Manchester United take on Leeds this weekend looking to record back to back wins and push on to try and land a top four spot.
This will be United’s first match at Elland Road in the league in front of a packed crowd since 2003, a game in which Cristiano Ronaldo featured in a 1-0 win.
United drew 0-0 in front of an empty Elland Road last season, and will get the full Leeds away experience on Sunday at 2pm.
Earlier this season United beat Leeds 5-1 at Old Trafford, although two Red Devils attackers who starred that day are not available.
Mason Greenwood is not being considered for first team selection, while Dan James has been sold to opponents Leeds and is expected to start.
The good news is United have Ronaldo now, who has found his scoring boots again and is looking to add to his tally of 15 for the season.
Selection decisions
Baked into United’s selection decisions this weekend is Wednesday night’s upcoming Champions League last 16 clash away at Atletico Madrid.
This could mean a little more rotation comes into play than usual, although United have to get the balance right.
Sunday’s game has three big selection dilemmas for United to consider, on the wing, in midfield and central defence.
Wingers: This weekend it is two from three out of Anthony Elanga, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho. We could see a controversial call to leave Sancho out.
Sancho has been outstanding in recent weeks, and United will be looking to save him for the Atletico Madrid tie.
Rashford’s experience in these kind of derby games is a case for him to start, while the inexperienced Elanga has a tremendous work rate which could replicate the performances Dan James brought to these matches.
Midfield: Fred and Scott McTominay had enjoyed real success against Leeds in the past. The question is how to fit both in, along with Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes.
Pogba devastated Leeds last time by providing four assists, with Fernandes netting three. But one of them may have to be left out, with Ralf Rangnick reluctant to use Pogba in the free role Solskjaer did.
After resting in midweek, Pogba could start, and we would expect another controversial call, Bruno Fernandes to be omitted from the starting line-up, with a similar eye on Wednesday’s game.
Defence: United are spoiled for choice at centre-back. Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof started in midweek, while Raphael Varane is fit again, as is Eric Bailly.
It would not be a total surprise to see Bailly brought in for his pace to combat Dan James, but we expect United will go with a partnership of Maguire and Varane for this fixture.
Other potential selection calls are at full-back, whether United wish to rotate, or even up front if a decision is made to rest Ronaldo if Edinson Cavani is passed fit.
Sancho and Fernandes would be options from the bench. It does not make sense for United to play a strongest XI for this game, and then use the same 11 players on Wednesday night. Rangnick has to get the balance right, and this side should be more than capable of beating a defensively naive Leeds side.
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