It’s a biggie on Sunday and the question is which Leeds United team will turn up.
Will we see the one we saw at West Ham and Aston Villa that played with intensity, freedom, and a real attacking verve, all will we see the team which lost to Newcastle or collapsed so meekly at Everton last week?
If we see the same as we saw at West Ham and Villa, then I think Man United are there for the taking. Yes, they have some real quality players and man for man they are a better side, but at this moment in time they look all over the place.
There’s all sorts of stories about a lack of unity, internal fall-outs and squabbles, and talk of player power and a manager who is struggling to build a relationship with his squad. When you look at the names they have…Pogba, Ronaldo, De Gea, Fernandes, this isn’t anywhere near the worst side they have had in the last 30 years, but at times when you watch them, it does look that way.
Their team spirit doesn’t jump out at you, and that’s the one thing they will need on Sunday when the Elland Road atmosphere hits them. Leeds away in the Premier League is a new experience for them and it doesn’t matter how many big games you’ve played or how many hostile environments you’ve played in, they’ve got to be big to stand up to that, and I’m not sure they are.
All that said, we have to be at it. We can’t give them any encouragement and we have to make life difficult. We have to press high and get in their faces from the very off. Our start could be the key to the game. If we can set the tempo and get at them, they will have to dig deep, show more desire than they have been doing, and show some courage.
For our part, we simply have to turn up because if we don’t, no matter how bad they are, they will sense an opportunity, and we don’t want to give them that.
We know the fans will turn up and make it difficult, the team have to do the same…
