Leeds United not concerned by four-goal beating from Manchester United in warm-up game

Leeds United’s management team are not worried by the performance in a 4-0 pre-season friendly defeat to rivals Manchester United at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
Patrick Bamford, who had Leeds United's best chance to score against Manchester United.Patrick Bamford, who had Leeds United's best chance to score against Manchester United.
Patrick Bamford, who had Leeds United's best chance to score against Manchester United.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer picked a strong side, including Paul Pogba, Juan Mata and Marcus Rashford, and saw his team lead 2-0 at half-time through goals from Mason Greenwood and Rashford.

After a complete change of team for the second half Manchester doubled their advantage with Phil Jones netting before Anthony Martial put away a penalty conceded by Liam Cooper.

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Leeds fielded an experienced side with young subs, but only had 16 players for the game and two of those were not used.

Head coach Marcelo Bielsa did not speak to the media afterwards, but in his absence assistant Diego Flores said: “For us the result is not the goal, it is the first match in the league, that’s part of the process. That’s why Marcelo chose the players he did.

“It was a difficult match. They have different quality in players. They play better than us.

“We had some moments, we couldn’t score, but at the end, they were superior to us.”

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Flores confirmed that Stuart Dallas suffered concussion and was dizzy. He will not now take part in the Whites’ second game of their Australia stay in Sydney on Saturday when they play against Western Sydney Wanderers.

In their first game it was Manchester who began the better with England striker Rashford hitting the post after just two minutes with a low shot.

They went ahead when Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cross found Greenwood, who struck a low shot past keeper Kiko Casilla.

Leeds gradually eased their way into the contest with Pablo Hernandez and Jack Harrison both going close.

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Their best chance arrived when Harrison’s low ball in from the left found Patrick Bamford but the striker saw his shot saved by the legs of keeper Sergio Romero.

Two minutes later it was 2-0 as Rashford got past Gaetano Berardi to shoot home.

Former Leeds transfer target Daniel James almost added a third for the Red Devils just before on the stroke of half-time as he hit the post following good build-up play by Rashford.

The totally changed Manchester line-up stayed in control after the break, adding to the lead within six minutes as England defender Jones headed home from a corner.

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Leeds had another good spell in which they squandered chances falling to Harrison, Kemar Roofe and Adam Forshaw, but fell four down after skipper Cooper brought down Tahith Chong in the area and Martial sent Casilla the wrong way from the resulting spot kick.

There was no come back, but it was a good work out for the Leeds players in front of 55,274 fans.

Leeds United XI: Casilla, Dallas (Hosannah 66), Berardi, Cooper, Douglas, Phillips, Forshaw, Harrison, Hernandez (Stevens 72), Roofe, Bamford (Bogusz 63). Subs not used: Miazek, Oduor.

Manchester United first XI: Romero, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelöf, Bailly, Rojo, McTominay, Pogba, Greenwood, Mata, James, Rashford.

Manchester United second XI: Pereira, Dalot, Smalling, Jones, Young, Matic, Andreas, Chong, Lingard, Gomes, Martial.