The history of Leeds United vs Manchester United

The history of Leeds United vs Manchester United

A look back over the years at this intense rivalry.

This week will has already seen one of the most fierce rivalries in the country resume, as Leeds United and Manchester United met at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, playing out an entertaining 2-2 draw.

The clubs will now face each other once again this weekend, as they contest their second Premier League clash of the week, this one at Elland Road on Sunday. Ben Scott takes a look at the historical matches between the two teams, prior to the Premier League forming.


Jon HoweThe teams faced each other three times 1970, over a 12 day period!


The origin of this highly-charged rivalry is nearly 60-years old now. Many attribute the 1965 FA Cup semi-final as the birth point for this cross-Pennine rivalry. Every time they meet, the footballing world watches on as every tackle is robust and every goal is celebrated in unimaginable fashion.

The first ever meeting was at Old Trafford in Division Two as a 0-0 game was played out on 20 January 1923. It would be six years later when Leeds first took maximum gains at Old Trafford with a 2-1 victory on 19 January, featuring a goal each for Charlie Keetley and Ernie Hart in Division One.

Leeds’ first win over Manchester United at Elland Road happened in Division One, 2-1 the result on 3 October 1925. Tom Jennings and Russell Wainscoat were the happy scorers. 

Leeds very much gained bragging rights in the league in 1930 and 1931, with a 5-0 home win five days before Christmas of 1930 (a hat-trick for Bobby Turnbull and one each for Wainscoat and Billy Furness) and a 5-2 victory two days after Bonfire Night of 1931, away from home (Keetley, Furness, Harry Duggan and a brace for Joe Firth). 


Jon HoweBobby Turnbull (Left) Billy Furness (Right) 


Then in 1965, the FA Cup semi-final clash was played on 27 March at Hillsborough. It ended scoreless, meaning four days later a replay would take place in Nottingham at the City Ground. Leeds left the East Midlands with a place in the cup final at Wembley after a 1-0 win, Billy Bremner getting the vital goal. 

Moving forward a further five years and we are once again in March and it is FA Cup semi-final time. This time it wasn’t just one replay needed! After firstly drawing 0-0 at Hillsborough and a further 0-0 at Villa Park, it was onto Bolton’s former ground, Burnden Park. Three attempts in 12 days needed to find a winner of this semi-final and it was Don Revie’s Leeds who progressed, after once again, it was Bremner bringing joy for those in white. 

Two years later, Revie’s Leeds left their rivals well and truly beaten with a 5-1 rout at Elland Road. A Mick Jones hat-trick was complemented with goals from Peter Lorimer and Allan Clarke. 


Jon HoweLeeds celebrate another goal in the famous 5-1 victory!


In the April of 1977, Leeds did eventually come unstuck in the FA Cup semis when they narrowly suffered a loss, 2-1 the score and Hillsborough yet again the host stadium.  

In Leeds’ last game of the 1979/80 season, the Whites did Liverpool a favour, much to the annoyance of the Red Devils. The Manchester outfit lost 2-0 at Elland Road, the goals coming from Derek Parlane and Kevin Hird. It was a bitter blow for the Old Trafford club, defeat at Leeds confirming that Liverpool would win the league. Some 12 years later, Liverpool would play a large part in Leeds celebrating a title win of their own.

The clubs would not meet for eight years in the 80s as they competed in different divisions. The 1990/91 season saw hostilities resume and in double fashion, as they would meet in the cup as well as Division One. Leeds’ home campaign actually kicked-off with a 0-0 against them, before another draw was played out, 1-1, on 8 December at Old Trafford – Mel Sterland’s superb strike getting Leeds a goal.

Then in the February came the cup clash. A two-legged League Cup tie, and two narrow defeats - 2-1 away and 1-0 at home. It meant no cup final for Leeds, but they did earn bragging rights in the league, finishing in fourth place, five points ahead of sixth-placed Man U. The two clubs had tussled many times in the league table, and would again in the upcoming season.

One of the most intense duals these two clubs had was the race for the last ever topflight Division One title in the 1991/92 season. The title was taken by Leeds and confirmed On April 26 as Leeds had won at Sheffield United and just a few hours later Liverpool defeated the Old Trafford men 2-0, sealing the title for Howard Wilkinson and his players.


Jon HoweThe champions with the First Division trophy.


Following that season the Premier League was formed and in five out of the first 10 seasons, the pair finished in the top five together.

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