Leeds United and Manchester United are two of the fiercest rivals in English football, and ther rivalry has come to the fore this summer.
Manchester United sacked Ruben Amorim after the draw against Leeds at Elland Road in January, and it led to Michael Carrick taking charge of the club.
Leeds won their first league game at Old Trafford after 45 years when they beat Carrick’s in-form Manchester United side in April and more or less sealed Premier League safety.
However, Manchester United snared Karl Darlow away from Elland Road this summer, and Leeds’ statement following the departure indicated that they weren’t particularly pleased.
And their pre-season showdown in Dublin next month is set to become the stage for a big Manchester United return.
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Manchester United and Leeds clashed in a pre-season friendly last year as well, and will take on each other again just a week or so before the start of the Premier League season.
Leeds will take on Wrexham this Sunday before playing Sunderland, Liverpool and RB Leipzig.
They will take on Manchester United on 12th August in Dublin, and it is now expected to grow even more important for the Red Devils.
According to The Athletic, as things stand, Rashford is due to return to pre-season training with Manchester United ahead of the Leeds game in Dublin.
The England forward has not played for Manchester United since the end of 2024. He spent the latter half of the 2024/25 season on loan at Aston Villa and was at Barcelona in the 2025/26 campaign.
The Catalan giants declined to take up the option on him this summer and are hoping to sign him on another loan towards the end of the window.
If they are unable to secure a permanent move this summer, Manchester United are prepared to welcome him back into the squad, even though they have already begun exploring potential replacements.
Leeds United would want to send an early firing shot with a win in pre-season, regardless of Marcus Rashford
The win at Old Trafford was a monumental achievement as the ground has been a source of Leeds United heartbreaks for a generation.
Watching Leeds dismantle an in-form Manchester United in that famous stadium was a sight to behold for a generation of Leeds fans.
The clash in Dublin next month has been dubbed a ‘friendly’, but when Leeds and Manchester United face each other, competitive juices will always flow.
Another win over their bitter rivals will show Leeds are prepared to do a bit more than just survive in the Premier League next season.
