Manchester United is set to face Leeds in their next pre-season friendly match, which will be their last friendly in Ireland on Wednesday at Croke Park.
Manchester United vs Leeds – Match preview and team news
- Date: Wednesday, 12th August.
- Kick-off: 7:30pm BST.
- Venue: Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland.
Manchester United team news
Manchester United’s squad receives a substantial boost as forward Marcus Rashford returns to Michael Carrick’s side in Ireland following an extended post-World Cup break, positioning him for his first appearance since December 2024.
World Cup finalists Lisandro Martínez and Kobbie Mainoo have also reintegrated into full training, while new midfield signing Youri Tielemans is heavily pushing for his first start.
However, the squad faces notable absences, as midfielder Mason Mount is highly unlikely to be risked after suffering a minor foot injury just 20 minutes into the recent friendly against Paris Saint-Germain.
Additionally, long-term absentees Manuel Ugarte and Matthijs de Ligt remain completely sidelined.
In goal, regular starter Senne Lammens returns from illness, which is crucial as Tom Heaton is a major doubt after sustaining a hamstring injury against PSG, potentially clearing the path for new signing Karl Darlow to feature as a substitute later on in the game.
Leeds team news
Leeds United faces several injury setbacks ahead of the clash as manager Daniel Farke navigates key absences in both defense and midfield.
Left wing-back Gabriel Gudmundsson is ruled out for roughly three weeks after sustaining a hamstring issue against Liverpool, while midfielder Ilia Gruev remains entirely unavailable as he continues his recovery from a long-term knee injury.
Further selection doubts persist as goalkeeper Lucas Perri and forward Noah Okafor face late fitness tests due to minor knocks.
On a positive note, record goalkeeper signing James Trafford has joined up with the squad in Ireland and is in line to make his debut. In attack, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is fully fit and expected to spearhead the frontline.
He will likely be flanked by former Manchester United winger Daniel James, who brings valuable experience and pace to the Leeds offence.
Form
Manchester United
Manchester United enter this fixture in solid pre-season form under Michael Carrick, building momentum for the upcoming Premier League campaign. After an initial 1-0 stumble against Wrexham, the Red Devils rebounded with consecutive victories, defeating Rosenborg 5-0 and Atletico Madrid 2-1. Their perfect winning streak was recently halted by a competitive 1-1 draw against Paris Saint-Germain, demonstrating strong resilience against top-tier European opposition as they finalize their tactical preparations.
Leeds
Leeds United enjoy excellent momentum after recovering well from a 3-2 opening pre-season defeat to Wrexham. Daniel Farke’s squad put together three consecutive victories against elite opponents, edgeing out Sunderland 1-0 before dispatching Liverpool 4-2 in Chicago and dominating RB Leipzig 2-0.
Predicted lineups
Leeds: Trafford; Muharemovic, Rodon, Bornauw; Bogle, Ampadu, Tanaka, Justin; James, Calvert-Lewin, Wilson
Manchester United: Lammens; Dalot, Yoro, Maguire, Shaw; Tielemans, Santos; Amad, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo
How to watch Manchester United vs Leeds?
The Manchester United vs. Leeds United pre-season friendly can be watched completely free-to-air on TV on ITV1 and STV in the UK.
Follow the Football Faithful on Social Media:
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube