Cristiano Ronaldo sent a pointed "We stand United!" message after helping Ralf Rangnick's Red Devils score a dramatic 4-2 win over old foes Leeds.

The Elland Road victory for Manchester United came at the end of a week when the unity within Rangnick's dressing room has been called into question.

Suggestions of leaks from players to the press have seen criticism aimed at United stars, while it was even claimed Ronaldo and Harry Maguire are in a power struggle over the captaincy.

Interim head coach Rangnick shot down reports he was considering a mid-season change of skipper, saying defender Maguire would keep the job for the rest of the season. The German is in no position to make a longer-term pledge, given he is due to make way for a permanent boss once the campaign ends.

Maguire has also scoffed at the suggestion of such bickering in the squad. It was defender Maguire who headed United ahead in Sunday's Premier League clash in Leeds, while he also won all five of his duels.

Ronaldo was substituted with five minutes remaining, and there was no discontent from the Portuguese at that decision, when in the past he has at times taken issue with being replaced.

The victory strengthens United's hold on fourth place, and Ronaldo later declared: "Very important Premier League win before we change our focus to the Champions League and head to Madrid. Back on track! We stand United!"

The 37-year-old forward sent that message to his social media followers, who number 404 million on Instagram and 97.5 million on Twitter.

Ronaldo was not the only United player to celebrate with fans, as goalkeeper David de Gea told the United faithful in an Instagram post: "I guess you enjoyed as much as I did."

Winger Jadon Sancho also reacted, declaring: "A game we had to win. We delivered together as a team. Have a nice evening Reds."

Midfield general Paul Pogba savoured the occasion, and United's attitude to being pegged back from 2-0 to 2-2, writing: "It's not over until it's over. Great team spirit today, massive three points."

Ralf Rangnick described Manchester United's thrilling win over Leeds United as the "best reply" to reports of dressing disunity.

The Red Devils ran out 4-2 victors over their trans-Pennine rivals in a Premier League classic at Elland Road.

First-half goals from Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes had the visitors coasting, but a quickfire double from Rodrigo and Raphinha had Leeds level by the 54th minute.

However, substitutes Fred and Anthony Elanga were both on target to make it back-to-back Premier League wins for Rangnick's men.

The triumph comes at the end of a week in which captain Maguire and Marcus Rashford have both publicly denied articles claiming there is disharmony among Rangnick's squad.

Speaking at a news conference, interim boss Rangnick said: "We knew it was an important win today, similar to the one against West Ham, similar emotion at the end with a last-second goal.

"Today it was more important, not only that we won, but the way we reacted after conceding the equaliser, that was the best possible answer the team could give.

"It was perfect in regard to maturity and unity and the best reply they could give to some articles last week that there was disruption in the locker room.

"A game like this one today, you can only win as a team and the mentality of a team. Apart from the three points, this was the most important thing for me."

There is certainly no love lost between the two teams, but the hostile atmosphere at times boiled over with objects thrown in the direction of Manchester United players from sections of the home crowd.

Commenting on the unsavoury images, Rangnick added to MUTV: "As far as I know, there is some investigation going on from Leeds United.

"I don't think that anything happened in the end. Anthony Elanga looked well and he was happy about scoring his goal.

"Obviously things like that should not happen and I think even more so this game. The atmosphere was great.

"At times we had to cool down things on the pitch a little bit, but this is what I did when I walked onto the pitch [during a late fracas between the players]. I didn't want anything to happen – no yellow or red cards.

"In moments like this, I think it's important to try and cool things down."

Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa said such things should not happen, though added he did not see what occurred.

"Any excess other than sporting should not be approved. I can't evaluate what you spoke about because I didn't see it," Bielsa said.

Belinda Bencic made a painfully sharp exit from the Qatar Open as she was beaten 6-4 3-6 6-3 by rising star Clara Tauson.

The Olympic champion was the highest-profile casualty on day one, losing to a player making her main-draw debut in a WTA 1000 event.

Only the second Danish player to appear in Doha, after former world number one Caroline Wozniacki, the 19-year-old Tauson came from 4-2 down to take the opening set, before Bencic levelled up.

But Tauson was not to be denied. The world number 33 gained a crucial break in game four of the decider, before winning 12 of the last 13 points on her serve to set up a second-round clash with third seed Paula Badosa.

"It was a very tough match," said Tauson, who hit seven aces. "I know Belinda is playing very well, so I had to play my best today, and I did sometimes. 

"I have my confidence, but every match is really tough at this level, so I'm doing my best."

Two-time champion Victoria Azarenka survived a scare to scrape past Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva 5-7 6-2 7-5.

The 12th seed, who is aiming to become the first player to lift this trophy three times, recovered from two breaks down in the decide before rescuing match point at 5-4 down and eventually scrambling over the line.

Amanda Anisimova, who defeated Bencic and Naomi Osaka at the Australian Open, built on her early-season momentum by seeing off Beatriz Haddad Maia 7-5 6-4.

Ninth seed Jessie Pegula – a quarter-finalist in the season's opening grand slam – beat doubles world number one Katerina Siniakova in straight sets, while former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin lost in three sets to fellow American Ann Li.

Xavi and Sergio Busquets hailed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after the former Arsenal man netted a hat-trick in Barcelona's 4-1 hammering of Valencia.

The Gabon striker netted either side of Frenkie De Jong's tap-in to give Barca a 3-0 half-time lead, before completing his treble in bizarre circumstances on the hour-mark, after Carlos Soler had pulled one back for Valencia.

Barcelona's fourth goal of Sunday's LaLiga contest was originally credited to Pedri, but has since been awarded to the 32-year-old, who got the slightest of touches on the youngster's long-range effort.

It was the first time Aubameyang, who was making his first LaLiga start, has scored multiple goals in a league game since he helped himself to a hat-trick for Arsenal against Leeds United 12 months ago, and Xavi was thrilled with the forward's contribution.

"He has scored goals his entire career," he said. 

"It was to be expected that he would score here soon too. He goes very well to [find] space, he is mature, he is very intelligent.

"I am delighted with him. These goals will be very good for him."

Aubameyang's opening goal made him just the fourth player to score in the Spanish, English, German, and French top flights this century, after Stevan Jovetic, Michy Batshuayi, and James Rodriguez, while the striker also became the first Gabonese player to net in LaLiga.

Barca captain Busquets was equally effusive in his praise for his new team-mate.

"He is working very well, he arrived with a lack of minutes, but he is getting them [now]. He is a great player and it is a luxury to have him in the squad, [especially] after arriving for free," Busquets said.

"Without Aubameyang's help, perhaps the goalkeeper would have been able to stop it [Barcelona's fourth goal]."

Although Pedri saw the final goal of the match taken away from him, the quality of his initial strike did not go unnoticed by Xavi, who said the midfielder is amongst the most talented players in world football.

"He is superlative," the Barca boss said. "At that level of talent, there is no other [player] in the world like Pedri, and he is only 19 years old.

"We ask him to shoot [more often]. We demand it, he has a good shot. He is very young and shy, but not everyone has the skills he has."

Barcelona moved into LaLiga's top four with the win, scoring four or more goals in a single away league game against Valencia for the first time since December 1993.

Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus became the club's first player in over five years to register five direct goal involvements in a single Bundesliga game, as he starred in Sunday's drubbing of Borussia Monchengladbach.

With leaders Bayern Munich having beat Greuther Furth 4-1 earlier on, Dortmund responded with a 6-0 thrashing of coach Marco Rose's former team at Signal Iduna Park.

It ensured BVB kept within six points of the champions, while also saw them get back on track after Thursday's humbling Europa League defeat to Rangers.

Reus, who had just one shot and failed to create a chance against Rangers, was the star of the show, scoring twice and assisting three other goals against his former team.

The Germany forward, who scored 36 Bundesliga goals for Gladbach before joining Dortmund in 2012, opened the scoring from close range in the 26th minute, before playing in Donyell Malen for BVB's second.

Reus laid it off for Marius Wolf to score two minutes after coming on midway through the second half, before then crossing in for teenager Youssoufa Moukoko to tap home.

The 32-year-old's second goal arrived in the 81st minute, as he finished coolly after latching onto Mats Hummels throughball. Reus could have had a hat-trick when Dortmund were awarded a stoppage-time penalty, but it was Emre Can who stepped up to convert it.

Reus' display marked the first time a Dortmund player has been involved in five goals in a league match since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang did so against Hertha Berlin in November 2016.

It was the 100th Bundesliga meeting between the two sides, with Gladbach having gone into the match on the back of two wins over Dortmund from their last two encounters.

Corentin Tolisso suffered a muscle strain in Bayern Munich's 4-1 win over Greuther Furth.

Bayern came from behind to see off the Bundesliga's bottom side with four second-half goals, including two from Robert Lewandowski.

Tolisso was withdrawn from the action in the 25th minute, having gone down in pain grabbing his left thigh after a challenge from Paul Seguin.

"Coco has strained a muscle. We were initially worried that it was something more, but luckily it's 'just' a muscle strain," Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann said afterwards.

Nagelsmann said to DAZN: "How can we replace Coco? With Marcel Sabitzer, with Marc Roca, with Jamal Musiala and hopefully soon with Leon Goretzka again."

Centre-back Lucas Hernandez lasted just 53 minutes of Sunday's game at the Allianz Arena.

However, his issue was not as serious, with Naglesmann adding: "It's not bad with Luci, he has cramp."

Injuries have limited Tolisso to just 12 Bundesliga games this season, scoring two goals.

When the midfielder has played, he has done an excellent job of getting Bayern into attacking positions.

Indeed, only Mainz's Kevin Stoger (26.02) and Bayern team-mate Joshua Kimmich (20.42) have played more successful passes ending in the final third per 90 minutes than Tolisso (18.33) among players to have featured in at least 10 games.

Sabitzer (16.43) is fifth on that list while Musiala (15.99) is seventh, making them both excellent candidates to replicate the impact of Tolisso in that regard.

Tolisso's season-high for successful passes into the final third came when he played 32 against Arminia Bielefeld in November. He played 21 and scored the opening goal in last month's 4-1 win at Hertha Berlin and registered 13 in this month's 3-2 win over RB Leipzig, suggesting he was hitting his stride.

Bayern visit Eintracht Frankfurt in their next Bundesliga match on Saturday.

Inter missed the opportunity to move top of Serie A as they fell to a 2-0 defeat to Sassuolo on Sunday.

Giacomo Raspadori struck after eight minutes at San Siro, with Gianluca Scamacca adding a second in the first half.

Simone Inzaghi's side dominated possession throughout but were unable to breach Alessio Dionisi's defence, leaving the Nerazzurri with just one win from their last five games across all competitions.
 
Leaders Milan were held by Salernitana on Saturday, but Inter – who have played a game fewer – failed to grasp the opportunity to move a point clear at the summit.

Hamed Traore skewed the first presentable chance of the contest off target before Raspadori squirmed a finish from inside the area under Samir Handanovic to open the scoring in the eighth minute.

Hakan Calhanoglu responded by firing just wide from range, but Sassuolo doubled their lead shortly after when Scamacca headed Traore's cross home with the help of the post. 

Smart Andrea Consigli stops from Milan Skriniar and Roberto Gagliardini maintained the visitors' advantage, while Domenico Berardi curled onto the crossbar in a frantic first half.

Inzaghi made two changes at the break, with substitute Edin Dzeko almost having an immediate impact.

Dzeko was thwarted from close range by a fine double stop by Consigli, before Lautaro Martinez inexplicably poked wide of an open goal.

Skriniar was then required to clear Raspadori's chip off the line and Berardi angled just wide of the far post with another sumptuous curling strike.

Inter (17) have gained the most points from trailing situations in the Italian top flight this season, and Stefan de Vrij thought he had sparked another late comeback only for his header to be ruled out by VAR for a Federico Dimarco handball.

What does it mean? Inter slip up in pursuit of Scudetto

After seeing Milan held, Inzaghi's side knew a win would take them top – a point clear of Stefano Pioli's team and four clear of third-placed Napoli.

However, after the Nerazzurri's six-game unbeaten league run against Sassuolo ended, Inter remain two behind Milan and just one clear of Luciano Spalletti's men as the race for the Scudetto continues to twist and turn.

Dionisi's side had won just one of their last eight league games, but victory on the road saw them climb above Empoli and into 11th.

Brilliant Berardi

Berardi may feel unfortunate he did not get on the scoresheet in the opening 45 minutes after sending a glorious left-footed strike against the crossbar from just outside the area.

However, the Sassuolo captain did assist Raspadori's opener, which made him the first player across Europe's top-five leagues to register double figures for both goals and assists this season.

Missing Martinez

Martinez has scored four goals against Sassuolo in the competition – only registering more against Cagliari – but the striker struggled here as he fired another blank.

The Argentina international missed a glorious second-half chance and has now not found the net in seven league appearances, his joint-longest run in Serie A (also seven matches in August 2019). 

What's next?

Inter visit Genoa on Friday, while Sassuolo host Fiorentina the next day.

Ralf Rangnick praised the way in which Manchester United reacted to adversity in their thrilling win over Leeds United.

United had looked set for a comfortable win over their old rivals on Sunday when Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes gave them a 2-0 lead, but a rapid double from Leeds duo Rodrigo and Raphinha restored parity.

But substitutes Fred and Anthony Elanga struck to ensure United opened up a four-point lead over fifth-placed West Ham in the Premier League. The Red Devils have scored 10 top-flight goals through substitutes this season, more than any other side.

And the character and maturity shown by United was of great satisfaction to Rangnick, who told reporters: "After the first 15 minutes, we had good control of the game and could have been three or four [goals] up.

"[But] within two minutes it was a completely different situation and atmosphere in the stadium. The five minutes after that were intense, very difficult for us, after that, the team showed maturity. 

"I don't know if this would have happened two or three months ago, but it happened today.

"It was not easy, even more so since we had [other] experiences like that, where we were 1-0 up or 2-1 up against Aston Villa and only got one point [in a 2-2 draw last month]. 

"It was important as an experience for the team, not only for the three points."

The 59 seconds between Rodrigo and Raphinha's goals marked the fastest that a team has scored twice in the same league game against United since West Brom in May 2013 (52 seconds), in what was Alex Ferguson's final game in charge.

But like his manager, captain Maguire was delighted with United's reaction.

"I think that [the reaction to Leeds' equaliser] was the most pleasing aspect," Maguire told Sky Sports.

"We had to stick together. We knew it's a tough place to come but we knew we had qualities and that we could hurt them."

Maguire's opener was the Old Trafford club's first goal from a corner since a 3-1 win over Burnley in April 2021, and represented the England defender's first goal of the Premier League season.

United also became the first team in Premier League history to reach 700 wins in the competition.

Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa acknowledged "it is impossible not to be worried" by the prospect of relegation after his side went down 4-2 to Manchester United.

Headers from Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes had United ahead on Sunday, before Rodrigo and Raphinha struck in the space of two minutes to level things up in the second half.

But substitutes Fred and Anthony Elanga secured victory for Ralf Rangnick's team to leave Leeds winless from their last four Premier League outings, and they sit just five points above the relegation zone.

Everton and the resurgent Newcastle United are the two teams immediately below the 15th-placed Leeds, propping the gap between Bielsa's side and the last relegation spot occupied by Watford.

Burnley, who are in 19th, are six points behind the Whites but also boast two games in hand as they look to make a late survival push following a 3-0 win at Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.

With key players Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford still injured, and Liverpool and Tottenham as Leeds' next opponents, Bielsa recognises the difficult task at hand.

"It is impossible not to be worried," Bielsa told Sky Sports. "We have conceded 50 goals. Do you think I cannot be worried? How can I not feel responsible?

"We have to defend better. We are missing Kalvin Phillips and Robin Koch was substituted and we could not count on Pascal [Struijk] in midfield because he went back into defence. 

"Not being able to come with the three defensive midfielders we have, there is a weakness in the recovery of the ball.

"In the first half we started well and ended well but didn't manage to score. In the moments we lost dominance they scored.

"After we got back level we had the chance to go 3-2 up and straight away they went up and scored again. 

"We played better trying to get back into the game than when we were trying to keep a result but something has repeated that is difficult to resolve."

It was the fourth time Leeds have conceded at least four goals in a Premier League game this season – no side has done so more often so far this term.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted his first goals for Barcelona as Xavi's team moved back into LaLiga's top four with a 4-1 thrashing of Valencia.

Aubameyang's double and one from Frenkie de Jong gave the visitors a commanding half-time lead at the Mestalla, with the hosts having two goals ruled out before the break.

Carlos Soler pulled one back for Valencia, before Pedri's superb strike added some gloss to the scoreline on the hour mark.

The victory moved the rejuvenated Catalan giants above Atletico Madrid into fourth place as they chase Champions League qualification.

After a scrappy start to the contest, Aubameyang netted his first goal for the Blaugrana on 22 minutes, racing onto Jordi Alba's pass before hammering home at Giorgi Mamardashvili's near post.

Neymar has criticised the connection between the Brazil national team and their fans as he questioned whether the Selecao are as important now.

Brazil became the first South American team to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, with Neymar set to take part in Qatar in November.

However, the Paris Saint-Germain forward, who missed a penalty in a 3-1 defeat to Nantes in Ligue 1 on Saturday, believes the Selecao's games are not talked about enough and there is no hype around their outings.

"Today the national team has distanced itself from the fans, I don't know why, but I see it through the games," Neymar told Ronaldo Nazario on the Fenomenos podcast.

"There is little comment, few people know when we are going to play. And that's bad, it's sad. In this generation of mine, when the national team plays, it's no longer important.

"When I was a child, the national team match was an event. You put the Brazilian flag in the window. There was a barbecue, there was cake and there was everything at home. It was quite an event. 

"Today it no longer has that importance, I don't know how we got to this stage. I hope that everything will come back, that the fans will once again support the Brazilian team. 

"That we'll be together to go in search of the World Cup, which is what everyone wants."

Neymar has endured a tumultuous relationship with Brazil, revealing last year that he was unsure whether he could manage another World Cup with the national side due to the mental stress it imposes on him.

Brazil remain unbeaten in their 15 CONMEBOL qualifiers for the World Cup, in which they next face Chile on March 24.

Bayern Munich avoided another slip-up in their pursuit of the Bundesliga title, coming from behind to beat the league's bottom side Greuther Furth 4-1 thanks to a Robert Lewandowski brace.

Julian Nagelsmann's men went into what most expected to be a routine game enduring a blip in form, having lost their last league fixture at Bochum and been held to a 1-1 draw by Salzburg in the Champions League.

It appeared as if their poor run might be extended when Branimir Hrgota gave Greuther a surprise first-half lead.

However, Lewandowski quickly repaired the damage after the interval and an own goal from Sebastian Griesbeck followed by a late header from the Poland striker and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting's injury-time effort gave Bayern an ultimately emphatic win.

Greuther were the more threatening side in the first half and got their reward when captain Hrgota's free-kick took a significant deflection and found the top-left corner.

But Bayern needed just 30 seconds of the second half to level matters, Lewandowski turning in from Serge Gnabry's pull back from the right byline was flicked into his path by Choupo-Moting.

The visitors looked increasingly fragile at the back and the turnaround was completed as Thomas Muller's excellent right-wing cross was deflected onto the unfortunate Griesbeck, who could not avoid turning into his own net.

Bayern were not without their own problems at the back, though, Max Christiansen and Marco Meyerhofer each hitting the post for Greuther, but the points were secured when Lewandowski converted from Niklas Sule's header back across goal and Choupo-Moting had the final say after being teed up by Gnabry.

Manchester United became the first team to win 700 Premier League games following their thrilling 4-2 victory over Leeds United.

The Red Devils had to work hard for their milestone triumph at Elland Road on Sunday. Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes put them 2-0 ahead by the interval in torrid conditions in Yorkshire, but Rodrigo and Raphinha restored parity with quickfire goals early in the second half.

However, Fred scored immediately after coming on from the bench before fellow substitute Anthony Elanga netted a fourth late on.

Overall, the Old Trafford club are 90 wins ahead of Chelsea, who have won the second-most matches (610), with Arsenal close behind in third on 609.

Manchester United great Ryan Giggs has won the most games in the competition for the club, claiming 407 victories from 632 appearances. Paul Scholes is the second on that list, with 321 wins.

They have won 28 games in five different Premier League seasons – their highest return in a single campaign, including doing so in consecutive seasons (2011-12 and 2012-13, which was the campaign in which they last won the title).

United have defeated each of Aston Villa, Tottenham and Everton on 37 occasions, as well as having beaten every single side they have faced in the competition.

Of their 700 wins, 399 have come at Old Trafford, while the away venues where they have landed the most victories are Villa Park (17) and Goodison Park (17).

The only venue at which United have played multiple games in the competition and never won is Huddersfield Town's John Smith's Stadium.