El Tel works wonders as Kewell ends the long wait

Leeds United 1 Manchester United 0: Ferdinand reunion has unhappy outcome as Venables' tactical switch deepens United's gloom

After the Leeds faithful had delivered a brutish response to Rio Ferdinand's perceived treachery, their players proceeded to inflict a more poetic judgement.

By any definition, Harry Kewell's second-half winner, when he appeared unmarked in a Manchester United rearguard the England defender had been purchased to reinforce, was a timely reward for five years of waiting. It had been back in George Graham's reign that Leeds last bloodied the nose of their trans-Pennine rivals, home or away.

Yet, the fact that Kewell stole in from virtually under the gaze of Ferdinand to execute a thumping header past Fabien Barthez, simultaneously hoisting Leeds to leadership of the Premiership – albeit temporarily – multiplied the pleasure of those who had been casting crude aspersions at their former player. The defender, who switched allegiances this summer in the expectation that it would provide him with a garden of plenty, has discovered, initially, at least that it is still in need of an Alan Titchmarsh. For the moment their forwards are simply not blooming as we traditionally expect from the red-hot pokers of Old Trafford.

Ferdinand's faith in his new employers will not yet be shaken unduly, but after two defeats in three days – and still no victories after three away games – these are disturbing times for Ferguson's team. At least the defender's return here after his £29m summer move was not quite the excruciating experience for him that it had been suggested. Indeed, it was less a cauldron of hate and more a lightly simmering pan of contempt.

Initially there were cries of "One greedy bastard", which was hardly likely to have the England defender reduced to tears of anguish. By the end the crowd had grown bored with inventing something even more horrible to describe their former player who was, anyway, utterly unfazed by such behaviour.

By then, anyway, they were glorying in the prospect of a rare victory, one to which the visitors' response was, according to the Leeds manager, Terry Venables, like "an injured, angry animal". More than once the passions of Ferguson's men were too easily aroused. David Beckham appeared fortunate that the referee, Jeff Winter, took a benign view or did not appreciate the gravity of the England captain's elbow across the head of Lee Bowyer as both challenged for the ball in the first half.

Mysteriously, Beckham did not receive a card of either hue, although Winter saw enough to award a free-kick. Predictably, neither manager witnessed the moment clearly. Ferguson declared "I'm sure David wouldn't do that", while Venables' contribution was: "I remember the incident, but I can't make a judgement on it". Late in the game, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, scarcely the world's greatest hatchet man, swung a late boot at Kewell as the Australian international cleared the ball. Ian Harte reacted and immediately some players began jostling, but fortunately most exhibited restraint. Solskjaer and Harte were cautioned, as was the tigerish England discovery Alan Smith earlier.

Victory meant that Venables had experienced a distinction never enjoyed by his predecessor David O'Leary. It must have irked him greatly to be present here yesterday, working as a pundit for BSkyB, as Venables worked the oracle.

The wily old campaigner did so by redeploying his team at half-time after a first 45 minutes which was punctuated by poor control and mis-hit passes. During that period, Ferguson's men might well have edged into a lead as Ryan Giggs's deliciously deft footwork constantly deceived Leeds' midfielders.

Just before the break, a Beckham free-kick provided Giggs with the opportunity to flick the ball back with his head, only for Jonathan Woodgate, on the line, to thwart him. Woodgate was again authoritative in the heart of the Leeds defence, although Venables may have been overstating the case when he said: "He was magnificent. In the first half he held us together."

Beckham had seen a free-kick chested down by Harte, who was standing next to the post, while Mickaël Silvestre failed to connect effectively with a corner from the United midfielder. When the defence was breached, the England contender Paul Robinson also displayed his prowess, saving well from Nicky Butt's firm drive, having earlier denied the Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.

There were two first-half penalty appeals by United, both rejected by Mr Winter, when Solskjaer looked to have been pulled back by Woodgate, who then also collided with Butt. "I'm told both were clear-cut penalties," said Ferguson. "But we are getting some horrendous decisions against at the moment. It seems to me that they [the officials] are afraid to make them."

Going forward, though, Leeds were distinctly lacklustre. The closest they came was when Ferdinand, ironically enough, headed wide of his own goal. Venables blamed fatigue following Wednesday's excellent 2-0 triumph at Newcastle. He said: "Harry and Mark Viduka were so good against Newcastle, but in the first half they looked tired, and were unable to hold the ball up. So, I laid the team out differently in the second half to take the pressure off them."

He brought on Eirik Bakke in place of the injured Nicky Barmby, deployed Kewell wide on the left, pushed Smith higher up the field and told Bowyer to move out wide. It had the desired effect. Bowyer might have enlivened proceedings earlier in the opening seconds, but was just wide. United were far from spent. Van Nistelrooy, having beaten Bowyer for the ball, eluded Woodgate before forcing another fine save from Robinson.

But when Butt left the field, leaving only Beckham of Ferguson's preferred midfield – Juan Veron was injured – Leeds seized their chance. Midway through the half, Harte, faced by Luke Chadwick, managed to deliver a splendid right-foot cross. Kewell met the ball with precision. "Rio, Rio, what's the score?" the cry went up.

Ferguson introduced Diego Forlan, to no avail, while Stephen McPhail appeared as Venables sought to preserve what Leeds held. They did so with relative comfort. Indeed Kewell could have added to his tally. But that would have been tough on the visitors, and really rubbing poison into the wound for one in particular.