Inconsistent United face in-form Leeds at hostile Elland Road

Leeds United hosts Manchester United at Elland Road in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

Leeds battled to a goalless draw at Liverpool last time out on New Year’s Day.

United were held to a 1-1 draw with relegation-threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers, who collected just their third point of the season at Old Trafford.

Match preview

Leeds United have won just one of their last 19 Premier League games against Manchester United (D6 L12) and are winless in nine since a 1-0 home win in September 2002.

Manchester United have won their last two away league games against Leeds; they’ve never won three consecutive visits to Elland Road before.

The Red Devils are unbeaten in their last 25 Premier League games against promoted sides (W22 D3) since a 4-1 loss at Watford in November 2021.

United have never beaten Leeds when facing them in their first league game of a calendar year, drawing 0-0 in 1931, 1-1 in 1958, 0-0 in 1994, and losing 2-1 in 1969.

The Whites have only failed to score in one of their last 17 Premier League home games, a 0-0 draw with Newcastle in August. They’ve scored at least three goals in each of their last three at Elland Road, last having a longer run in the top flight between October and December 1993 (5).

Ruben Amorim’s side have drawn six games in the Premier League this season, with the Red Devils opening the scoring in every one. Their 12 points dropped from winning positions this term is already more than they dropped in the whole of last season (11).

Manchester United have conceded more equalisers than any other side in the Premier League this season, with teams levelling up against them on 12 occasions so far this term.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has scored in each of his last three Premier League home games; he’s never scored in four consecutively before.

Joshua Zirkzee has scored two goals in his last three Premier League starts, as many as he had in his first 15 league starts for Manchester United.

Team news

Leeds United

Ethan Ampadu picked up his fifth yellow card of the season against Liverpool and is suspended for this fixture.

Sean Longstaff, Joe Rodon and Daniel James are unavailable with injuries.

Manchester United

Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, Mason Mount and Harry Maguire are sidelined with injuries.

Amad Diallo, Bryan Mbeumo and Noussair Mazraoui are away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Predicted line-ups

Leeds United: Lucas Perri, Sebastiaan Bornauw, Jaka Bijol, Pascal Struijk, Jayden Bogle, Brenden Aaronson, Ao Tanaka, Anton Stach, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Noah Okafor.

Manchester United: Senne Lammens, Ayden Heaven, Lisandro Martínez, Luke Shaw, Diogo Dalot, Manuel Ugarte, Casemiro, Patrick Dorgu, Joshua Zirkzee, Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko.