MANCHESTER: Noah Okafor fired Leeds to a long-awaited 2-1 win over 10-man Manchester United at Old Trafford as the Premier League strugglers boosted their bid to avoid relegation on Monday.
Okafor punished United's sloppy defending with a brace in the first-half before Lisandro Martinez was sent off after pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin's hair after the interval.
Casemiro got one back for United, but Leeds held on for their first win against United since a shock 2010 FA Cup success when they were in the third tier.
The Yorkshire club were able to celebrate their first top-flight win against United since 2002 and their first league victory at Old Trafford in 45 years.
A first win in seven league matches lifted Daniel Farke's side six points clear of the relegation zone, with six games left to preserve their top-flight status after last season's promotion.
As well as battling for survival, Leeds are through to the FA Cup semi-finals, where they face Chelsea at Wembley on April 26.
While Manchester City and Liverpool are United's main rivals, their fans' enmity with Leeds supporters goes back decades, featuring numerous clashes between hooligan gangs.
That made the defeat a bitter pill to swallow for United fans, who booed Michael Carrick's side at full-time.
It was only Carrick's second defeat in 11 games since he replaced the sacked Ruben Amorim as interim boss in January.
United remain in third place, seven points ahead of sixth-placed Chelsea in the race to qualify for the Champions League via a top-five finish.
The last time United played Leeds, Carrick was on holiday with former Old Trafford team-mate Wayne Rooney and their respective families in Barbados. Carrick has revitalised United since taking charge, but one win from their last four games is a step back.
United's trip to Chelsea on Saturday offers another chance to take a step towards returning to Europe's elite club competition for the first time since 2023-24.
Leeds had failed to score in their previous four league games, but they blew United away with a blistering start.
When Jayden Bogle whipped a fifth-minute cross towards Dominic Calvert-Lewin, United defender Leny Yoro was unable to clear and Okafor pounced with a clinical finish from 10 yards.
With Harry Maguire suspended, United were shambolic at the back in the first-half and Okafor netted again after more defensive miscues in the 29th minute. United made a hash of clearing twice in quick succession and the ball was eventually worked to Okafor, whose strike took a hefty deflection off Yoro as it flashed past Senne Lammens.
Carrick's men were back in action for the first time in 24 days and they looked rusty after the enforced break.
Lisandro Martinez was forced to make a last-ditch tackle on the goal-line to stop Ao Tanka scoring a third for Leeds after the Japan midfielder danced around Lammens.
Benjamin Sesko's effort was cleared off the line soon after the interval and United's nightmare evening continued when Martinez saw red in the 56th minute.
Martinez needlessly tugged Calvert-Lewin's long hair and referee Paul Tierney sent him off after consulting the pitch-side monitor.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, United reduced the deficit in the 69th minute when Casemiro met Bruno Fernandes' cross with a thumping header past Karl Darlow from six yards.
It was Fernandes' 17th league assist this season, closing the gap on the single-season record of 20 held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.
Calvert-Lewin squandered a golden opportunity to wrap up the points, heading straight at Lammens from close-range.
Darlow made a superb save from Sesko's header before Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte had efforts cleared off the line as Leeds held firm in a frantic finale.
Martinez red card 'worst decision' ever
Carrick blasted referee Paul Tierney for sending off Lisandro Martinez in Monday's 2-1 defeat against Leeds.
Martinez was dismissed in the second-half at Old Trafford after the United defender pulled the hair of Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Tierney showed the Argentine a red card after VAR officials told him to consult the pitch-side monitor.
"I thought the boys, the way they went about it, they stayed positive and fought to get something out of it after another shocking decision to send off Lisandro," Carrick said.
"Two games in a row we've had decisions like that go against us but this one was one of the worst I've seen."
Claiming Calvert-Lewin's initial contact with Martinez had played a role in the centre-back's reaction, Carrick said: "You can throw your arm in Martinez's face and then as he's off balance because of that, he's half grappling, he half touches the back of his hair which pulls the bobble to come out.
"I don't even know what it looks like. It's not a pull, it's not a tug, it's not aggressive. He touches it and he gets sent off. Worst of all, he gets sent to overturn it, a clear and obvious error. Shocking."
Martinez could face a three-match ban and, asked if United would appeal, Carrick said: "I am going to have to discuss it but I think it is a bad decision."
Carrick was also frustrated that Calvert-Lewin got away with a strong challenge on United defender Leny Yoro in the build-up to Okafor's opener. "We obviously conceded when Leny Yoro gets a forearm smash in the back of the head and they score the first goal. They didn't decide to overturn that decision. That was a big moment in the game," he said.
United remain in third place in the Premier League, seven points ahead of sixth-placed Chelsea in the race to qualify for the Champions League via a top-five finish.
With one win in their last four games, United travel to Chelsea on Saturday for a crucial clash in the battle for Champions League places.
"This is one game. We'll certainly look at it and look to improve. We've got another big game, an important game next week and a big end to the season," Carrick said.
"We're in a really good position. Tonight's disappointing, we didn't want to lose and we didn't want the referee's decisions to be so bad against us but we move on.
"We've got a big end to the season and there's a lot to be positive about."