📅 October 18, 2026
Confirmed: Martínez Starts at Leeds, Shaw and Mainoo Out, Rashford and Cunha on the Bench
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Lisandro Martínez starts at Elland Road five days after the Atlético interview. He’s one of two changes Michael Carrick has made from Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat in Madrid: Harry Maguire comes in for Ayden Heaven, and Amad replaces Marcus Rashford. Luke Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo aren’t in the squad. Daniel Farke names the same eleven that lost at Arsenal.
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Yoro, Maguire, Martínez, Dalot; Baleba, Santos; Amad, Tielemans, Fernandes; Mbeumo.
Substitutes: Darlow, Mazraoui, de Ligt, Amass, Mount, Lacey, Rashford, Cunha, Zirkzee.
Leeds United (3-4-2-1): Trafford; Justin, Elvedi, Muharemović; Bogle, Ampadu, Tanaka, Gudmundsson; Stach, Okafor; Calvert-Lewin.
Substitutes: Zetterer, Bijol, Bard, Gruev, Longstaff, Aaronson, Wilson, Bahoya, Nmecha.
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Martínez plays
The week’s biggest question got a straight answer. On Friday Carrick said “It’s done really” and that the player “acknowledges that it was a mistake from him.” Today he’s in the eleven, partnering Maguire in the middle, with de Ligt on the bench.
Maguire’s return puts the centre-back pair that started the 1-1 with Spurs back together. In Madrid, Yoro played centre-back and Heaven was at left-back. Heaven isn’t in the squad today, so the back four has been reshuffled.
Yoro right, Dalot left
ESPN’s line-up has Yoro at right-back, where he played against Tottenham, and Dalot on the left. That’s a stopgap for Shaw. Carrick said on Friday “We will see on Luke Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo.” Neither made it. Both picked up problems against Spurs, and neither travelled to Madrid.
Noussair Mazraoui is back on the bench after returning to training this week. Harry Amass is the other option at full-back.
Baleba and Santos again
With Mainoo out, Carlos Baleba and Andrey Santos keep the double pivot they had in Madrid. That was Baleba’s first start for the club. Youri Tielemans plays at ten, the same role he had on Tuesday, with Bruno Fernandes on the left of the three.
Amad in, Rashford and Cunha on the bench
Amad is on the right with Bryan Mbeumo through the middle. Benjamin Sesko is still missing; Carrick said he’s “still a little bit further away.” Matheus Cunha started against Spurs, came off the bench in Madrid and is a substitute again. That leaves Rashford, Cunha, Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount as the attacking changes Carrick can make.
Against the last league side, the one that drew with Spurs, this is three changes: Dalot, Baleba and Santos in, Shaw, Mainoo and Cunha out.
Farke goes unchanged
Leeds start the same eleven that lost 2-1 at the Emirates on 10 October. The back three is Justin, Elvedi and Muharemović, with Bogle and Gudmundsson as the wing-backs. Calvert-Lewin leads the line with Stach and Okafor behind him. Brenden Aaronson, Harry Wilson and Sean Longstaff are among the substitutes.
Details
Elland Road, 2pm UK, 9am Eastern, on USA Network and Telemundo in the USA. The match Carrick called “a little bit extra again” for the home side is under way. Full report here after the whistle.
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Sources: Both line-ups, both benches and both formations from the Premier League’s official match data (fixture 128988), taken on 18 October 2026, cross-checked against ESPN’s match data (positions, including Yoro at right-back and Dalot at left-back, are ESPN’s), 101 Great Goals for both sides and Man Utd News for United. United’s Atlético and Tottenham line-ups and Leeds’ Arsenal line-up, for the change counts, from our match coverage and the same Premier League data. Carrick’s quotes from his pre-match press conference, via 101 Great Goals and our own coverage linked above. US broadcasters from ESPN’s match listing. Accurate as of kick-off.