Leeds United extended their Premier League unbeaten run to seven games after settling for a 1–1 draw against Manchester United at Elland Road on Sunday.
The Whites edged in front just after the hour through Brenden Aaronson, but their lead was swiftly cancelled out as Matheus Cunha equalised for the visitors two minutes later in West Yorkshire.
While the match finished all square, Leeds were widely regarded as the more assertive side in search of a winner, a view shared by pundits and supporters alike.
Rio Ferdinand has already found a way to aim a sly dig at Leeds after the game. However, he also found it hard to take off his red-tinted glasses about the way the match panned out.
Rio Ferdinand gives his biased take on Leeds vs Manchester United
The former Manchester United defender insisted that the Red Devils handled the occasion properly and really ensured that they handled the pressure at Elland Road.
He stressed that the Leeds goal came out of nowhere and was a mistake from a young Manchester United defender, while failing to mention Brenden Aaronson.
| Leeds United | Statistic | Manchester United |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Shots | 13 |
| 3 | Shots on Target | 2 |
| 44% | Possession | 56% |
| 352 | Passes | 449 |
| 76% | Pass Accuracy | 84% |
| 9 | Fouls | 8 |
Ferdinand refused to provide any credit to Leeds while lionising a Manchester United performance, which was followed by them sacking their manager.
He said on his YouTube channel: “I thought Man United handled the situation in terms of the size of the game, in terms of what it meant.
“Going there and handling the fanbase, I thought they did that well. I thought the goal felt like a lapse in concentration, giving the ball away in a silly area, a bit casual, and then I don’t think we reacted quickly enough.
“Heaven, who’s been brilliant the last few weeks maybe just reacts a little bit slow, not expecting a problem at that point and then by the time he reacts it’s too late, and the kid to be fair goes in and scores, it’s a good goal but it came at a silly time when we didn’t look like conceding.”
Hard to suggest that Ferdinand was ever a Leeds player
Ferdinand has made it clear where his allegiance lies, and he is a Manchester United fan after winning everything there was to be won wearing their shirt.
However, as a pundit, he needs to be objective, and his analysis of the game on Sunday was anything but objective. He was biased towards Manchester United, and it was clear.
He completely discounted the performance from Leeds and insisted that Manchester United only conceded because of a defensive lapse by Aiden Heaven.
The former defender even failed to mention Brenden Aaronson by name and called him ‘that kid’, which is hugely patronising for an international footballer.
However, pundits have been condescending and dismissive towards Leeds all season, and are only coming around after a seven-game unbeaten run.
Who really cares what Ferdinan thinks, or any of the MU mob.