Leeds United's disappointment speaks volumes about the progress made in the past year

The wait goes on. Leeds United supporters felt Sunday could have finally been the day to end the 24-year wait for a home win against Manchester United.

This expectation was palpable around Elland Road. Amid Leeds’ good form and Man Utd’s worst Premier League start for 40 years, the risk was that this expectation got the better of the players.

Daniel Farke recognised that the occasion would have in some way naturally impacted his team, though was hesitant to state the baying for a win was the main reason for a poor first half and languid thrust in the final third.

It seemed as though Leeds were almost too eager - misplaced passes leading to turnovers that the hosts had to defend. No rhythm could be built up and Leeds would go into the break 1-0 down.

The reaction after half time was superb, Leeds getting their reward when Dominic Calvert-Lewin thumped home his 20th goal for the Whites in the 51st minute. But Leeds could not land a devastating punch in their throes forward after that.

And once the following 15-minute period of intensity was over, the game petered out. Frustration is the word of the day - yet that shows how far Leeds have come.

Travelling away from games against two of last season’s top three over the last fortnight gutted not to get more says a lot about the progress of this team.

Leeds are a team looking upwards and are set to smash their initial 40-point aim, currently going at a rate that will see them get to 54. However, that does not mean there is nothing to improve.

Make sure you never miss the latest Leeds United news and opinion by making Leeds Live one of your Google preferred sources.

Final third frustration

Only 41% of Leeds’ 12 shots were on target. The hosts won the xG battle - 1.44 to 0.91 - and had great chances to steal the win near the end, with Lukas Nmecha almost getting to a cross and Anton Stach seeing his shot from the recycled ball blocked by Noussair Mazraoui.

But a number of efforts were lashed at and sent straight over the bar; five of those off target coming from inside the area and four of them within the width of the six-yard box. Farke alluded to this wayward finishing after full-time.

“The problem was there were too many strikes over the crossbar and too many crosses were then even a bit too long,” said the Leeds boss. It wasn't just the length of the cross but also the accuracy.

The graph below shows how many crosses failed. Only one successful cross came from open play . Ironically, one of the two successful Stach corners led to the goal. But the theme is clear.

Substitute question

Farke only made two substitutions during the game, and the second - Sean Longstaff - only got 10 minutes. It meant attacking talents Harry Wilson and Jean-Matteo Bahoya both stayed on the bench.

Farke would later explain that he felt Leeds needed more physicality rather than technical intelligence, hence the changes. Nmecha almost scored with his stretched boot towards a late cross but to no avail.

There may be criticism from some quarters over why Farke did not utilise his attacking options but the manager has previously explained how he is being cautious not to throw Bahoya into a fire for someone so young and inexperienced in Premier League football.

And with Wilson, his appearances thus far from the bench have not lit the blue touchpaper. But it does underline the ever-growing evident gap between the starting XI and the bench.

Pre-3pm record

Given the transfer funds that are forever funnelled into Man Utd, a team that finished third last season, Leeds should not be overly critiqued for elongating this statistic on Sunday - but the Whites have yet to win a Premier League game that has kicked off before 3pm in 21 attempts.

It is a rather remarkable streak and one that can only next be ended at home to Tottenham Hotspur on November 7 - their next lunchtime start. On another note - and only as things stand - Leeds’ next 3pm kick off is not until November 28, at home to Coventry City.