Leeds United will have to end a worrying Premier League streak without at least two key players
Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter
07:30, 12 Apr 2026
Daniel Farke must find solutions to the hole two - and possibly more - players will leave
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Leeds United face Manchester United on Monday(Image: Mark Cosgrove/News Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Last weekend was a generational occasion for Leeds United having reached the semi-finals for the first time in nearly four decades - and a win on Monday will provide another one.
Leeds have not beaten Manchester United at Old Trafford in a league fixture for 45 years, the sole win being that famous 2010 FA Cup triumph when Jermaine Beckford stole the show with his winner.
CDs had not yet been created, Daniel Farke was five years old and John Lennon, Madness and Phil Collins were in the UK top 10 music charts when Allan Clarke’s side ran out 1-0 league victors in Manchester.
The out of tune performances in front of goal prior to the international break for the current Leeds team mean they could end the weekend one point above the drop zone, should Tottenham Hotspur win today.
The Red Devils are the highest-ranked team Leeds have left to play in the run-in. Given the rivalry and the present relegation context, a win for Leeds this week would mean more than just three points.
Coping without injured players
Losing Anton Stach and Joe Rodon for the rest of April, as things stand, is a mighty blow and a very untimely one. Stach has been so vital to Leeds’ attacking thrust, not least with his set-pieces, while Rodon is a colossus at the back both in his game and through his communication attributes.
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Daniel James' absence means Leeds are lacking a pace option from the bench. Gabriel Gudmundsson, Noah Okafor and Jaka Bijol are doubts for the game too, with their availability not yet known.
The hope is that at least one of the trio will be fine to feature, which would be massive. If not, then Leeds' team will be extremely stretched and the task becomes grave. But regardless, Rodon and Stach’s absence will hurt and Daniel Farke must find the required solutions.
Barren league runs
Last week’s win over West Ham saw Leeds score against a Premier League side for the first time in five matches, and they technically registered their first away win against a top-tier outfit since September, albeit via a penalty shoot-out.
However, it remains the case they have yet to do this in the league. They are goalless in their last four Premier League games, their last win came seven league games ago and their last top-flight away victory was secured almost seven months back.
Last Sunday will have undoubtedly handed the players a boost and Daniel Farke says the manner of the win has galvanised his squad. Now is the crunch period and there can be no room for ‘in the future’ or ‘in time’. Just seven games remain for Leeds to secure Premier League safety.
For better or for worse?
Man United sanctioned a four-day training camp this week, as a kind of mini-preseason due to the fact it will be 24 days between their fixtures by the time they kick-off. Is this break a good thing or a bad thing?
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One one hand, all home players are refreshed and ready to go full throttle against a weakened Leeds team. On the other, Leeds are in the in-game flow and have had match minutes together - something that cannot be replicated on the training pitch.
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Man Utd had considered organising a friendly during their break but opted against it. Leeds have had eight days off - a lengthy gap in itself - and have suffered a number of key setbacks because of the FA Cup tie.
Whether any of this has an impact will ultimately only be told by the scoreline.