Leeds had two competitive contests with Man Utd in their last Premier League campaign in 2022-23 and they are in good form coming into Sunday’s clash with the Red Devils.
The rivals drew 2-2 at Old Trafford in February 2023, when Leeds let slip a 2-0 lead, while four days later the men from Manchester needed two goals in the last 10 minutes to seal a 2-0 victory at Elland Road.
Thursday’s goalless draw at Liverpool extended Leeds’ unbeaten run to six matches, while Man Utd dropped points at home to a Wolves side who had lost their previous 11 league fixtures.
Team news
Leeds will again be missing centre-back Joe Rodon, winger Daniel James and midfielder Sean Longstaff, but in-form striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin should return to the starting line-up after being rested at Anfield.
Man Utd’s Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui are away at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire are sidelined and midfielders Bruno Fernandes, Mason Mount and Kobbie Mainoo are major fitness doubts.
The stats
Leeds are unbeaten in their last six Premier League matches, while both teams have scored in eight of Man Utd’s last nine games.
Striker Calvert-Lewin has scored seven goals in his last seven appearances for the Whites.
Man Utd have won only three of their 10 away matches in all competitions this season.
Both teams scored in the first half of four of the Red Devils’ last five games and they have kept only two clean sheets in 19 league fixtures in 2025-26.
Prediction
Matches between Leeds and Man Utd are always intense and Elland Road should be rocking on Sunday when Daniel Farke’s hosts take on Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils.
Both managers have been under huge pressure at times this season, but Leeds’ decision to keep faith with Farke has been rewarded with a fine run of results.
Their six-match unbeaten sequence includes home wins over Chelsea (3-1) and Crystal Palace (4-1) as well as 3-3 and 0-0 draws with champions Liverpool.
Leeds were playing well even before the start of their unbeaten run as they suffered narrow defeats to in-form Aston Villa and title-chasing Man City in late November.
And they have a great chance of claiming a fifth home win of the season against a Man Utd side who could be missing key man Fernandes due to injury.
His absence, along with those of Africa Cup of Nations stars Mbeumo and Amad, leaves the Red Devils significantly weaker in attack.
They ground out a scrappy 1-0 home win over Newcastle on Boxing Day but failed to beat Wolves, who had taken two points from their first 18 games, last time out.
Leeds have been consistently competitive at home on their return to the top-flight and their depleted visitors may struggle to cope with the Elland Road atmosphere.
Man Utd have conceded an average of 1.78 goals per game away from home and were exposed defensively in last month’s dramatic 4-4 draw with Bournemouth at Old Trafford.
Source: Livescore