Leeds United will travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United for the first time since 2011 and in the Premier League for the first time for over 16 years, on Sunday.
Last time out the Whites beating Newcastle United in a seven-goal thriller at Elland Road, with Patrick Bamford grabbing Leeds’ opener in the first half.
Second half goals from Rodrigo, Stuart Dallas, Ezgjan Alioski and Jack Harrison sealed a superb 5-2 win for the Whites.
Hosts, Manchester United, won 3-2 at Bramall Lane on Thursday night, with goals from Marcus Rashford (twice) and Anthony Martial wrapping up the points despite an early mistake from goalkeeper, Dean Henderson, which gifted to the Blades an early goal.
Marcelo Bielsa will hope to name an unchanged starting XI from the side that beat Newcastle in midweek.
Pablo Hernandez came off the bench and set up two of the goals but may have to settle for another place on the bench here.
The Red Devils are unbeaten in their last 15 home league games against Leeds (W9 D6), since a 0-1 loss in February 1981 and have played more home Premier League games against Leeds without losing than against any other club (P12 W8 D4).
Manchester United lost their final league match before Christmas last season to Watford – they have not done so in consecutive years since 1995, when the second of these matches was a Christmas Eve loss at Elland Road against Leeds.
Leeds won their last away game against Man Utd in any competition, winning an FA Cup tie 1-0 in January 2010 thanks to a Jermaine Beckford goal.
Bielsa has beaten Manchester United twice in his managerial career, winning home and away with Athletic Club in the last 16 of the 2011/12 UEFA Europa League.
Bielsa’s Athletic side were one of only two teams Sir Alex Ferguson faced as Man Utd manager more than once while losing each time, along with Borussia Dortmund.
On Friday afternoon, Hull City will be hoping to get back to winning ways in League One against Portsmouth at the KCOM Stadium.
Hull lost 3-2 to Blackpool on Tuesday with Malik Wilks and Reece Burke on the scoresheet for the Tigers, whilst Portsmouth played out a 0-0 draw with Fleetwood Town.
Following their latest midweek setback, Grant McCann might be tempted to make yet more changes here.
Pompy have only lost one of their eight league away games this season (W5 D2), netting an average of two goals per game (16 in total).
Ten of Hull’s last 11 home league games have been either won or lost by a one-goal margin (W5 L5), the other being a 2-0 victory over Burton.
In the Championship, Middlesbrough will travel to St. Andrew’s on Saturday to face Birmingham City.
Last time out, Boro beat Luton Town 1-0 at the Riverside Stadium thanks to a goal by Chuba Akpom.
Hosts, Birmingham, lost 3-2 away to Cardiff City with Sean Morrison grabbing a last-minute goal for the Bluebirds despite Marc Roberts and Ivan Sanchez scoring a goal each that put the Blues in the lead.
Sam Morsy is suspended for Middlesbrough so Lewis Wing could return to partner George Saville and Marcus Tavernier in midfield.
One other change is on the cards for the visitors with youngster Djed Spence likely to return on the right.
The Blues have won just one of the last 12 league meetings with Boro (D5 L6), though that victory came the last time they hosted the Teessiders in October 2019.
Despite losing on their last trip to Birmingham, Middlesbrough have won two of their last three such trips, more than in their previous 16 visits beforehand.
This will be the first time Birmingham boss Aitor Karanka has hosted his old club Middlesbrough since leaving Teesside in 2017; indeed, he never lost in this league fixture when in charge of Middlesbrough (W2 D4).
Huddersfield Town will host promotion-chasing Watford at the John Smith’s Stadium in the Championship.
The Terriers drew 0-0 against Coventry City last time out, whilst Watford drew 1-1 with ten-man Brentford with both sides scoring a penalty.
Carlos Corberan could move Fraizer Campbell up front for the visit of Watford with Adama Diakhaby returning to the starting XI out wide.
Ryan Schofield will retain his place in goal with Ben Hamer still side-lined through injury.
Josh Koroma is out until March with a serious hamstring injury.
None of the last 12 league matches between Huddersfield and Watford have ended level, with the Terriers managing five wins to Watford’s seven.
Huddersfield have won each of their last three home league games, their best run since February 2017, a campaign in which they were promoted to the Premier League.
Watford are winless in their last three league games played in Yorkshire (D2 L1), since beating Huddersfield 2-1 in the Premier League in April 2019.
The Hornets last went four without a win in the region back in November 2011 (six).
In League Two, Harrogate Town are set to host Salford City at Wetherby Road whilst Cambridge United travel to Bradford City.
Harrogate beat Exeter City 2-1 last time out whilst Bradford drew 1-1 with Crawley Town.
Salford conceded late on to draw 1-1 with Newport County in midweek but Cambridge managed to win 2-1 against Colchester United thanks to a brace from Paul Mullin.
Simon Weaver could name the same starting XI that recorded a shock win at Exeter in midweek.
Defender Will Smith, who was rushed to A&E after an injury at Tranmere, will be out for 8-10 weeks due to a hamstring problem, rather than the neck injury that was initially reported.
As for the Bantams, Billy Clarke is likely to miss out along with Kurtis Guthrie, while Gareth Evans and Ben Richards-Everton are doubts.
This will be the first ever Football League match played between Harrogate Town and Salford City.
This will be Salford City’s second away game in Yorkshire in League Two, drawing their first 1-1 with Bradford City in December 2019.
The Bantams have only lost one of their last seven home league meetings with Cambridge United (W3 D3), with these meetings spread from 1976 to 2019.
Bradford City have lost both of their last two home league games; they had only lost twice in their previous 17 such matches before this (W8 D7 L2).
Comments