Key events
34 min: Dorgu is a few hours late with a sliding challenge on Calvert-Lewin. It’s an easy decision for Jarred Gillett: yellow card.
33 min: Bijol cuts out a long ball, one that threatened to leave him in trouble against Sesko.
32 min: Aaronson bursts through the middle for Leeds but drags his shot from the D wide; he was surrounded by red shirts.
31 min: Dalot is everywhere; this time he swings his left foot for a shot inside the area, but the hoof is wild and the ball flies way high.
30 min: Dalot finds space on the right and plays to Dorgu; the former ventures into the area and receives, his cross blocked out for a corner.
29 min: Neither keeper has been tested yet, both defences proving difficult to break down.
28 min: Yoro holds his own against Okafor, who tries to cut in once again but can’t keep control of the ball.
26 min: Yoro v Okafor is an interesting battle out on Leeds’ left, where most of their attacks are coming from.
24 min: The visitors have matched Leeds’ physicality so far … Heaven tackles Justin inside the area. It was a touch wild from the United defender but he got the ball clean.
22 min: Manchester United have a corner with Cunha, the type of player for this sort of game, to deliver. In comes the inswinger but a foul on Lucas Perri ends the venture forward.
20 min: Shaw pulls off an excellent defensive header at the far post, inside the six-yard box, after a dangerous ball in from Gudmundsson.
19 min: Manchester United finally string together a few passes … but Casemiro can’t nail his dinked ball over to Shaw on the left.
18 min: No one appears capable of holding on to the ball.
17 min: Alas, TNT have lost sound as Ayden Heaven, right up on DCL, takes down the former Everton forward inside the Leeds half.
15 min: Luke Shaw nutmegs Aaronson but goes down … he doesn’t get a free-kick for his efforts.
14 min: Okafor pulls off a fancy flick on the edge of the area but Leeds’ advance breaks down due to the offside flag.
13 min: The offside flag goes up against Dorgu as he chases a long ball from Martínez.
11 min: It’s an old-fashioned game this, long balls, plenty of hassle and adrenaline. Not a lot of chilled-out passing at the back.
9 min: Leeds move it quickly down the left before Okafor cuts in, finds Aaaronson, who plays to Calvert-Lewin inside the area – he pokes at the ball but blasts over.
7 min: Time for another Dalot throw … he goes back to Martínez who retreats to Lammens. The long ball goes to Casemiro, who heads to Cunha … a fierce volley from outside the area finds the net! But the flag was up for offside. What a hit, though.
6 min: The main act at present is Gudmundsson launching throws from the Leeds left. Dalot launches a long one himself from the right for the visitors, with Ugarte heading over the bar.
4 min: It’s a scrappy opening as Leeds press with proper intent, Calvert-Lewin leading it.
2 min: Leeds power down the left, win an early throw that goes long, but Manchester United stay resolute. Dorgu appears to be his side’s right-sided No 10.
Peeeeeeep!
Manchester United kick things off, and overload down the right as Lammens goes long. Here’s to a thriller.
Here we go. The players are out of the tunnel and Elland Road is rocking in the sunshine.
Some pre-match reading: Louise Taylor on the resurgence of DCL.
The last time Leeds beat Manchester United? Sixteen years and one day ago. Not in the Premier League but in the FA Cup, when Jermaine Beckford’s goal at Old Trafford delivered a massive upset. What a lovely finish:
Here’s how we’re looking:
Patrick Dorgu as one of Amorim’s No 10s? Funky if so. Joshua Zirkzee’s reward for a goal against Wolves is a place on a very inexperienced bench. Leeds, on the other hand, welcome Calvert-Lewin back to the starting XI. Noah Okafor starts, too.
The teams
Leeds: Lucas Perri, Bornauw, Bijol, Struijk, Justin, Aaronson, Gruev, Stach, Gudmundsson, Calvert-Lewin, Okafor
Subs: Darlow, Longstaff, Piroe, Nmecha, Harrison, Tanaka, Byram, Gnonto, Chambers
Manchester United: Lammens, Yoro, Heaven, Martínez, Dalot, Casemiro, Ugarte, Shaw, Dorgu, Cunha, Sesko
Subs: Bayindir, Zirkzee, Malacia, Fredricson, Jack Fletcher, Tyler Fletcher, Lacey, Mantato, Kukonki.
Preamble
The last time this pedigree fixture took place, in February 2023, Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho were Manchester United’s goalscorers in a 2-0 victory. Erik ten Hag was enjoying his debut campaign in England while Leeds had just parted ways with Jesse Marsch and were on their way to relegation. It feels long, long ago.
Today, it’s the hosts who have form. Daniel Farke’s side went unbeaten in the league through December, and they’ve put on some serious entertainment at Elland Road: clashes with Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Liverpool resulted in 15 goals, with Leeds picking up seven points along the way. Dominic Calvert-Lewin has rediscovered the form that made him an England international.
Manchester United? Well, there’s always a crisis of sorts lurking close by. Ruben Amorim went under interrogation on Friday, the injury list is long, and they could only muster a point at home against Wolves last time out. And yet victory today would take them to fourth place. It’s been a funny old season. Kick-off’s at 12.30pm GMT.
