Leeds United vs Manchester United, Premier League: What time is kick-off, what TV channel is it on and what is our prediction?
Leeds United and Manchester United have enjoyed, or perhaps endured, a rivalry for more than 55 years that has at times turned toxic, making the visit of the team from from west of the Pennines the most pulsating Premier League fixture in any Elland Road season. It's a match that has been defined by its scarcity over the past 17 years and this one, Manchester United's first league match since a Roy Keane goal secured a 1-0 victory in 2003, the season Leeds went down, will be the game when the absence of fans will be most keenly felt.
Back in December, the two sides met in a chaotically open match at Old Trafford, won by the home side 6-2. Scott McTominay scored two goals in the first three minutes to end the match as a meaningful contest as far as the result was concerned but the match was riotously entertaining nonetheless, full of end-to-end attacking, mistakes and adventurous purpose.
Leeds come into it on the back of Monday's 1-1 draw with Liverpool but this is Manchester United's first match since they defeated Burnley on the after noon news of their much-derided involvement with the ultimately routed European Super League proposals came to light. Had fans been allowed it would have been one of those rare occasions, perhaps the first since Howard Wilkinson's Leeds reign came to an end in a defeat in 1996, that the two sets of supporters would have rallied to a common cause in denouncing the Manchester United ownership and its driving role in the conspiracy.
Marcelo Bielsa's side begin the weekend round of fixtures in 10th place on a good run of form - three wins and two draws from their last five games. Manchester United, unbeaten away in the league since Jan 19 2020 and on a run of five successive wins, are second, 11 points behind the leaders Manchester City with a game in hand and seven points in front of third-placed Leicester City.
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When is Leeds vs Man Utd?
It's on the third day of this round of fixtures, so Sunday April 25.
What time is kick-off on Sunday?
2pm kick-off for this one.
What TV channel is it on?
It is one of the matches selected by Sky Sports for 'Super Sunday' and will be on both its Main Event and Premier League channels. Alternatively you can bookmark this page and return on Monday to follow the Telegraph live blog, manned by Alan Tyers.
What's the latest Leeds and Man Utd team news?
Leeds United's two biggest signings, Raphinha and Rodrigo, both missed the draw with Liverpool, the Brazilian winger with a dead leg sustained during the victory over Manchester City and the Spain forward with another muscle injury in a stop-start season. Adam Forshaw, out for 18 months with a hip injury, is back in full training and playing for the Under-23 side but is still some way off a first-team recall while the captain, Liam Cooper, serves the second game of a three-match ban for his red card at the Etihad.
Manchester United's long-standing absentees - Anthony Martial and Phil Jones - are likely not to be fit until the start of next season but Eric Bailly, who tested positive for Covid-19 while away on international duty, is expected to be avilable.
What are the latest standings?
What are Telegraph writers saying?
Chris Bascombe watched the turnaroud at Elland Road against the Champions, Liverpool, and describes a classic Saint & Greavsie style 'game of two halves' after which a ratty Jurgen Klopp turned on Manchester United's former captain, Gary Neville.
Then came the fightback, Leeds finally igniting the same fire in the belly as those fans who had gathered at the players’ entrance, Liverpool more defensively anxious. The Leeds attackers swarmed across the pitch and the equaliser felt inevitable.
A refreshing story by contrast to the ESL sewer tells us about one of the great architects of Manchester United's rise, James Gibson, and enlightens us on how he rescued club and why he would have fought against European Super League. Sam Wallace spoke to his family.
There is nothing at Old Trafford to commemorate James Gibson, save a small plaque on the west side of the railway bridge on Sir Matt Busby Way to the south of the stadium. But even Sir Matt Busby himself would have had to acknowledge that while he built the teams that made United great, it was Gibson who built the club.
Leeds vs Man Utd odds
Leeds to win 3/1
Manchester United to win 4/5
Draw 3/1
What is our prediction?
Manchester United simply do not lose away from home and, while they have been unable to establish their dominance for an entire 90 minutes, they are gritty and ultimately clinical enough to be favourites. Leeds, however, have tightened up considerably from set-pieces following their defeat by West Ham and look more defensively resilient with Diego Llorente at last up to full speed with his fitness. As they showed at Old Trafford, whatever the odds they never give up and will be primed to give their supporters some cheer in the fixture they have most missed in its 17-year absence.
Leeds 2 Manchester United 2
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