There is one match in the Premier League on Wednesday evening when both ends of the table will come under the spotlight when Manchester United play host to Leeds United in a game which should have taken place earlier in the season.
Just quietly after seeing both teams above them lose over the weekend, United can move to within five points of top spot with a win here. Leeds are above the bottom three on goal difference only but can pull away with a positive result here. This match is not on TV in the UK.
Manchester United
When you consider where they were at the end of the first quarter of the season, to be able to move to within five points of the leaders here highlights the excellent form Manchester United have put together since the beginning of October. They have lost just two matches since then and were unlucky to lose one of those to Arsenal in the last minute. If the top two begin to falter, the Red Devils will be looking to take advantage.
Erik Ten Hag is already making a difference at Old Trafford and his team are certainly responding at home too. Only Newcastle have left the Theatre of Dreams with so much as a point since the opening home game of the season and both of the top two have come away empty handed from Old Trafford. United are beginning to purr in attack but they have defended much better in recent times too. They look like a settled club again rather than the basket case they were on the fringes of becoming a year ago.
Leeds United
This will be the first match since Leeds United dispensed with the services of Jesse Marsch and they really need to turn things around from here. His replacement will not be appointed before this match so it is the coaching staff who will lead the team but this is a side who have won just two of their last 17 matches, including a disastrously tame loss at Nottingham Forest on Sunday, after which the writing was well and truly on the wall for the American.
Goals have suddenly dried up a touch for Leeds. They have only scored four in their last six Premier League matches and you got the sense on Sunday that they were devoid of ideas. A distinct lack of creativity in attacking areas is a huge concern for the Yorkshire outfit. The flip side is they weren’t as open under Marsch as they were under Marcelo Bielsa but they still weren’t stopping the goals going in against them. A huge reset is needed but this match might come too soon for that.
Special Offer
OPEN AN ACCOUNT WITH 888SPORT AND BET £10 TO GET £30 IN FREE BETS PLUS A £10 CASINO BONUS! PERFECT OFFER TO USE ON THE PREMIER LEAGUE! CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO JOIN. USE CODE 30F. NEW ACCOUNTS ONLY. 18+ T&Cs apply (See image for significant terms). Gamble Aware.
Team News
Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag will have to do without his midfield maestro Casemiro for this match as he begins a three-match suspension after his red card against Crystal Palace at the weekend. Christian Eriksen is out for a couple of months so Marcel Sabitzer could be involved.
Leeds United caretaker manager Michael Skubala as suggested that a number of his players are carrying bumps and bruises but didn’t name who. Robin Koch comes back from suspension but Rodrigo remains out with injury.
Betting
Manchester United are in excellent form right now and I think that will continue here. Leeds United have picked up just five points away from home all season with three of those at Liverpool at a time where they were anything but reliable. The other two points came at Southampton and Newcastle with the latter outplaying them but not being able to find the back of the net. If Man Utd have the same levels of opportunities I don’t see them failing to score.
Leeds United were absolutely terrible at Nottingham Forest on Sunday and while you wouldn’t expect them to be quite so bad here under a new voice, I just don’t fancy them to get much joy against the home side even allowing for the absence of Casemiro. The only creativity in the Leeds ranks comes via their wingers but United have full-backs capable of nullifying that threat. Two Premier League trips to Old Trafford have yielded 11 goals against them and while Man Utd might not score that many here I think they’ll score enough to run out comfortable winners against a Leeds side whose confidence looks shot to pieces.
Tips
Back Man Utd (-1AH) to beat Leeds for a 3/10 stake at 1.75 with Bet365
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2023
