The striker said he and his Leeds United teammates were aware of the talk pre-game

Dominic Calvert-Lewin insists that the outside expectation of Leeds United to beat Manchester United did not factor into the home side’s display in Sunday’s 1-1 draw.

Many had pitted the Whites as favourites, the hosts gunning for their first home win against the Red Devils since 2002. Calvert-Lewin bagged his 20th goal for Leeds when equalising six minutes after half-time but no winner could be found.

“I think we could have played with a little bit more quality in the final third, particularly in the first half,” Calvert-Lewin admitted to Sky Sports. “We were getting good quality into the box but just not getting enough numbers.

“That was down to us. We made sure in the second half that when we came out, we came with a bit more confidence going forward. And it showed. I think we were a bit unlucky not to win the game.”

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Leeds ended the game with a higher xG than their opponents but just five of their 12 shots were on target. Some five off-target attempts came inside the area and four of those within the width of the six yard box.

Manager Daniel Farke said his side’s finishing was his only critique of the day, while also admitting that the sense of occasion may have naturally led to persistent first-half losses of the ball due to over-eagerness.

However, he stopped short of pinning this as the reason for the failure to get the win, but rather the difference in individual quality between the two squads. Calvert-Lewin himself said the players had steered clear of the talk of having the favourites tag pre-match.

“It was important that we didn’t read too much into it. It’s often a trick, that,” he added. “They are still a very good team with a lot of quality, regardless of the outside noise.

“I think it’s just general football stuff, you have Sky Sports News on, you hear what’s going on in the football world. But I think we are so used to it as players, it’s important you pay no mind to it and focus on the game at hand.”

Leeds now sit seventh on 10 points after seven games - two more points than last year and some eight places higher. "We have to be pleased,” Calvert-Lewin added.

“I think we could have been better in pivotal moments but could also have gone against us in pivotal moments."