It rendered the comparisons with the other journey to Leeds in 2026 uncomfortably familiar for Carrick. United's previous visit to Elland Road occurred 288 days earlier.

They turned up with a manager facing mounting pressure, Jason Wilcox serving as the visible representation of behind-the-scenes disapproval and a three-man defensive system that was generating more difficulties than solutions. At least those 288 days weren't entirely squandered.

But Carrick secured the type of display from his squad that Amorim seldom managed. Martinez had made it clear the squad are fully behind the 45-year-old despite their difficulties this campaign.

That sentiment is privately echoed by other senior figures in the dressing room, and this was a showing packed with the determination and resolve that proves it. Even though it lacked the cutting edge United needed in attack.

Having deployed his reliable 4-2-3-1 formation since January, he believed the moment had arrived to take a gamble in West Yorkshire, with mounting scrutiny just nine matches into the campaign.

United's actual shape proved difficult to interpret initially. Carrick had praised the standard of Friday's training session at Carrington and if they utilised it to familiarise themselves with this strategy, they would have needed sharp focus.

It was a back three without possession, with Amad and Diogo Dalot resuming their wing-back duties under Amorim, while Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo positioned themselves alongside each other in attack. United required time to find their rhythm, though they faced little genuine threat.

They failed to register a touch inside the Leeds box until the 27th minute, yet when the opportunity arrived, it ought to have yielded a goal. Mbeumo, culpable for squandering two glorious chances in Madrid, wasted another, heading Youri Tielemans' cross wide when under no pressure.

His confidence appeared shaky once more when chasing a long ball from Carlos Baleba, but he made no error moments later. Tielemans and Amad linked effectively along the right flank, with the midfielder delivering a low cross which Mbeumo poked past James Trafford at the near post.

United finished the first half in command following what was perhaps their most accomplished 45 minutes of the campaign, yet merely six minutes after the restart, that advantage evaporated.

Leeds' sole first-half opportunity stemmed from a set-piece, and when half-time arrival Noussair Mazraoui unnecessarily conceded a corner, the danger was evident.

Tarik Muharemovic claimed the initial header and Dominic Calvert-Lewin had evaded Baleba's attention to control the ball and thrash home a volley. In a campaign littered with such moments, this represented another examination of United's resolve, with Elland Road discovering its voice.

Once more, though, they succeeded in establishing a degree of composure. The composure of this midfield trio has proved an ideal remedy for a side experiencing pressure.

Progressively, United manoeuvred themselves back into a commanding position, helped by their commitment to matching the hosts' intensity.

The visitors might have crumbled at various stages during this match, but they displayed the resolve and determination that Carrick had spoken so enthusiastically about on Friday. They never avoided a challenge and were willing to scrap it out when necessary.

They teetered on the brink during stoppage time, with an unconvincing Senne Lammens punch redirected towards goal by Anton Stach, only for the goalkeeper to grasp the loose ball at the second opportunity.

Carrick may well have witnessed the previous 10 months racing through his mind at that instant, but he swiftly urged his players forward for one last assault, and unlike Amorim in January, he will survive to continue the battle.