Jamie Carragher believes Leeds’ shock 2-1 win over Manchester United will send “shivers down the spine” for their relegation rivals.
Noah Okafor scored twice in a frantic first half as Daniel Farke’s side moved within six points of the drop zone, putting further pressure on beleaguered 18th-placed Tottenham.
Okafor opened the scoring in the fifth minute and added a second just before the half-hour mark in a commanding performance, which Carragher believed was ominous for his side at the bottom of the table.
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Watch for free: Premier League highlights of Manchester United vs. Leeds
“They have been a breath of fresh air in the Premier League for the majority of this season,” he said.
“They were really good, but their performance in the first half tonight will send shivers down the spine of everyone in the relegation battle.
“It was a confident performance at home against the most in-form team.
“They not only withstood a game like that, they completely dominated Man United in the first half.
“The local team, supporters, players and staff would have been watching tonight and it will be a huge mental blow to them.
“That was a really good team performance. Back at Tottenham, I haven’t seen a performance like them for the last six months.”
Neville favors Leeds over Spurs
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Gary Neville is confident Leeds will remain in the Premier League after beating Man United at Old Trafford
Farke fell to his knees celebrating Leeds’ survival victory in their first league game at Old Trafford in 45 years.
“It’s a monumental night for Leeds,” Gary Neville said on co-commentary.
After the match, Neville backed Leeds to remain above Tottenham because of their improved cohesiveness.
“Before the game I looked at West Ham and Nottingham Forest at the weekend and thought they might be starting to do something a little bit.
“They look like they have enough strength to get out of there. Tottenham are in a big crisis and Leeds would think they could be dragged into it.
“They had some decent games and they weren’t great, but I think they performed really well today.
“Every time I saw them live, they were just amazing, not only in terms of their passion and dedication, but also in terms of their patterns and the way they built their systems.
“I was there when they played with a back five in their first full game against Chelsea, and they might have played just before that on the Saturday against Man City.
“The reason I’m not a big fan of this system is because it’s usually very difficult to find wing-backs who can attack and defend equally. But I think (Jaeden) Bogle and (Gabriel) Gutmundsson, when they play, they perform great.”
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Gary Neville believes Man United’s defeat to Leeds was a reality check for Michael Carrick’s side.
“They go forward with real energy and threat and having the three and (Ethan) Ampadu up front gives them a little more stability so I think that suits them.
“They were really good in the first half tonight. That’s a performance I don’t think Tottenham are capable of. That’s what’s scary for Tottenham. It’s not just that Leeds United took six points tonight, but the actual level of performance they put in was nowhere near that.”
“If you look at Spurs vs Sunderland yesterday, it was a combination of misfits, a combination of misfits.
“Yet if you look at Leeds tonight, they had a flow. They needed to push in the second half, but when Manchester United went down to 10 men they realized it was going to be difficult and they started to be more cautious.
“Overall, it was a great night for them. I think it’s a certainty for Leeds United to stay in the Premier League this season, because the confidence they take from that… they fully deserved it.”
Falke is confident in the result
Leeds have home games against Wolves, Burnley and Brighton, as well as away trips to Tottenham and West Ham after a visit to Bournemouth.
He said: “It gives us confidence. A win is always good for it and for the table.”
“But in terms of performance, we should be well above 40 points. We’ve had an incredibly consistent performance, but we can be more effective in both boxes.”
“For that to happen, the reality is we have 36 points and we need a few more.
“Tonight we are close to three points, but nothing has been achieved yet. We have to stay humble, stay grounded, stay hungry and get ready for the next game to get as many points as possible.”
