Manchester United and Leeds United renew their historic rivalry in a pre-season friendly at Stockholm's Strawberry Arena on Saturday in a "War of the Roses" battle with a Viking twist. Both clubs boast substantial fan bases in Scandinavia, and the game is expected to draw a lively crowd as part of both teams’ pre-season preparations. For Leeds United, it’s the first outing of the summer and a welcome return to Premier League opposition following promotion from the Championship.
Leeds United will enter the match with confidence after a successful Championship campaign having secured the title in dramatic fashion on the final day of the season. Daniel Farke is expected to name a strong staring XI featuring the backbone from last season’s title-winning campaign plus new signings including Gabriel Gudmundsson and Jaka Bijol. The second half will likely see changes with the likes of Sebastiaan Bornauw and Lukas Nmecha getting plenty of minutes under their belt. The game will also give Farke the opportunity to try a new system in midfield, looking at how to accommodate any potential new signings such as Sean Longstaff or Anton Stach.
Manchester United endured one of the worst Premier League seasons in their history during 2024/25, finishing 15th with just 42 points. The team suffered 18 defeats and managed only 44 goals, marking their lowest tally in the Premier League era. Manager Rúben Amorim, hailed as their saviour when appointed mid-season, proved equally as ineffective as his predecessors, failing to spark any real turnaround in form. A toxic dressing room, disjointed recruitment strategy, and complete loss of identity has left them looking a shadow of their former selves. While the club insists Amorim will be given time to implement his ideas, the pressure is already mounting and Leeds fans won’t mind reminding them of that come Saturday in Stockholm.
Amorim’s squad is undergoing significant changes, with several senior players, including Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Antony, training separately as they seek moves away from the club. Goalkeeper André Onana is sidelined due to a hamstring injury, ruling him out of pre-season. But new signing Matheus Cunha is expected to make his debut, providing a fresh attacking option.
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