Sunday’s meeting at Elland Road feels different. For the first time in the Premier League era, Leeds go into a fixture against Manchester United as favourites. That fact alone tells you plenty about the contrasting trajectories of the two clubs right now, even if the long-term ledger still sits heavily in the Reds favour. Leeds sit seventh with nine points from six games and a +3 goal difference. Michael Carrick's men are 13th with six points and a flat goal difference. Daniel Farke’s side arrived at the Emirates last weekend unbeaten in the league and led Arsenal before falling to a narrow 2-1 defeat. It was a performance that suggested genuine progress rather than a soft start. The red side of Manchester, by contrast, have made their worst league opening in decades, drew 1-1 with a 10-man Spurs, then lost 2-0 at Atletico Madrid. The subsequent public criticism from Lisandro Martinez of the club’s hierarchy only underlined the sense of a squad under strain.
For Leeds, the absences are clear and largely known. Joe Rodon remains sidelined with the hamstring problem that has kept him out since the second game of the season; he is not expected back in full training until next month. Mateo Joseph is also unavailable. Dan James, who returned from Wales duty with a back issue and missed the Arsenal game, is the main doubt, a significant one against his former club if he is fit enough to start or impact the match. Harry Wilson is available again after a quad problem. Farke has otherwise had a settled group. Dominic Calvert-Lewin continues to lead the line effectively (three league goals already), while the summer arrival Tarik Muharemovic has looked composed in central defence. The expectation is that Leeds will press high early, look to win the ball in advanced areas and make life uncomfortable for Carrick's team, particularly if their midfield remains unsettled.
Manchester United's injury list is longer and more disruptive. Benjamin Sesko remains out with a shin problem. Patrick Dorgu is sidelined for weeks with a hamstring injury, and Manuel Ugarte is still recovering from knee surgery. Luke Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo both picked up issues in the Spurs game and stayed behind for the Madrid trip; both are doubts. Noussair Mazraoui is also uncertain with a back problem. On the positive side for Carrick, Matthijs de Ligt is back in contention after a lengthy absence, and Leny Yoro is available (his red card only applied to the Champions League). There is talk of Carlos Baleba and Youri Tielemans starting together in midfield as Carrick looks for a more stable platform. Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha still give United genuine attacking threat, but the overall picture is of a side that creates chances yet concedes too many and lacks cohesion.
This remains one of English football’s sharpest local derbies, rooted in the broader Yorkshire–Lancashire tension and intensified through the Revie and Busby eras. The 1960s and 1970s produced both high-quality football and notorious off-pitch disorder. Periods of separation caused by Leeds’ time outside the top flight have not fully dulled the edge, even if Manchester United supporters have long ranked other clubs higher on their personal rivalry list. The all-time competitive record heavily favours the reds (roughly 50 wins to Leeds’ 27). Recent league meetings have been tighter, however. In April this year Leeds won 2-1 at Old Trafford — their first league victory there since 1981, thanks to a Noah Okafor brace. The previous meeting, in January at Elland Road, finished 1-1 and proved to be Ruben Amorim’s final game in charge of Manchester United. Those two results mean Leeds have taken four points from the last two league encounters and have not lost to their bitter rivals in the league since early 2023.
