Manchester United resume their pursuit of a first Premier League top-four finish since the 2022/23 season on Monday, as they take on relegation-battling Leeds United at Old Trafford.
It has been three weeks since the Red Devils last took the pitch for an official match, sharing the spoils with Bournemouth in a dramatic 2-2 draw on the stroke of the international break.
Dumped out of the FA Cup, Michael Carrick’s charges have had an extra week to prepare for the Whites’ upcoming visit to the Theatre of Dreams.
With only seven games left to play, the 20-time English champions boast a six-point lead over reigning holders Liverpool, who find themselves stuck in fifth.
On that basis, Man Utd cannot afford to take anything for granted if they are to return to the UEFA Champions League next season.
Despite heading into Monday’s fixture as favourites, United must not underestimate Leeds, who squeezed past West Ham United to reach the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 39 years.
Brimming with confidence, Daniel Farke’s side will look to stage an upset in Manchester and pick up what would be precious points in their fight for survival.
Man Utd preparations for Leeds clash
United travelled to the Republic of Ireland at the start of the week, spending four days training and strengthening team chemistry ahead of the final seven Premier League matches.
Indeed, the Red Devils continue a 24-day stretch between fixtures, which began with the trip to Bournemouth last month and will conclude with Monday’s home game against Leeds, following the March international break and the Emirates FA Cup quarter-final weekend.
Meanwhile, Carrick and his coaching staff view this mini-trip as an opportunity to sharpen focus and prepare the squad for a ‘make or break’ run-in, with last season’s beaten UEFA Europa League finalists bidding to lock down a place in the top four.
“Carrington is a fantastic place to be, don’t get me wrong,” Carrick told ManUtd.com. “However, I think there’s a little bit of freshness, little bit of focus again, of getting everyone back together and spending some time here.”
A change of environment is supposed to help Man Utd regain confidence following a series of underwhelming results ahead of the international break.
In addition to dropping two points at the Vitality Stadium, United suffered their only league loss under Carrick against 10-man Newcastle United in early March.
However, those two setbacks sandwiched a morale-boosting 3-1 home triumph over fellow top-four rivals Aston Villa, which marked United’s fifth consecutive league victory at Old Trafford.
Team News
As confirmed by Carrick in his recent interview with ManUtd.com, Lisandro Martinez will be in contention for the squad on Monday after resuming full training in Dublin.
The Argentine centre-back last featured for the Red Devils in a 1-1 away draw against West Ham at the beginning of February.
Lisandro’s recovery comes at an opportune moment for Carrick’s side, given that Harry Maguire, who has signed a new contract with the club, must serve a one-game ban against Leeds, having been sent off in Boscombe.
Unfortunately, this fixture will come too soon for long-term absentee Matthijs de Ligt, who wasn’t part of United’s training camp in Dublin.
While Carrick may have to wait a bit longer for the Dutchman’s return from a severe back injury, Patrick Dorgu is reportedly edging closer to full fitness. Still, he won’t be available on Monday.
Mason Mount, who made a cameo appearance against Bournemouth, will be at Carrick’s disposal, with the English midfielder gunning for his first Premier League start since mid-January.
Last but not least, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko have rejoined the squad after minor fitness problems forced them to withdraw from international duty.
2026-04-08 06:04:23
