Manchester United's push for a top-four Premier League finish hit a frustrating snag at Old Trafford on Monday, falling 2-1 to bitter rivals Leeds United. A brace from Noah Okafor secured the points for the visitors, with Casemiro's late goal offering only a consolation for the Red Devils.

The defeat was compounded by a controversial second-half red card for Lisandro Martinez, capping off a disjointed performance. Despite a recent training camp in Ireland, Michael Carrick's side looked uncharacteristically rusty and off the pace, particularly in a first half dominated by Leeds.

Club legend and Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane didn't mince words in his post-match analysis, placing significant blame on the midfield pairing of Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte. With Kobbie Mainoo sidelined by injury, the experienced duo failed to control the game.

"Midfield? Non-existent, the two of them," Keane stated bluntly. "Particularly in the first half, no energy, no quality. Leeds were out of the blocks quickly... you start the game that slowly and it’s hard to recover."

Keane emphasized a lack of urgency, contrasting United's performance with Manchester City's energetic display the previous day. "What you’ve got to do in this game... you’ve got to run! They weren’t sprinting, United. And the bit at the end was too little too late. It’s a big setback for them."

This performance will likely intensify discussions around United's midfield options as the summer transfer window approaches, with the need for consistent engine-room dynamism clearer than ever.