Ten Hag’s in-game tweaks do the trick as Manchester United down Leeds United

Manchester United are back to winning ways following their draw against Leeds United last time out. Four days after sharing the spoils with the Peacocks, Erik Ten Hag’s side made amends when they traveled to Elland Road on Sunday (February 12).

In a game that held huge significance to where Manchester United could finish in the Premier League, the Red Devils held their own and got the job done. This was nowhere near an easy victory, as Leeds, just as they did in their previous game a few days ago, frustrated the visitors for large spells. The hosts even created some decent chances that could’ve led to goals on another day.

However, Manchester United’s quality eventually shone through, as late goals from Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho earned them a hard-fought 2-0 victory on the road.

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Smash-and-grab victory for Manchester United

Under Ten Hag, Manchester United have won many games convincingly in recent months. Since the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the Red Devils have been playing some delightful football.

However, their momentum has suffered a bit since they were beaten by Arsenal two weeks ago. After being held to a draw by Leeds on Wednesday, they needed to put things right this time.

It’s fair to say that the Red Devils were not particularly impressive against Michael Skubala’s side, as they struggled for much of the opening hour. Nevertheless, Manchester United showed tremendous fighting spirit by never giving up. They were also patient enough to bide their chances and when the opportunities came, they grabbed them with both hands.

Leeds can feel hard done by the result, which does not reflect how the game panned out. On another day, the scoreline could’ve been different, as this victory was more smash-and-grab than anything else for Ten Hag's charges.

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Ten Hag’s in-game changes do the trick

Leeds United vs Manchester United - Premier League

“Some games are won from the bench” is a phrase that 's often used by pundits, but never has this sentence been more accurate than during Sunday’s game between United and Leeds.

Ten Hag’s second-half substitutions completely changed the game and set the Red Devils on a path to victory. Having struggled to break down the Peacocks’ resolute defence, the Dutchman brought on Lisandro Martinez to allow his side to play out more comfortably from the back.

He then introduced Garnacho and reshuffled his pack, moving the young Argentine to the left wing and putting Rashford up front. Ten Hag also shifted Bruno Fernandes to the right flank and withdrew Wout Weghorst to play as the number 10.

As weird as these tweaks seemed, they worked to perfection, as Manchester United finally gained control of the game. They put two goals past their opponents in the final ten minutes to take home all three points.

Ten Hag’s in-game changes made all the difference, and shrewd decisions like this are why the Red Devils faithful love and adore their manager. Explaining his tactical tweaks, Ten Hag told Manutd.com:

"Wout, as a second striker, a no.10. I know him from (his)oyouth that he can play there. With Bruno (Fernandes)non the right and Garnacho on the left, it was a dynamic to change the game, and I think we can benefit from it. I think Rashford as a striker, Wout on the no.10 position and Bruno on the right brought more composure to our game."

Ten Hag has proven that he’s a good reader of the game and isn’t shy to make the big calls to affect games in a positive way. On Sunday, his in-game tweaks did the trick against Leeds, and it’s why the Red Devils’ hopes of challenging for the Premier League remain alive.