Three Takeaways From Man Utd’s Hard-Fought Preseason Win Over Leeds United
Manchester United defeated Leeds United 5–4 on penalties in front of an electric crowd at a sold-out Croke Park in Dublin on Wednesday.
The Red Devils came into their penultimate preseason fixture on a three-game unbeaten run, looking to keep the momentum going against their Premier League rivals in the BOYLE Sports Cup. Michael Carrick’s men got the game off to a strong start and took the lead through Joshua Zirkzee after just 16 minutes.
Bryan Mbeumo made a brilliant play to get past his marker and then was off to the races in transition. The 27-year-old, who was unquestionably United’s most dangerous player on the night, picked his head up and squared a perfect ball that Zirkzee buried to get the hosts on the scoresheet.
Leeds equalized in the 29th minute after Brenden Aaronson took advantage of a mistake from Tyler Fletcher in midfield.
Deadlocked at 1–1, there was not another goal from either side before the final whistle sounded. A penalty shootout decided the game, and United outlasted Leeds despite a shocking miss from Bruno Fernandes.
The Ebbs and Flows of Zirkzee
Zirkzee no doubt breathed a sigh of relief when he fired the ball into the back of the net on Wednesday. The goal, his second of this summer’s preseason, came just a few minutes after he failed to put away a delicious cross from Diogo Dalot.
He wasted another decent opportunity in the 19th minute and then never really got back into the game, playing second-fiddle to Mbeumo for the rest of the outing. Zirkzee will still be happy with his contributions on the night, but it’s hard to imagine he’s done enough in his five preseason appearances to keep his place in Carrick’s squad.
The Dutchman has been linked with a move back to Serie A, with Juventus leading the charge for his signature. It would be a much-needed change for Zirkzee, who has struggled massively to make an impact in a red shirt. Since he arrived from Bologna, he has scored just nine goals in 75 appearances.
In fact, Zirkzee’s two preseason goals this summer match his total from the entirety of last season. His inconsistent finishing was back on display against Leeds, though, as was his poor decision-making in the final third.
Zirkzee’s first involvement of the second half was a wasteful attempted cross that was easily blocked by two players in white. The ironic part was the United man picked his head up, saw the two defenders fully closing him down, and he still tried to thread a ball with absolutely nowhere for it to go, ending a positive push forward from his team.
Zirkzee made his exit just past the hour-mark. The statistics and the scoresheet tell one story, but the eye-test told another.
Carrick Tests Internal Left Back Solution
It’s no secret United are in the market for a left back this summer. The ever-injury prone Luke Shaw is Carrick’s only natural, first-team left back, and the 31-year-old simply cannot be expected to shoulder the burden that comes with adding Champions League soccer back into the match calendar.
The Red Devils have been linked with Lewis Hall, but Newcastle United seem unwilling to let the young talent slip through their grasp. With only just over a week until United kick off their 2026–27 Premier League campaign, they need to find an alternative—and fast.
Despite several options up for grabs in the summer transfer market, the club could look inward at 19-year-old Harry Amass. After a slew of impressive outings, the academy product made his first start of the preseason against Leeds and helped increase his stock.
Amass was tidy in possession, making few mistakes with the ball at his feet unlike fellow youngster Tyler Fletcher, who made a careless error in midfield that helped Leeds get back in the game.
Amass also showed off his ability to operate in tight spaces, dancing along the touchline at one point to retain possession for United, earning enthusiastic applause from his manager just a few yards away. The teenager also made smart decisions, carefully weighing when it was best to push forward or hang back to cover for his team in defense.
The only time he was out of position came off Fletcher’s giveaway. Aaronson was suddenly free down the middle while Amass was still out wide. The left back learned from the moment, though, and proceeded to better cover for his center backs in transition as the game unfolded.
More World Cup Stars Return
Fresh off being handed the No. 1 shirt, Senne Lammens made his first appearance of the summer. The goalkeeper, who was named the Premier League Transfer of the Season for his impressive debut campaign at Old Trafford, returned between the sticks after his error in goal cost Belgium a place in the World Cup semifinals.
Lammens looked free from the demons that haunted him against Spain, though. The Belgian made three saves in 61 minutes, conceding just one goal that he had little chance at stopping after his defense was carelessly carved apart.
Matheus Cunha also made his long-awaited return following Brazil’s World Cup exit in the round of 16. The forward, who was recently battling illness, came on in the 61st minute.
There was clear rust plaguing Cunha’s game; the forward only completed 10 passes and did not manage a single shot in his second-half cameo. He did score his penalty, though, a silver lining to his underwhelming return.
There isn’t much more time for Cunha to regain his match fitness before United take on Hull City on Aug. 22, which means his involvement against AC Milan this weekend will be a crucial step in building his sharpness.
