888257) February 8, 2023
#Martinez on #bamford . Surely thats a yellow at least pic.twitter.com/igfrM7liEt
— robbysfootyfocus (@Robbyfootyfocus) February 8, 2023
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