Leeds United face Manchester United in nine days’ time as the club’s first Premier League test of pre-season ahead of next season’s return to the top flight.
Leeds’ preparations for their return to the Premier League are well underway with four new signings already confirmed and more expected in the coming days and weeks.
As Daniel Farke looks to pit himself against the country’s best sides, he will get a chance to do so in just nine days’ time during the club’s first pre-season outing in front of fans.
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Leeds United pre-season clash with Manchester United sees traditional pennants scrapped by INEOS
The first glimpse we’re going to get of Farke’s side on their quest to staying up in the Premier League is a clash against bottom-half rivals in Manchester United, off the back of their 15th-place finish and Europa League final defeat to Spurs.
Taking place in Stockholm’s Strawberry Arena, it’ll be the second time that Farke’s Leeds have taken on the Old Trafford club in pre-season, after a clash in Oslo back in July 2023.
However, this time Man United have decided to scrap the traditional exchange of commemorative pennants between the two captains – TalkSPORT reports.
(REUTERS/Juan Medina)
While rivals assume, presumably Leeds and the 49ers, that it’s yet the latest minuscule cost-cutting measure adopted by INEOS at Old Trafford, that may not be the case:
“Rivals believe it’s a cost-cutting measure, although United sources insist it’s a move away from needless ceremony and pomp, especially when facing English opponents.”
Instead of what the Red Devils claim to be unnecessary “ceremony and pomp”, they will instead mark the occasion with executive meetings with Leeds officials to foster stronger club-to-club relationship, as the report continues:
“Manchester United plan to instead put some budget towards hosting rival executives, starting with a planned drinks reception with Leeds officials in Stockholm.”
While their insistence is that this wasn’t a financially-motivated decision to abandon tradition, it is the latest tasteless move by the decision makers across the Pennines: having confirmed mass redundancies, the staff canteen closure, charity donation reduction, staff bonuses and incentives reductions, club legend salary cuts.
Manchester United as classy as ever – what difference does a Leeds United pennant make?
There can easily be an argument made that a pre-match pennant passed between captains is perhaps unnecessary, but there’s virtually no cost to having it done really, compared to what it could achieve.
It’s a symbol of the occasion, and the pennant itself could be an opportunity to make a charity donation by listing it for auction.
But no, boardroom drinks are the most important thing to have arranged for Sir Jim Ratcliffe – which is likely to cost a lot more than, for example, feeding staff for a day at the training ground.