Manchester United are preparing for their penultimate pre-season fixture against Leeds United on Wednesday, with manager Michael Carrick set to welcome back several key players following their involvement at the World Cup. The match, scheduled for 7.30pm on April 12 at Croke Park in Dublin, will be broadcast via MUFC's own channels.
The headline story surrounding the trip across the Irish Sea is the return of Marcus Rashford to the United fold. The forward travelled with the squad to Dublin after linking up with his teammates at Carrington on Sunday morning, marking his first involvement with the first team since December 2024. Rashford spent the intervening period away from Old Trafford, first on loan at Aston Villa before a spell at Barcelona, after being sidelined by former head coach Ruben Amorim. His reintegration into the squad, complete with a new shirt number, suggests he may have a future at the club where he came through the youth ranks. He is expected to feature against Leeds in what would be his first appearance for United in well over a year.
In goal, Senne Lammens is likely to retain his starting spot after being forced to sit out the previous friendly against Paris Saint-Germain due to illness. Summer arrival Karl Darlow could be handed his first minutes for the club, potentially coming on as a substitute. There is uncertainty over the availability of Tom Heaton, who picked up a hamstring problem during the PSG match and needed on-field treatment before being replaced by Dermot Mee.
Defensively, Diogo Dalot is expected to be given more playing time having managed just half an hour against PSG. His increased involvement could allow Noussair Mazraoui to shift into a central defensive role alongside Harry Maguire, with Luke Shaw also a doubt for the fixture. Lisandro Martinez remains the only member of the squad yet to report for pre-season training, having reached the World Cup final with Argentina before their defeat.
In midfield, Youri Tielemans is aiming to earn his first start since arriving at the club after making an impact from the bench in the previous outing. Should he start, it could mean Kobbie Mainoo and Andrey Santos begin the match among the substitutes. Bruno Fernandes is anticipated to continue as a key figure in United's midfield setup.
Up top, Patrick Dorgu is expected to keep his place in an attacking role, offering support to lone striker Bryan Mbeumo, with Amad Diallo also involved in the forward line. Matheus Cunha, who did not feature in the PSG friendly, will be hopeful of finally getting his first minutes of the pre-season campaign, likely from the substitutes' bench.
Carrick's predicted starting XI for the encounter reads: Lammens; Dalot, Mazraoui, Maguire, Shaw; Tielemans, Santos; Amad, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo, though changes could still be made depending on the fitness of Shaw and Heaton ahead of kick-off.
The friendly represents an important step in United's preparations, offering Carrick another opportunity to assess his squad depth and fitness levels before the competitive season resumes, while also giving returning players like Rashford a platform to reestablish themselves within the group.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport (Football).