It is now five straight Premier League games without a win for Manchester United and the third time this year that they have gone ahead and failed to keep hold of a lead as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Leeds United at Elland Road.

It means the pressure remains firmly on manager Michael Carrick's shoulders, following a poor start to the 2026/26 season. The Red Devils sit 13th in the table after seven games, already 14 points adrift of league leaders Manchester City and five off the top five - which could be enough for UEFA Champions League qualification again this season.

United took the lead away at their historic rivals, when Bryan Mbeumo scored his fourth goal of the season. But much like against Everton and Tottenham, they could not hold on and Dominic Calvert-Lewin grabbed an equaliser in the second half to earn a share of the spoils.

Some United supporters singled out Amad Diallo for a poor performance in Yorkshire, but there ire should perhaps have been directed at a player who has been earning rave reviews in the early part of his Manchester United career.

It has felt, in the last two games at least, that Carlos Baleba has been exactly what the Red Devils have been missing in the middle of the park. United went into the summer transfer window with the priority to add at least two new central midfielders to their ranks.

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They ended up signing three, with Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos also arriving at Old Trafford from Aston Villa and Chelsea respectively.

Baleba was the man United had been chasing for some time, having almost come to an agreement over signing the 22-year-old from Brighton & Hove Albion last summer.

And having arrived with an injury, it has taken some time for the United supporters to see him in action. He came off the bench to play 31 minutes, plus injury-time, against Spurs last weekend, adding some much-needed composure to the United midfield, immediately earning the adoration of the fans. And he was given his first Premier League start in a red shirt against Leeds and impressed once again.

However, that praise for his performance may have been misplaced. That is because it was him who was at fault for the Calvert-Lewin goal that stopped United from winning all three points.

Calvert-Lewin fired home from inside the six-yard box from a corner, but how was he allowed so much time and space in the box in the first place?

The Leeds striker spun away from Baleba, who was marking him initially, and after chesting down Tarek Muharemovic's nod down, swept home from close range, under some pressure from Mbeumo.

Not only did Baleba not follow the run of the big Leeds striker, but video footage shows him watching as Calvert-Lewin first chests the ball and then puts it into the back of the net.

The Cameroonian could have gone and put some pressure on the striker, but is seen just watching the Leeds man fire home the equaliser, after failing to mark him in the first place.

Baleba may well prove to be United's best signing of the summer and may well have done everything else right during the game, but he cannot be excused for his role in the Leeds goal.