Preview: Leeds United vs Manchester United - prediction, team news, lineups

Not long after a disastrous result against one relegation-threatened side, Manchester United hit the road to face long-time adversaries Leeds United in Sunday's Premier League scrap at Elland Road.

Wolverhampton Wanderers collected just their third point of the season at Old Trafford in midweek, while the Whites prolonged their eye-catching unbeaten sequence at Anfield.

Match preview

A false sense of security may very well have crept in for Man Utd and the Old Trafford faithful on December 30, when the Red Devils reunited with a seemingly doomed Wolves side whom they had eased past 4-1 on the Old Gold's turf just a few weeks prior.

However, Ruben Amorim's tepid men returned to the worst version of themselves in a demoralising 1-1 draw with the Premier League's basement side, who cancelled out Joshua Zirkzee's opener through Ladislav Krejci on the stroke of half time.

Fans and ex-pros alike blasted Amorim's decision to revert to his favoured 3-4-3 shape after a four-man defence worked wonders against Newcastle United; the Portuguese explained that he attempted to match the Old Gold's own system, to little avail.

Nevertheless, the sixth-placed Red Devils are still just three points off the Champions League spots in the Premier League table, and they head to Elland Road with a 25-game unbeaten run against newly-promoted teams since the infamous Watford result in 2021.

Man Utd are also on a pleasing seven-game scoring run in Premier League away games, but they have worryingly conceded in 14 straight top-flight contests on the road, and their 12 points dropped from winning positions this term is already more than the whole of last season.

However, only one of Leeds and Man United is without a Premier League away clean sheet in the 2025-26 campaign, as the Whites shut up shop on the road for the first time this season to unexpectedly keep Liverpool at bay on Thursday.

Leeds benefitted from a bizarre Hugo Ekitike miss and a potential penalty on the Frenchman being waved away, but Daniel Farke's revitalised and resilient side more than deserved their share of the Anfield spoils.

By matching West Ham United's result, Leeds maintained their seven-point advantage over the Premier League relegation zone courtesy of their sixth straight game without defeat in the top flight, collecting 10 points from the last 18 on offer.

A goalscoring surge at Elland Road has played its part in Leeds' upturn, as the home side have struck a terrific 10 times in their last three matches in front of their own fans, although their last home clean sheet came all the way back in August.

The Whites also have to travel back to 2002 for their most recent top-flight success over Man United, who have won their last two at Elland Road and could triumph in three league games in a row at the venue for the first time in their history.

Leeds United Premier League form:

Manchester United Premier League form:

Team News

Amorim admitted in his pre-match press conference that he is not expecting any infirm players back for the meeting with the Whites, so fans hoping to see either Bruno Fernandes (hamstring) or Kobbie Mainoo (calf) back in action will be left disappointed.

Matthijs de Ligt (back), Mason Mount (muscle) and Harry Maguire (hamstring) are also still on the treatment table, while Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui are on duty at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Even though the visitors should face another wing-back system on Sunday, Amorim will surely consider reinstating the four-man defence from the Newcastle fixture, thus offering Patrick Dorgu licence to attack on the right-hand side.

Meanwhile, the one downside to Leeds' battling display at Anfield was Ethan Ampadu picking up his fifth yellow card of the season, one that rules him out of the visit of Man United.

Ao Tanaka is a like-for-like option in the middle, unless Farke decides to persist with Ilia Gruev, drop Brenden Aaronson into a deeper slot and return Dominic Calvert-Lewin to his rightful attacking role.

The ex-Everton man was only a substitute at Anfield as Farke sought to protect him - a decision that played its part in his six-game scoring streak coming to an end - but he will surely return to the XI on Sunday.

In terms of injuries, Sean Longstaff (calf), Joe Rodon (ankle) and Daniel James (thigh) are missing, while Sebastiaan Bornauw sustained a knock against Liverpool and may be a doubt.

Leeds United possible starting lineup:

Perri; Bogle, Bijol, Struijk; Justin, Stach, Aaronson, Tanaka, Gudmundsson; Calvert-Lewin, Okafor

Manchester United possible starting lineup:

Lammens; Dalot, Heaven, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Ugarte; Dorgu, Zirkzee, Cunha; Sesko

We say: Leeds United 2-1 Manchester United

All the signs point towards both Leeds and Man United finding the back of the net on Sunday, when we can envisage a New Year's surprise party taking place at Elland Road.

The Whites have comfortably slain Chelsea and Crystal Palace on home turf either side of holding Liverpool, and now tackling a Red Devils side low on both numbers and confidence, Farke's men undoubtedly have what it takes to inflict more misery on Amorim.

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