Manchester Utd v Leeds Utd Match Thread

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ellandback

ellandback

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The weight of history hangs heavy over Leeds United as they prepare for Monday night’s high-stakes showdown at Old Trafford. It has been 43 years since the Whites last tasted a league victory there, an iconic 1-0 win secured by Brian Flynn in 1981, and manager Daniel Farke’s quest to break that 18-game drought has been dealt a staggering blow. In a grim pre-match update, Farke confirmed an injury crisis that has gutted the spine of his squad. The absence of defensive stalwarts Anton Stach and Joe Rodon due to ankle injuries leaves a significant void, while the unavailability of Gabriel Gudmundsson, Jaka Bijol, and Noah Okafor means Leeds will likely travel without five of their regular first-team starters. With Dan James also sidelined, the Yorkshire side faces a daunting physical and psychological hurdle against their most bitter rivals.

Across the technical area, Manchester United interim head coach Michael Carrick navigates a similarly complex selection puzzle following the team’s training camp in Dublin. While the Red Devils are bolstered by the expected return of Lisandro Martinez and the fitness of attacking duo Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, their defensive depth remains fragile. The suspension of Harry Maguire and the continued absence of Matthijs de Ligt and Patrick Dorgu mean Carrick must shuffle his backline, while late fitness tests for Diogo Dalot and Tom Heaton add a further layer of uncertainty.
 
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Eireleeds1 said:
An interesting stat I saw and no idea if true but supposedly we’ve lowest number of away goals scored this season in division bar Wolves. That would suggest anyone hoping for three points is in cloud cuckoo land
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Not quite true.

Wolves have scored 7 goals away from home. They sit bottom of the away table on 5 points.

Next is Sunderland ,who have had the luckiest season in memory, and they have only 10 goals scored away from home. They sit 12th with 17 points.

Then come Leeds and Newcastle who have averaged exactly 1 goal a game away from home with 15 goals. Newcastle are 14th in the away table, Leeds at 18th.

Just a goal in front at 16 goals are Fulham who sit 17th in the away table on 15 points and interestingly Everton who sit 4th with 24 points away from home showing that you dont need to score alot to win games.

For what it's worth, our performances away from ER is not reflected in our points total. We should have more given the balance of play we have enjoyed in alot of our away games.
 
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NostradEmus said:
Not quite true.

Wolves have scored 7 goals away from home. They sit bottom of the away table on 5 points.

Next is Sunderland ,who have had the luckiest season in memory, and they have only 10 goals scored away from home. They sit 12th with 17 points.

Then come Leeds and Newcastle who have averaged exactly 1 goal a game away from home with 15 goals. Newcastle are 14th in the away table, Leeds at 18th.

Just a goal in front at 16 goals are Fulham who sit 17th in the away table on 15 points and interestingly Everton who sit 4th with 24 points away from home showing that you dont need to score alot to win games.

For what it's worth, our performances away from ER is not reflected in our points total. We should have more given the balance of play we have enjoyed in alot of our away games.
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Really? From memory, we've only beaten Wolves away from home (in the league this season)
 
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As I've said all season, we are terrible at defending deep in our own area. I think it is a Farke issue, many fans think it is just fatigue. Possibly a bit of both and we have a major issue at goalkeeper where they dont dominate their own area.

Ironically we are decent at defending higher up the pitch, even if that means the edge of our area instead of the penalty spot.

I see us defending deep at Old Trafford because Rodon is the one who pushes up. Struijk and Bijol like to drop because they are slow. If Bornauw plays we will be sitting ducks. I think Justin has to play the right hand side of a back 3 with Bogle at right wing back.
 
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NostradEmus said:
Not quite true.

Wolves have scored 7 goals away from home. They sit bottom of the away table on 5 points.

Next is Sunderland ,who have had the luckiest season in memory, and they have only 10 goals scored away from home. They sit 12th with 17 points.

Then come Leeds and Newcastle who have averaged exactly 1 goal a game away from home with 15 goals. Newcastle are 14th in the away table, Leeds at 18th.

Just a goal in front at 16 goals are Fulham who sit 17th in the away table on 15 points and interestingly Everton who sit 4th with 24 points away from home showing that you dont need to score alot to win games.

For what it's worth, our performances away from ER is not reflected in our points total. We should have more given the balance of play we have enjoyed in alot of our away games.
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What <laugh>
 
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Saf said:
What <laugh>
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Stats table has you lot bottom 3.

Fortunately for you guys, the team has managed to defy logic and you've scored more than is ordinarily scored from the chances you've made and conceded less than you should have done given the law of averages.

Hence the assumption that you've overachieved given the balance of play in games. That passes the eye test too in my opinion. I've rarely see you play a team off the park this season. You've managed to nick alot of close games and yeah, that might be down to having really good players but I'd expect Sunderland to drop down the league next season. It has to level up at some point. Most of your squad have had the season of their lives (and good on them).

You've obviously watched Sunderland alot more than me and club bias will probably take hold of you here. You've had a great season and I'm not trying to take it away from you. Just using you as an example of how luck plays its part at this level.
 
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NostradEmus said:
Stats table has you lot bottom 3.

Fortunately for you guys, the team has managed to defy logic and you've scored more than is ordinarily scored from the chances you've made and conceded less than you should have done given the law of averages.

Hence the assumption that you've overachieved given the balance of play in games. That passes the eye test too in my opinion. I've rarely see you play a team off the park this season. You've managed to nick alot of close games and yeah, that might be down to having really good players but I'd expect Sunderland to drop down the league next season. It has to level up at some point. Most of your squad have had the season of their lives (and good on them).

You've obviously watched Sunderland alot more than me and club bias will probably take hold of you here. You've had a great season and I'm not trying to take it away from you. Just using you as an example of how luck plays its part at this level.
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Stats can be deceiving. What the stats don’t show and what you haven’t mentioned is that our manager is one of the best in-game managers in the league. He’s brilliant at changing the tactics during the game to counter the opposition and bringing on substitutions to actually change the game, rather than just chucking on players with no clear plan and hoping for the best. Our team is extremely well drilled in and out of possession. We keep games tight and don’t give many clear cut chances during a game.

We had the loss of players during AFCON and then went through even worse later on with a big injury crisis. He navigated us through that brilliantly and has continued to put points on the board consistently.

One or two games you might get lucky. To scream lucky over just about a full season is nonsense. We are where we deserve to be.

I don’t think we’ll go back over next season. I expect another brilliant transfer window and for us to kick on again.
 
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