Manchester United vs Leeds LIVE
Manchester United beat Leeds United on penalties to secure a victory in their penultimate pre-season friendly of the summer. The old Premier League rivals faced off in a historic affair at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland, in the first club football match to be played at the home of gaelic football. The game ended 1-1, with Joshua Zirkzee opening the scoring after a nice burst down the left from Bryan Mbeumo.
Brenden Aaronson levelled for Leeds after Dan James stole possession from Tyler Fletcher, who dawdled with the ball in a dangerous area. The American slotted past Senne Lammens, United’s new No1, and Daniel Farke’s men were back on terms.
The big talking point was Marcus Rashford not playing any part in Ireland, despite travelling with his team-mates having returned to his boyhood club after a 19-month absence that spanned two loan spells at Aston Villa and Barcelona as a result of his falling out with former boss Ruben Amorim. Michael Carrick, the current United manager, insisted that the England international was still not ready to return to action, instead being preserved for the final friendly of the summer, which incidentally will be against Amorim and AC Milan.
Manchester United vs Leeds latest news
- NO GOAL! Fernandes goal chalked off
- OFF THE BAR! Mbeumo rattles woodwork
- GOAL! Aaronson equalises for Leeds
- GOOD SAVE! Trafford denies Mbeumo
- GOAL! Zirkzee opens scoring
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds (5-4)
21:34 , Oli Gent
Mazraoui wins it for United!
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds (4-4)
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Justin rattles the crossbar, and United have match point!
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds (4-4)
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Tielemans for United... and he strikes confidently into the corner.
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds (3-4)
21:32 , Oli Gent
Okafor nails his into the corner, and Leeds are back in front.
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds (3-3)
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Fernandes... but he rolls it wide! A wry smile from the skipper, but that is a big miss!
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds (3-3)
21:30 , Oli Gent
Gnonto casually levels for Leeds.
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds (3-2)
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Jack Fletcher beats Cairns, who goes the right way.
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds (2-2)
21:29 , Oli Gent
Stach screws it into the corner, and Leeds are level.
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds (2-1)
21:28 , Oli Gent
Cunha now for United, and he coolly strokes home.
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds (1-1)
21:27 , Oli Gent
Here’s Wilson for Leeds, but he’s repelled by Mee!
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds (1-1)
21:26 , Oli Gent
Shaw steps up first for United, and nets emphatically.
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds (0-1)
21:26 , Oli Gent
Calvert-Lewin opens the shootout successfully.
FT: Man Utd 1-1 Leeds
21:20 , Oli Gent
90 mins: There we have it. A premature close after some young kids run onto the pitch. We go to penalties.
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds
21:16 , Oli Gent
85 mins: Close! Another effort from Fernandes from range, which forces Cairns into a smart stop.
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds
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80 mins: No goal!
Fernandes thinks he’s struck United’s second, but the flag is up. The skipper receives it from Shaw in the left channel and hits it beyond Cairns at the near post, but it won’t count.
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds
21:07 , Oli Gent
76 mins: Calvert-Lewin holds Armer off and then looks to get a shot away, but the defender does well to keep him at bay.
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds
21:04 , Oli Gent
73 mins: United are stroking it around at a slow tempo, and Leeds are just letting them have it. Not the most enthralling of closing stages here.
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds
21:01 , Oli Gent
70 mins: Tielemans has really kept United ticking with his passing from side to side, while looking for that incisive ball through the lines into Fernandes when he can.
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds
20:56 , Oli Gent
66 mins: A slower pace to this second half after all those changes. Typical pre-season friendly feel at the moment.
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds
20:52 , Oli Gent
62 mins: The only players to have not been substituted are two centre-backs, one from either side.
Leny Yoro for United, and Sebastian Bornauw for Leeds.
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds
20:51 , Oli Gent
60 mins: Seven changes for United.
Fernandes, Tielemans, Shaw, Mazraoui, Jack Fletcher, Mee and Cunha are all on.
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds
20:47 , Oli Gent
57 mins: Dalot slides in on Okafor and the Leeds players clamour for a foul and a red card for the United skipper who looks to be the last man, but the referee just gives a free kick.
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds
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54 mins: Good save! Lammens denies Wilson after a good underlap from Rodon, raiding into the inside channel before feeding the Welshman who lets fly, but Lammens is equal to it.
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds
20:38 , Oli Gent
52 mins: Calvert-Lewin, Gnonto, Ampadu and Justin are all on too for Leeds.
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds
20:37 , Oli Gent
50 mins: 10 changes for Leeds.
Harry Wilson and Joe Rodon are two of them, as too is Alfie Cresswell, the brother of Charlie, who is part of the Whites’ back three.
Noah Okafor and Anton Stach are out there too, with Alex Cairns in goal.
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds
20:35 , Oli Gent
47 mins: Thompson, Collyer and Armer are on for Dorgu, Santos and Heaven in United’s three changes.
Kick off!
20:32 , Oli Gent
46 mins: We’re back underway.
HT: Man Utd 1-1 Leeds
20:16 , Oli Gent
There’s the interval.
Level at the break, one goal apiece.
What will the second half have in store?
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds
20:14 , Oli Gent
43 mins: James cuts in off the left flank and looks to inject a bit of pace into the move, but he blazes his shot way wide.
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds
20:09 , Oli Gent
39 mins: Off the bar! I say that, and Mbeumo rattles the woodwork, cutting inside after his burst in behind. He checks onto his left and cracks a shot against the bar. Trafford was beaten!
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds
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37 mins: The intensity of the game has died down a bit since that equaliser. Both sides looking to get to half time in one piece before the wholesale changes come.
Man Utd 1-1 Leeds
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33 mins: Free kick, Leeds. Amass is penalised for a foul on Bogle.
Goal! Man Utd 1-1 Leeds
20:00 , Oli Gent
30 mins: There’s the equaliser! Aaronson has it, as James pinches the ball from Fletcher, feeds Aaronson, and the American does the rest beyond Lammens.
Man Utd 1-0 Leeds
19:58 , Oli Gent
27 mins: Leeds are looking a bit brighter in their pursuit of an equaliser here. James tries to skin Amass, but he gets no change out of the left-back.
Man Utd 1-0 Leeds
19:54 , Oli Gent
24 mins: Close! United are really threatening a second as Mbeumo drives through the heart of Leeds and strikes, but Trafford tips it behind with his fingertips.
Man Utd 1-0 Leeds
19:52 , Oli Gent
20 mins: Amad is pulled up for a handball as he challenged for a high ball.
Goal! Man Utd 1-0 Leeds
19:47 , Oli Gent
17 mins: United are ahead, and Zirkzee scores this time. The first club goal scored at Croke Park, and the Dutchman slots beyond Trafford after a great touch from Mbeumo, who bursts down the left and sets up his strike partner.
Man Utd 0-0 Leeds
19:44 , Oli Gent
14 mins: Good save! Better from the Red Devils as Dalot flashes a cross in after being afforded too much space to deliver.
It’s into Zirkzee who works a yard, and Trafford is equal to his first-time effort.
Man Utd 0-0 Leeds
19:42 , Oli Gent
11 mins: United moving the ball well in these opening exchanges, and Amad stands Chadwick up down the right. He looks to go on the outside, but the makeshift wing-back concedes the corner on the slide.
Man Utd 0-0 Leeds
19:40 , Oli Gent
8 mins: Dorgu is complaining after he is penalised for a foul on Bornauw.
Man Utd 0-0 Leeds
19:35 , Oli Gent
5 mins: A first sighting of the ball for Santos as he tussles with Tanaka, but the Brazilian loses out to the Japan international in a midfield battle. Amass then fouls Aaronson.
Man Utd 0-0 Leeds
19:32 , Oli Gent
3 mins: Chadwick has filled in at left wing-back for Leeds this evening, despite being a natural midfielder. Gudmundsson, the first-choice in that position, is out with a hamstring problem.
Kick off!
19:31 , Oli Gent
1 min: We’re underway.
Five minute warning
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The players are out, and we’re about to get underway.
Ten mintues to kick off
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Who will win this one?
Also tonight
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Arsenal play Como this evening as they continue their pre-season preparations.
Why is this game being played at Croke Park?
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The match is being played in Dublin to engage with both sides’ massive fan bases on the Irish peninsula.
Sponsors and the respective clubs indicated that that was a driving reason for playing this match in Dublin.
Carrick explains Rashford absence
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"Marcus [Rashford], Licha [Martinez] and Kobbie [Mainoo] aren't quite ready yet. We're preserving them for this weekend,” he tells MUTV.
Atmosphere building
19:00 , Oli Gent
Excitement levels are building 👀😆 pic.twitter.com/6HnWawhSpT
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 12, 2026
Away from the eclipse...
18:49 , Oli Gent
There is a job to be done by both sides here in Dublin.
The United players have appeared out on the Croke Park pitch to quite the ovation from the Irish faithful.
No Rashford!
18:40 , Oli Gent
That is a surprise.
The returning forward had made the trip to Dublin to join up with the rest of the squad, but, like the injured Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez, he does not make the matchday cohort here.
Leeds lineup
18:35 , Oli Gent
Leeds XI: Trafford; Bogle, Chadwick, Muharemovic, Bornauw, Bijol; Tanaka, Longstaff, Aaronson; James, Nmecha
Subs: Cairns, Mahady, Lienou, Justin, Rodon, Cresswell, Ampadu, Stach, Okafor, Mills, Wilson, Gnonto, Calvert-Lewin, Piroe
Man Utd lineup
18:30 , Oli Gent
Manchester United XI: Lammens; Dalot, Yoro, Heaven, Amass; T. Fletcher, Santos; Amad, Zirkzee, Dorgu; Mbeumo
Subs: Heath, Honor, Mee, Armer, Shaw, Collyer, Fernandes, Fletcher, Tielemans, Cunha, Gabriel, Lacey, Thompson
Team news in five!
18:25 , Oli Gent
Don’t go anywhere...
Returning stars!
18:22 , Oli Gent
United have plenty of their World Cup stars returning for this match, and some even played some minutes against PSG in their last outing.
Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes took to the field against the French side, while Marcus Rashford is now back into the fold after his loan spells. Will he stay or will he go?
More immediately, will he play this evening?
Hall makes Man Utd transfer request
18:15 , Oli Gent
Lewis Hall is reportedly still very keen to join Manchester United this summer despite Newcastle insisting the defender is not for sale.
Newcastle are desperate to keep hold of Hall this summer, having already lost their three best players in Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and captain Bruno Guimaraes.
Also tonight!
18:07 , Oli Gent
Arsenal take on Como at the Emirates Stadium as Cesc Fabregas makes his fateful return to north London.
Lewis-Skelly to Man Utd?
18:00 , Oli Gent
Myles Lewis-Skelly, the Arsenal left-back, has been rumoured to have been offered to Manchester United and Chelsea after the signing of Bruno Guimaraes.
It would take a fee well in excess of that for the Gunners to sanction Lewis-Skelly leaving this summer, but it has not been ruled out that a huge offer would be considered.
Arsenal spent £75m on Guimaraes and are still in the market for a winger and a versatile defender.
New shirt number!
17:52 , Oli Gent
Senne Lammens has moved from No31 to No1 for Manchester United this season.
It follows Altay Bayindir’s departure on loan to Celta Vigo.
A new number. A new chapter 🔥
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 12, 2026
Senne Lammens takes the no.1 🇧🇪
Match odds
17:45 , Oli Gent
Man Utd to win: 8/11
Leeds to win: 12/5
Standard Sport prediction
17:37 , Oli Gent
As the season gets closer, the old pre-season cliche of “The result doesn’t matter” surely gets thrown out of the window, particularly when United and Leeds lock horns.
Both sides will be keen to claim the bragging rights here, and Leeds are in good form, having strung together three straight wins against Sunderland, Liverpool and RB Leipzig.
United, however, with their World Cup stars back, should have enough to emerge victorious.
Man Utd to win, 2-1.
Leeds team news
17:30 , Oli Gent
There are two main injury concerns for Daniel Farke.
Ilia Gruev, the Bulgarian midfielder, is still sidelined with a knee injury that curtailed the end of his campaign last term, while Gabriel Gudmundsson, the first-choice left-back, is out with a hamstring problem that will likely see him miss the start of the Premier League season.
Lucas Perri has a hand injury, but the Brazilian goalkeeper is expected to depart Elland Road in this transfer window, after the arrival of James Trafford.
He could come into the side here, with third-choice Alex Cairns lining up for the Whites in this pre-season campaign so far.
Fellow new recruit Tarik Muharemovic has already been bedded in after Bosnia’s short-lived World Cup, and Harry Wilson, freshly signed from Fulham, has also had some minutes in his new colours.
Man Utd team news - Who is likely to start?
17:23 , Oli Gent
Diogo Dalot should see his minutes increase after playing half an hour against PSG, which could see Noussair Mazraoui could partner Harry Maguire in central defence.
Youri Tielemans is pushing to make his first start since joining, after coming off the bench at the weekend, which could see Kobbie Mainoo and Andrey Santos start on the bench. Bruno Fernandes should get the nod from the off.
Up front, Patrick Dorgu should continue in attack, supporting lone striker Bryan Mbeumo alongside Amad Diallo. Matheus Cunha was not involved against PSG but will hope for his first minutes of pre-season off the bench.
Lisandro Martinez joined up with the squad later than others, having been part of the Argentina team who lost the World Cup final, so is not expected to feature.
Man Utd team news - Rashford returns
17:15 , Oli Gent
Marcus Rashford is tonight in line to make his first appearance for United in 19 months.
Rashford, who returned to Man Utd’s Carrington training ground on Sunday morning, joined the rest of Carrick’s squad on the plane to Ireland later that day.
Mason Mount is not expected to be involved after he was forced off against PSG after only 20 minutes with a potential foot injury. Carrick said after the game that his withdrawal was precautionary.
There could be a first appearance for summer signing Karl Darlow, though first-choice goalkeeper Senne Lammens, who missed the friendly against Paris Saint-Germain through illness, should start.
Fellow goalkeeper Tom Heaton sustained a hamstring injury against PSG and received treatment on the pitch before being replaced by Dermot Mee. His involvement is also under question.
How to watch
17:07 , Oli Gent
TV channel: In the UK, Man United vs Leeds will be televised live for free on ITV1, with coverage starting at 7pm BST ahead of kick-off at 7.30pm.
Live stream: UK viewers can also catch the contest live online via the ITVX app.
Hello and welcome!
17:00 , Oli Gent
... to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Manchester United’s pre-season friendly clash with Leeds United at Croke Park.
Michael Carrick’s side are looking to get back to winning ways after a 1-1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain last time out.
Stay tuned for all the updates, with kick off at 7.30pm BST.
