Man Utd Battle Past Leeds United: Three Key Lessons From Their Gritty Preseason Victory

Manchester United edged past Leeds United 5–4 in a penalty shootout before a buzzing capacity crowd at Croke Park in Dublin on Wednesday.

The Red Devils entered their second-to-last preseason fixture riding a three-match unbeaten streak, eager to maintain their form against their Premier League counterparts in the BOYLE Sports Cup. Michael Carrick's side made an impressive start and broke the deadlock through Joshua Zirkzee after just 16 minutes.

Bryan Mbeumo produced a dazzling run to beat his defender and burst forward in transition. The 27-year-old, who was undeniably United's most threatening player on the evening, lifted his head and delivered a perfectly weighted pass that Zirkzee slotted home to put the hosts in front.

Leeds drew level in the 29th minute after Brenden Aaronson capitalized on a costly error from Tyler Fletcher in the middle of the park.

With the score locked at 1–1, neither team could find a winner before the final whistle. The match was settled via a penalty shootout, with United prevailing over Leeds despite a surprising miss from Bruno Fernandes.

The Ebbs and Flows of Zirkzee

Zirkzee must have felt a wave of relief when he tucked the ball into the net on Wednesday. The strike, his second of this preseason, arrived just moments after he failed to convert an inviting cross from Diogo Dalot.

He squandered another promising chance in the 19th minute and largely faded from the contest thereafter, playing second fiddle to Mbeumo for the remainder of the match. Zirkzee will still take some positives from the night, but it's difficult to argue he's done enough across his five preseason outings to cement his place in Carrick's plans.

The Dutchman has been linked with a return to Serie A, with Juventus reportedly leading the race for his services. A fresh start would likely benefit Zirkzee, who has struggled enormously to leave his mark in a United shirt. Since joining from Bologna, he has managed just nine goals across 75 appearances.

Notably, Zirkzee's two preseason goals this summer already equal his entire tally from last season. His erratic finishing was once again on show against Leeds, as was his questionable decision-making in the attacking third.

His first contribution of the second half was a wasteful attempted cross that was comfortably cut out by two defenders in white. The frustrating aspect was that Zirkzee had already spotted the two players closing him down before attempting to thread a ball into a completely congested area, killing a promising attacking move.

Zirkzee was substituted shortly after the hour mark. The numbers and the scoresheet paint one picture, but the eye test tells a very different story.

Carrick Tests Internal Left Back Solution

It's no secret that United are actively seeking a left back this summer. The perpetually injury-prone Luke Shaw remains Carrick's only natural first-team option at left back, and the 31-year-old simply cannot be expected to handle the added workload that comes with Champions League football returning to the schedule.

The Red Devils have been connected to Lewis Hall, but Newcastle United appear reluctant to part ways with the promising youngster. With just over a week remaining before United kick off their 2026–27 Premier League season, a solution is urgently needed.

Despite a number of options available in the summer transfer window, the club may look within their own ranks at 19-year-old Harry Amass. Following a string of encouraging performances, the academy graduate earned his first preseason start against Leeds and did his reputation no harm.

Amass was composed in possession, making very few errors on the ball — a stark contrast to fellow youngster Tyler Fletcher, whose sloppy mistake in midfield gifted Leeds their equalizer.

Amass also demonstrated his ability to thrive in tight situations, weaving along the touchline at one point to hold possession for United and drawing enthusiastic applause from his manager just a short distance away. The teenager also showed sound tactical awareness, carefully judging when to push forward and when to track back and support his defensive line.

His only lapse in positioning came as a direct result of Fletcher's turnover. Aaronson suddenly found space through the center while Amass was still stationed wide. The young left back took note, however, and subsequently did a better job of covering his center backs during transitional moments as the match progressed.

More World Cup Stars Return

Having recently been handed the No. 1 jersey, Senne Lammens made his first appearance of the preseason. The goalkeeper, who was named the Premier League Transfer of the Season following a standout debut campaign at Old Trafford, returned to the starting lineup after his costly error had eliminated Belgium from the World Cup semifinals.

Lammens appeared to have shaken off the demons from that Spain defeat, however. The Belgian produced three saves across 61 minutes, conceding only one goal that he could do little about after his defense was recklessly cut open.

Matheus Cunha also made his eagerly anticipated return following Brazil's World Cup elimination in the round of 16. The forward, who had recently been dealing with illness, entered the fray in the 61st minute.

There was visible rustiness to Cunha's performance; the forward completed just 10 passes and failed to register a single shot during his second-half cameo. He did convert his penalty, though, offering a small bright spot in an otherwise muted return.

Time is running short for Cunha to rediscover his sharpness ahead of United's clash with Hull City on Aug. 22, making his involvement against AC Milan this weekend a vital opportunity to rebuild his match fitness.