Leeds United and Manchester United continue their preparations for the new Premier League season as old foes renew their rivalry at Croke Park in Dublin.
This will be another chapter in a storied history between the pair as they collide at the home of Irish sport just 10 days before the start of their league campaigns. Michael Carrick’s side impressed in a 1-1 draw against Paris Saint-Germain at the weekend as Youri Tielemans made his bow for the club, though injury worries over Mason Mount may underline the need for more midfield reinforcements.
Leeds have had a relatively eye-catching summer with James Trafford, Tarik Muharemovic and Harry Wilson all high-profile additions. Wins over Liverpool and RB Leipzig have shown encouraging signs and Daniel Farke will be keen to keep the momentum rolling ahead of their Premier League opener against Nottingham Forest next Saturday.
Follow all of the latest from the pre-season friendly in Dublin with our live blog below:
Senne Lammens made Man United’s No 1
It’s not just Marcus Rashford getting a new shirt number at Man United…
Senne Lammens is back between the sticks for United tonight.
The dark side of Manchester United’s season-ticket fiasco
Meet Ruairi. He’s a six-year-old Manchester United fan and is football bonkers. He lives five minutes from the ground and is already a regular in the Stretford End. He was a mascot for the 2-1 win over Crystal Palace earlier in the year; he’s been on away days to Seville, Istanbul and Bilbao.
This same six-year-old superfan is now under suspicion of ticket touting. Under a widespread club probe, his account has been restricted pending a review. The future of his precious season ticket is up in the air.
Ruairi is not a ticket tout.
“It’s scandalous,” his mother Kate, a season-ticket holder for 19 years, told The Independent. “You can put so much worry [on the situation]. We can’t tell our son that he’s not going to United. It’s our life, it’s what we do. It’s where I met my husband. It’s what we do every weekend together as a family. He’s obsessed.”
Latest odds
Man Utd win: 4/5
Draw: 13/5
Leeds win: 5/2
Odds provided by BOYLE Sports, who offer the latest football odds
Man United announce record-breaking sponsorship deal with betting firm
Manchester United have announced a new multi-year training kit sponsorship agreement with Betway, which the club claims is the largest of its kind in global football.
While the specific financial terms of the deal have not been officially disclosed, reports suggest that Super Group, the parent company of the Betway brand, will contribute an estimated £20 million per season.
This substantial investment will see the Betway logo prominently displayed on the training kits for both United’s men’s and women’s teams, as well as around Old Trafford and the Progress with Unity Stadium on matchdays.
Would Jose Mourinho have worked as Alex Ferguson’s replacement?
In a new Netflix documentary about the Portuguese, Ferguson even reveals that Mourinho phoned him in tears, explaining that he couldn’t take charge of United in 2013.
Mourinho would eventually join United in 2016, but his two-and-a-half year spell ended with the sack – while United have still not won the Premier League since Ferguson’s departure.
But how different could the Premier League have been had Mourinho come to United three years earlier? Jamie Braidwood takes a look:
The night Leeds conquered at Old Trafford
The last time these two rivals faced, Leeds ended a 45-year wait to win a league match at the home of Manchester United, Old Trafford.
It was a big night across the Pennines – relive it with Richard Jolly’s report:
Confirmed Leeds line-up
James Trafford starts for Leeds to make his debut between the sticks.
Ao Tanaka, Brenden Aaronson and Lukas Nmecha also come into the side following their win over RB Leipzig.
Leeds XI: Trafford; Muharemovic, Chadwick, Bijol; Bogle, Longstaff, Tanaka, Bornauw; Aaronson, Nmecha, James.
Subs: Cairns, Mahady, Lienou, Justin, Rodon, Cresswell, Ampadu, Stach, Okafor, Mills, Wilson, Gnonto, Calvert-Lewin, Piroe.
Confirmed Man United line-up
Youri Tielemans starts on the bench for Man United as Michael Carrick names a much-changed team to the one that faced PSG last week.
Youngsters Harry Amass and Tyler Fletcher get starts, while Leny Yoro and Diogo Dalot come in at the back.
New signing Andrey Santos gets another start.
Man United XI: Lammens; Dalot, Heaven, Yoro, Amass; Santos, T. Fletcher; Amad, Mbeumo, Dorgu; Zirkzee.
Subs: Heath, Honor, Mee, Armer, Shaw, Collyer, Fernandes, J. Fletcher, Tielemans, Cunha, Gabriel, Lacey, Thompson.
The return of Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford has joined up with the Manchester United squad having not played for the club since December 2024.
The England international has been out of the club’s plans since the early days of Ruben Amorim’s ill-fated reign after falling out with the Portuguese international.
He subsequently spent the second half of 2024/25 on loan at Aston Villa before getting a dream move to Barcelona, where he bagged eight LaLiga goals.
Despite becoming something of a fan favourite, Barca willingly let the purchase option and release clause in Rashford’s contract to expire, opting instead for a big-money move for his Three Lions team-mate Anthony Gordon (ouch).
But instead of being tasked with finding a new club, Carrick has brought Rashford back into the fold, giving him the No 14 shirt and reintegrating him into the squad.
It’s unlikely he’ll feature today, along with the other recent returners like Lisandro Martinez and Kobbie Mainoo, but it’s a positive step for the winger.
Third time lucky for Youri Tielemans
New boy Youri Tielemans is set to start for Michael Carrick’s side tonight – and he revealed it was third time lucky when he joined last month.
“There had been two times that I spoke with the club, but it did not achieve anything,” he recalled.
“I was very calm. I was not expecting much this summer, to be fair. I was just focused on my football, focused on the World Cup and trying to perform my best for my country.
“But you know every summer something can happen, and obviously I was aware of the clause.
“I am very thankful to Aston Villa. I owe them the world. It is a great club, we did amazing things, and they have put me back to my best level. But there are clubs above Villa, and Manchester United is one of them.
“It is a great achievement for any footballer to end up here. It means you have done well in your career. But it does not end there. I want to be successful.”
