Manchester United are back in action tomorrow as they start their 2025/26 pre-season with a friendly match against Leeds United at the Strawberry Arena, Stockholm.
Fans will be hoping to get a first look at new signing Matheus Cunha, who has been filmed training with the team and looks sharp.
Obviously as a first match of pre-season, predicting the team will be difficult as there are likely to be two sides, one in the first half and one in the second.
In addition, footage of training sessions has been sparse, so we do not have confirmed sightings of every member of the squad.
We know Andre Onana is injured and will not feature. Josh Zirkzee may also still be unavailable, and we have not yet seen Harry Maguire, Toby Collyer or Patrick Dorgu in any coverage.
The likes of Marcus Rashford, Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho and Tyrell Malacia have not been integrated with the main squad and are all expected to leave this summer.
Defence
In Onana’s absence, Altay Bayindir should be in goal, although Ruben Amorim might want to get a closer look at Radek Vitek, who has returned from an impressive loan spell at BW Linz and will be hoping to make his case to be Onana’s back up this season. Dermot Mee and Tom Heaton could also feature.
We’ve gone for 45 minutes from Bayindir with Vitek playing in the second half.
Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro and Noussair Mazraoui are the expected starting centre backs. De Ligt has looked sharp in training and will likely be the leader of the defence in the new season.
In the second half, we expect to see the supremely talented Ayden Heaven, alongside Tyler Fredricson and Maguire, if available. Reece Munro could come in if the England man is absent.
Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans have left the playing staff, while Lisandro Martinez is not yet training on the grass as he continues his recovery from injury.
Wing backs and central midfield
It will be interesting to see if Luke Shaw is deployed as a wing back or a centre back, as it will reveal Amorim’s intentions for the player going forward.
There’s hot competition for the LWB slot, with Patrick Dorgu, Harry Amass and new signing Diego Leon all pushing for a spot. As we’ve not spotted Dorgu, we’re going for Shaw in the first half and the new boy in the second.
With Bryan Mbeumo hopefully coming in, it’s expected that Amad will be playing right wing back this season. So he could play the first 45 minutes, with Diogo Dalot taking over in the second half.
Casemiro and Manu Ugarte could play 45 minutes each in the 6. While Bruno Fernandes will be the likely starting 8 this season, he could be deployed up in the right 10 spot earmarked for Mbeumo tomorrow. So Kobbie Mainoo could be the 8, with young Sekou Koné replacing him at half time. Alternatively, Mainoo could play in the 10 with Fernandes in the 8.
Forwards
As stated, we think Fernandes will play as the right 10 with Mason Mount potentially taking over at half time.
Cunha should start as the left 10, with one of the youngsters – perhaps Ethan Williams, Harry Amass or Bendito Mantato picking things up in the second.
Up top, Rasmus Hojlund is likely to start, with Chido Obi getting 45 minutes in the second half, unless Zirkzee does prove to be available.
Here, then, are our predicted starting and second half XI’s for tomorrow’s 2pm (BST) kick-off:
Featured image Wagner Meier via Getty Images
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Red Billy
Red Billy is the managing editor of The Peoples Person, author of three books and totally obsessed with football’s transfer market. Billy still insists Matteo Darmian and Alex Telles could have made it at United given half a chance.
