Team News
Ruben Amorim indicated in his pre-match briefing that Manchester United will not be boosted by any returning players for the trip to Elland Road. Supporters hoping for the reappearance of Bruno Fernandes or Kobbie Mainoo will be disappointed, as the pair continue their recovery from hamstring and calf issues respectively. United’s injury list remains lengthy, with Matthijs de Ligt still sidelined by a back problem, Mason Mount nursing a muscle complaint and Harry Maguire unavailable due to a hamstring injury.
Amorim is also without several players because of international commitments, as Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui are all competing at the Africa Cup of Nations. Tactically, United could again be asked to confront a wing-back system, but the head coach may be tempted to revert to the back four that proved effective against Newcastle. Such a switch would allow Patrick Dorgu greater freedom to attack down the right flank, where his recent form has been one of the few bright spots.
Leeds, meanwhile, must cope without Ethan Ampadu, whose fifth yellow card of the campaign at Anfield has earned him a suspension for this fixture. Ao Tanaka is the most natural replacement in midfield, although Daniel Farke could instead reshuffle by retaining Ilia Gruev centrally and pushing Brenden Aaronson into a deeper role, thereby restoring Dominic Calvert-Lewin to the attack.
Injury concerns persist for the hosts too, with Sean Longstaff, Joe Rodon and Daniel James all ruled out. Sebastiaan Bornauw also picked up a knock last time out and will be assessed closer to kick-off.
Form Guide
Manchester United arrive in West Yorkshire still reflecting on a frustrating end to December, when they were held to a 1-1 draw by a Wolves side rooted to the bottom of the table. That result came as a shock, given United had beaten the same opponents convincingly away from home earlier in the month. Joshua Zirkzee’s opener was cancelled out just before half time, and the performance raised fresh questions about consistency under Amorim.
Despite that setback, United remain sixth in the Premier League standings and sit only three points adrift of the Champions League places. Their record against newly promoted sides offers some encouragement, as they are unbeaten in 25 such matches since a defeat to Watford in 2021. However, their away form this season has lacked authority, particularly in defensive terms.
Leeds, by contrast, head into the contest with confidence growing. Their goalless draw at Anfield represented their first Premier League away clean sheet of the campaign and underlined their resilience. Elland Road has once again become a source of momentum, with Leeds scoring 10 goals across their last three home games. Defensive solidity at home has been harder to come by, though, as their last clean sheet in front of their own supporters dates back to August.
Predicted Outcom
We predict Manchester United will get a 1-1 draw. We have seen how vulnerable they can be, but also we have seen Leeds in similar situations. Considering this is a tough away trip, potentially a point for both sides could be on the cards.
