Historic rivals Manchester United and Leeds United begin their respective preseason campaigns by going head-to-head in a friendly in Sweden on Saturday afternoon.
The first of five scheduled preseason fixtures for Man Utd, they will follow up their trip to Stockholm by jetting off to the United States to face three more Premier League sides—West Ham United, Bournemouth and Everton. For now, however, Ruben Amorim must focus his side’s attention on their opening test of the summer.
The Red Devils endured a disastrous 2024–25 campaign capped by Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. Improvements must be swift at the beginning of the new season or else Man Utd will drift further into crisis.
By contrast, Leeds enjoyed an immensely successful 2024–25 as they secured the Championship title and their return to the Premier League. Daniel Farke’s side will be put through their paces in preseason given they follow their clash with Man Utd by facing Villarreal and AC Milan in early August, with the Whites hopeful of building some momentum before the new season commences.
Here’s a guide to Saturday’s friendly in Scandinavia.
What Time Does Man Utd vs. Leeds Kick-Off?
- Location: Stockholm, Sweden
- Stadium: Strawberry Arena
- Date: Saturday, July 19
- Kick-off Time: 2 p.m. BST / 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT
Man Utd vs. Leeds Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
- Man Utd: 3 wins
- Leeds: 0 wins
- Draws: 2
- Last meeting: Man Utd 2–0 Leeds (Feb. 12, 2023) - Premier League
Current Form (All Competitions)
How to Watch Man Utd vs. Leeds on TV
Man Utd Team News
André Onana will not be involved in Man Utd’s preseason plans after recently sustaining a hamstring injury in training. He could be sidelined for as long as two months, meaning he’s almost certain to miss the start of the Premier League campaign.
Lisandro Martínez is also absent as he continues to recover from an ACL tear, while Christian Eriksen, Victor Lindelöf and Jonny Evans were all released at the end of June when their contracts expired—although the latter is now working as the club’s head of loans and pathways.
There will be no place in the team for the five Man Utd players who have reportedly requested to leave, with Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia all exiled.
Man Utd supporters are likely to witness two unofficial debuts on Saturday, with £62.5 million ($83.9 million) Brazilian Matheus Cunha exciting fans most. He’s likely to feature significantly against Leeds, while Diego León could also earn some minutes after his move from Cerro Porteño.
There should be opportunities handed out to an array of academy prospects, too. Chido Obi, Harry Amass, Tyler Fredricson, Shea Lacey and Jack Fletcher are among those who could feature.
Man Utd Predicted Lineup vs. Leeds
Man Utd Predicted Lineup vs. Leeds (3-4-2-1): Bayındır; Yoro, Maguire, Heaven; Dalot, Mainoo, Ugarte, Dorgu; Fernandes, Cunha; Højlund.
Leeds Team News
Farke is expected to hand debuts to his four senior recruits as Gabriel Gudmundsson, Jaka Bijol, Sebastiaan Bornauw and Lukas Nmecha all prepare for their first outing since joining the club.
Dan James recently penned a contract extension with Leeds and will be aiming to celebrate with victory against his former club. Sam Byram has also extended his stay with the Whites and should feature against Man Utd.
Leeds have recently signed Jayden Lienou and Louis Enahoro-Marcus from Manchester City and Liverpool respectively for their academy, with both potentially offered minutes during preseason.
Leeds Predicted Lineup vs. Man Utd
Leeds Predicted Lineup vs. Man Utd (4-2-3-1): Meslier; Bogle, Bijol, Struijk, Gudmundsson; Tanaka, Gruev; Gnonto, Aaronson, James; Piroe.
Man Utd vs. Leeds Score Prediction
It’s difficult to predict exactly what we will see from Man Utd and Leeds given their lengthy spell away from the pitch and the integration of new signings and tactical ideas. Preseason is the perfect opportunity to experiment and that often leads to disjointed displays.
Despite their dreadful 2024–25 campaign, Man Utd will still be expected to conquer their rivals in Sweden, boasting far more individual talent than the Whites. However, more important for the club’s supporters is an encouraging performance that offers hope moving forward.
Prediction: Man Utd 2–1 Leeds
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Man Utd vs. Leeds: Friendly Preview, Predictions and Lineups.