Manchester United started their pre-season campaign off with a trip to Stockholm to take on arch rivals Leeds United in front of a crowd of over 40,000. With both clubs well supported across Scandinavia, the game largely lacked excitement but an opportunity to see the clubs closer to home will please fans, while it gives both teams a chance to get minutes and fitness ahead of their respective tours across the globe and the upcoming new campaign.

Without any goals to discuss, the game still had a few standout moments and talking points, including unofficial debuts for both Cunha and Diego Leon who got their first minutes in a United shirt, while a couple of big chances came for a few players, and we had a bit of a glimpse at how Amorim may utilise the likes of Amad, Mainoo, Collyer and others ahead of the new season.

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Teams

Manchester United: Bayindir (Heaton 46′), Shaw (Heaven 46′), De Ligt (Maguire 46′ – Fredricson 74′), Mazraoui (Yoro 46′), Leon (Dorgu 46′), Casemiro (Mainoo 46′), Collyer (Ugarte 46′), Amad (Dalot 46′), Cunha (Mount 46′), Fernandes (Mantato 46′ – Fletcher 80′), Obi-Martin (Hojlund 46′)

Subs: Mee, Kukonki, Munro, Kone, Williams

Leeds United: Darlow (Meslier 46′), Byram (Gudmundsson 46′), Bijol (Struijk 46′), Rodon (Bornauw 46′), Bogle (Gray 77′), Gruev (Crew 86′), Ampadu (Longstaff 46′), Harrison (James 46′), Tanaka (Chambers 77′), Gnonto (Piroe 46′ – Chadwick 89′), Nmecha (Ramazani 46′)

Subs: Cairns, Mahady

Manchester United 0-0 Leeds United

Manchester United began their 2025/26 pre‑season campaign with a 0‑0 draw against newly promoted Leeds United at the Strawberry Arena in Stockholm, watched by 45,345 spectators. The game was delayed by around ten minutes due to traffic congestion outside the stadium, but once underway it proved a largely uneventful contest with few goal‑mouth moments.

United fielded new signings Matheus Cunha and Diego Leon in the starting XI, both making their first appearances in a red shirt and showing early promise, especially Cunha, who brought energy and physicality across the opening 45 minutes. Despite pressure, United failed to find cutting edge, producing 19 total shots (4 on target) while Leeds managed just 4 attempts, including 3 on target, with Amorim’s side finishing the half short on end product despite hitting the post via a deflected Casemiro cross.

At half‑time, both managers made wholesale changes, United replaced their entire XI, bringing in Tom Heaton, who immediately stamped his mark with a series of fine saves, earning Man of the Match recognition for thwarting Largie Ramazani and Jayden Bogle among others. In the closing stages, Kobbie Mainoo came desperately close to a late winner when his header thudded against the crossbar, and Ayden Heaven then prodded the rebound wide before Leeds cleared off the line.

Talking Points

Fans got their first glimpse of summer signings Matheus Cunha and Diego Leon in action during the goalless pre-season opener against Leeds United in Stockholm. Cunha, deployed as the left no.10, showed flashes of his dynamism, dropping deep to link play and using his physicality to unsettle the Leeds back line. Though he didn’t register a shot on target, his movement and intensity caught the eye, and a chance taken away by Chido Obi could have seen a moment to remember on his unofficial debut. Diego Leon was given the start also as his comments regarding the importance of pre-season to lay down a marker give fans optimism that they could have uncovered a future key figure at the club.

Despite United enjoying the lion’s share of possession and creating 19 efforts on goal, their attacking play lacked conviction in key moments. A deflected cross from Casemiro that rattled the post was as close as the Reds came in the first half, while in the second, Kobbie Mainoo’s header against the bar and Ayden Heaven’s follow-up wide summed up the lack of clinical finishing. With United fielding two completely different XIs across the halves, rhythm and sharpness were always going to be in short supply, understandable at this stage of the summer.

Ultimately, the 0-0 draw served its purpose more as a fitness exercise than a spectacle. Amorim will be far more concerned with building match sharpness and testing combinations than the result itself. With many first-team regulars only just returning to full training and minutes being carefully managed, there’s no reason to read too deeply into the lack of fluidity. As the tour moves to the United States next, expect the tempo and intensity to rise, particularly as the starting XI begins to take more shape ahead of the season opener against Arsenal.