Leeds midfielder Anton Stach has sent a strong warning to Rúben Amorim as Manchester United prepare to face Daniel Farke’s men on Sunday afternoon.
Manchester United will aim to put 2025 behind them as Rúben Amorim prepares for his first outing of the new year, making the trip to Elland Road to face Leeds United on Sunday afternoon.
The past year proved a frustrating one for United, with costly stumbles along the way, including a Europa League final defeat to Tottenham and a disappointing 15th-place finish in the 2024/25 Premier League.
This season, however, has offered renewed optimism. Amorim’s side reach the halfway stage in sixth place, level on points with fifth-placed Chelsea, while their opponents arrive in buoyant form.
Leeds made a slow start to the campaign and found themselves embroiled in a relegation battle, but Daniel Farke’s side have since gathered momentum, remaining unbeaten in their last six matches.
That run features two draws against Liverpool and another against Sunderland, alongside home victories over Chelsea and Crystal Palace, building significant momentum ahead of The Roses Derby.
Stach fires goal warning at Amorim
When it emerged that the winter fixtures would see Leeds face the likes of Sunderland, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, and Liverpool twice, many assumed it could be a string of games that, if they lost, would be impossible to recover from.
However, their stunning form has forced many to take note of how well Farke’s side is playing, and according to midfielder Anton Stach, they now feel a fire in their bellies to defeat United.
United’s last few games at Elland Road have been positive, with the Reds having not lost in six attempts there since 2002.
However, when asked about the United game, the Leeds star told Premier League Productions that they will focus on recovering from their recent 0-0 draw with Liverpool, and that they feel they have the firepower to score against and beat United.
“The most important thing is to recover because we had long-running sessions today,” Stach explained on Thursday evening.
“Of course, it’s a really big game, and we are already on fire to score against Manchester United and win the game.”
Absences are hurting United’s defence
United have kept just two clean sheets all season, against Sunderland in October and Newcastle last month, and recently, injuries and absences have hurt their options at the back.
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Amorim has attempted to play a 4-3-3 formation at times during December, but several players have been unavailable. Noussair Mazraoui is playing well at the Africa Cup of Nations, while Matthijs de Ligt has been unavailable for around four weeks with a back injury.
Lisandro Martínez was only able to return to action after nine months out a few weeks ago, while Harry Maguire is back in training but was not included in the matchday squad against Wolves earlier this week.
Ayden Heaven has been fantastic of late, but with Leeds set to provide an incredible physical and intense fixture, Amorim may be looking to reintroduce Maguire.
While the United boss will be waiting to see if Maguire is fit to play or even start the game, he will also be hoping to see the return of midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, whose reintroduction could help inject a level of technical ability and calm into United’s erratic form.
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