Manchester United will hope to strengthen their grip on third position when they welcome Leeds United at Old Trafford on Monday night football.
While United’s recent league form has been inconsistent, with three victories from their last six matches, the broader outlook under Michael Carrick remains encouraging.
Since taking charge on January 17 — shortly after United’s 1–1 draw against Leeds at Elland Road in Ruben Amorim’s final game — Carrick has guided his side to 23 points from a possible 30 (seven wins, two draws, and one defeat).
At Old Trafford, their progress has been particularly evident, as they have recorded five consecutive home wins and have not suffered a league defeat there since November.
In the Premier League era, only Carlo Ancelotti (seven), the late Sven-Göran Eriksson (nine), and Manuel Pellegrini (11) have overseen longer winning starts on home soil than Carrick, whose current run stands at five, adding to the one he achieved in 2021.
Such strong home form has placed them firmly in contention for a return to the Champions League in the 2026–27 season, as they currently occupy third place in the Premier League, holding a seven-point advantage over sixth-placed Chelsea.
Confidence will be high heading into this fixture, with the Red Devils unbeaten in their last 18 home league encounters against Leeds (11 wins, seven draws), a run stretching back to a 1–0 defeat in February 1981 under Dave Sexton.
On the other hand, Leeds currently sits 15th in the Premier League table, three points above the relegation zone, having recorded seven wins, 12 draws, and 12 defeats from 31 matches.
The Whites have drawn their last two league fixtures against Crystal Palace and Brentford, and they are yet to win a Premier League game since the 3–1 win over Nottingham Forest in February.
The West Yorkshire outfit will be travelling to Old Trafford hoping to end their woeful away record this season, having won just once in 15 Premier League away games, lost seven, and conceded 28 goals.
More worrying is their profligate attack, which failed to score in their last four league games—the longest ongoing drought in England’s top flight—and only from January to March 1982 has Leeds ever gone longer without scoring.
However, they’ll also approach this game with optimism and determination to avoid defeat against United in what could be their first time of going an entire season without losing to the 13-time Premier League champions since the 1994–95 season.
Although attention is partly on their upcoming FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea, the more pressing issue for the Whites remains their Premier League standing, which is becoming increasingly precarious, as a loss to United will put them on course for a nervy relegation scrap.
Team news
Michael Carrick will be without Harry Maguire, who is suspended for this clash following his red card against Bournemouth.
Patrick Dorgu remains absent with a hamstring injury, while Matthijs de Ligt will be unavailable as he continues to recover from a back issue.
In a boost to the Red Devils, Lisandro Martinez is in contention for the game after recovering from a calf injury.
Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko are also declared fit, squashing initial fears of injury after their withdrawal from international duty.
Leeds, on the other hand, will be without Anton Stach and Joe Rodon, both ruled out with ankle injuries, while Daniel James is confirmed to miss the trip to Manchester on Monday.
The trio of Noah Okafor, Jaka Bijol, and Gabriel Gudmundsson will undergo late fitness tests to determine their availability for this clash.
Expected lineups
Man Utd: Lammens; Dalot, Yoro, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko.
Leeds United: Darlow; Bornauw, Struijk, Bijol; Bogle, Aaronson, Ampadu, Tanaka, Justin; Nmecha, Calvert-Lewin.
Match stats and head-to-head
• Since a 1–0 defeat under Dave Sexton in February 1981, United have gone 18 home league matches against Leeds without losing, recording 11 wins and seven draws during that period.
• After playing out a 1–1 draw at Elland Road in January, Leeds are aiming to avoid suffering defeats in both league encounters with the Red Devils in the same season for the first time since 1994–95.
• Across their last 20 league meetings with Leeds, United have been beaten just once, winning 12 and drawing seven.
• The Whites have failed to score in any of their last four Premier League games, marking the longest current scoring drought in this season’s competition. The only longer run in their league history came between January and March 1982, when they went six games without a goal — a campaign that ultimately ended in relegation from the top flight.
• Since Christmas Day, United have suffered just one defeat in 14 Premier League fixtures (eight wins and five draws), with only league leaders Arsenal collecting more points in that period (31) than the Red Devils’ total of 29.
• This season, United’s captain Bruno Fernandes has created 101 chances in the Premier League, making it the third campaign in which he has surpassed the 100 mark, following 2022–23 (119) and 2023–24 (114). He joins Frank Lampard and Kevin De Bruyne as the only players since 2003–04 to achieve that feat in three separate seasons.
Prediction
Man Utd 2-1 Leeds United: While securing three maximum points will elevate them at least six points above the relegation zone, their recent results indicate that a draw is still a strong possibility.
Across their last eight Premier League away fixtures, Leeds have recorded draws in seven of them (one defeat), with no team recording more draws on the road in the 2025–26 campaign.
The Whites are currently on a run of four consecutive away draws, with only one longer such streak in their league history, when six successive matches ended level between August and October 1998.
However, Carrick has transformed United, instilling greater confidence in both the team and the fanbase. They are also very formidable at home, having won all five games under the former Middlesbrough boss.
Mbeumo and Sesko’s availability, along with Fernandes’s support, should motivate them to take the game to Leeds.
