90+2 min: Tyler Roberts goes down in the Manchester United penalty area after colliding with Harry Maguire’s leg as they crossed paths. It would definitely have been a penalty last season but Leeds are denied on the opening weekend of the current campaign.

90+1 min: Tyler Roberts does well to square the ball from the left but in the Manchester United penalty area, Helder Costa is unable to get a toe on it to poke it goalwards.

88 min: He may have got four assists, but Paul Pogba has been overlooked for the man of the match award by BT Sport pundit and former footballer Lucy Ward. She opts for Bruno Fernandes, who will get a nice trophy to take home with the match ball.

86 min: Raphina blows a good chance to pull a goal back for Leeds, shooting across the face of goal and wide after being teed up by Ayling. That’s an awful miss.

84 min: Liam Cooper slides in to dispossess Anthony Martial with a meaty challenge near the halfway line. The substitute looks a little taken aback by the Leeds captain’s “enthusiasm”.

83 min: Luke Shaw gets booked for having a little nip at the ankles of Raphina.

82 min: Number of Premier League assists Paul Pogba had in 75 minutes today? Four. Number of Premier League assists Paul Pogba had all last season? Three. Hats off to BT Sport commentator Darren Fletcher for that little nugget.

80 min: Leeds win a free-kick wide on the right. Raphina’s delivery to the far post is thumped clear by Harry Maguire.

79 min: Roberts volleys an effort wide, while Bruno Fernandes goes to ground after having one of his feet trodden on by Raphina. There was no malice in the challenge but it looks painful. The hat-trick hero limps away with a grimace after being helped to his feet by the Leeds winger.

76 min: Leeds substitution: Tyler Roberts sprints on in place of Patrick Bamford, presumably under orders to score four goals. No pressure!

73 min: A bad afternoon for Leeds could be about to get a whole lot worse. Following an off-target shot from Mason Greenwood, Manchester United use the break in play to introduce Jadon Sancho. He replaces Dan James, while Anthony Martial comes on for Paul Poga. The Frenchman has been outstanding.

71 min: “Leeds! Leeds are falling apart again!” sing the Manchester United faithful to the tune of a famous old Joy Division track.

70 min: Manchester United substitution: Nemanja Matic comes on for Scott McTominay. Leeds substitution: Helder Costa replaces Jack Harrison.

65 min: Manchester United won the corresponding fixture at Old Trafford 6-2 last December and given the way they’re banging them in during this second half, they could better that tally today. Leeds are desperately missing Kalvin Phillips, whose replacement Robin Koch simply isn’t able to cope with the Manchester United onslaught.

63 min: THere are a couple of bookings to report. Liam Cooper was shown a yellow card for a desperate lunge on Mason Greenwood shortly before the hour mark, while Raphina has just gone into the notebook for a foul on Luke Shaw.

61 min: Luke Ayling certainly isn’t beaming now. It was he who played Fernandes onside as the player made yet another untracked and extremely productive run towards the Leeds penalty area.

57 min: A tip of the hat for Paul Pogba, who has made it a hat-trick of excellent assists. This time he played Fernandes in down the left. He didn’t look to have an angle to shoot, but cut back to create one, making poor Firpo look a little foolish in the process. What must the half-time substitute be making of all this craziness?

55 min: My word! Bruno Fernandes extends Manchester United’s lead, sitting Firpo on his backside with a turn in the penalty area before shooting goalwards. Luke Ayling looked to have cleared the ball off the line, but Paul Tierney awards the goal after being informed it crossed it by his HawkEye wristwatch.

53 min: It’s another counter-attack goal from Manchester United, with Pogba turning provider again. He slides a pass down the inside left for Greenwood to chase and the striker rifles the ball across the face of goal and into the bottom right-hand corner.

49 min: Luke Ayling is beaming with delight and it’s small wonder. He picked up the ball a few yards outside the Manchester United penalty area, right-hand side, took aim and unleashed a surface to air screamer into the top left-hand corner. David De Gea didn’t get anywhere near it.

46 min: Firpo’s first contribution of note is a late lunge on Bruno Fernandes, which earns Manchester United a free-kick. The debutant avoids a yellow card although I’ve seen them given for less.

45+1 min: Liam Cooper tries to pick out Luke Ayling with a ball from deep that’s intercepted and that’s yer lot for the first half.

44 min: Dan James shoots from inside the Leeds penalty area after Paul Pogba had played the ball his way. He doesn’t get much welly behind a scuffed effort that may have taken a deflection and Meslier saves with ease.

42 min: A corner for Manchester United. Mason Greenwood sends the ball long past the back post, but Harry Maguire and Scott McTominay get in each other’s way as they leap to try to head it goalwards.

40 min: Leeds win a throw-in halfway inside the Manchester United half, which Stuart Dallas takes. The hosts immediately win the ball back and force Leeds on to the back foot, in a state of affairs that more or less sums up the pattern of this entire first half.

37 min: Klich sends a cross into the Manchester United penalty area from the right wing, trying to pick out Bamford. It’s a good cross but Lindelof doesn’t give the striker an inch. He forces the ball out for a goal-kick off the Leeds No9.

36 min: Another attack on the break from Manchester United, who gallop down the left. The ball is worked wide to Dan James, who eschews the opportunity to square it for Scott McTominay and shoots narrowly wide instead. Leeds are on the ropes here and one suspects half-time can’t come soon enough for Marcelo Bielsa.

34 min: He has no shortage of critics but Paul Pogba’s assist for that Fernandes goal was sublime. With Manchester United attacking on the break, he floated a sublime pass over the Leeds defence, taking out three opponents. Fernandes timed his run in behind superbly to finish the move.

33 min: Luke Shaw sends a shot fizzing into the side-netting after linking up well with Fernandes down the left flank.

31 min: Fernandes runs on to a through ball from Paul Pogba and controls it on the edge of the penalty area. With only Meslier to beat, he shoots goalwards. The ball takes a deflection off the inside of the goalkeeper’s leg and loops up in the air before dropping into the empty goal.

30 min: Bruno Fernandes curls a terrific ball across the face of the Leeds goal. Mason Greenwood stretches every sinew but is unable to get a touch.

28 min: Dan James is unable to run on to a weighted pass in behind from Bruno Fernandes. Illan Meslier, who signed a new five-year deal with Leeds yesterday, is quick off his line to get down, smother the ball and deny the Welshman.

26 min: Correction: a free-kick. Raphina curls the ball into the penalty area, where Rodrigo scampers on to it and sends a header flashing narrowly wide.

24 min: Over halfway through the first half and the game remains scoreless despite Manchester United’s dominance. They’ve had the pick of the chances with both Paul Pogba and Mason Greenwood going close, but David De Gea has been forced to make one good save from Mateusz Klich. Now they have another corner ...

22 min: Leeds win a corner. Cooper and Struijk lumber forward but it’s Scott McTominay who gets his head on the ball to clear.

21 min: Dan James runs on to a through ball and squares it from the edge of the Leeds penalty area after evading the lunge of Liam Cooper. Luke Ayling hoofs clear.

19 min: Running towards his own goal, Harry Maguire has to deal with a long ball from deep under prerssure from Patrick Bamford. He manages to find David De Gea with a pass but didn’t look particularly assured.

17 min: Manchester United are playing Leeds at their own game, giving them precious little time on the ball and forcing them into multiple errors. It’s an absorbing game which the hosts are almost totally dominating.

16 min: Mateusz Klich brings a smart save out of David De Gea, who dives to his left to save the dipping effort. It’s a corner for Leeds, which Victor Lindelof clears.

14 min: Manchester United win another corner. The ball is sent into the mixer and Meslier punches it towards the edge of the area. It’s not a great clearance but it does the job.

13 min: Manchester United win possession on the halfway line and swarm forward. Paul Pogba finds himself through on goal with only Meslier to beat, tries to bamboozle the goalkeeper with a stepover and then fires wide when scoring looked much easier. That’s a bad miss.

11 min: With a deflected shot, Mason Greenwood forces a fine save out of Illan Meslier, who he tried to chip after pouncing on a dreadful backpass from Raphina. The French goallkeeper stretches every sinew to claw the ball out for a corner. Nothing comes of the set-piece.

8 min: Raphina and Rodrigo combine down the right for Leeds. They work the ball to Mateusz Klich, who stands up a cross from the byline. The ball is put out for a corner from which nothing comes. Better from Leeds, who have endured a nervy start to this game.

7 min: Dan James is flagged for offside as he tries to run on to a crossfield free-kick towards the corner from deep.

6 min: Bruno Fernandes sends McTominay on his way with a lovely flick. He plays the ball on to Greenwood, whose low drive from distance is saved comfortably by Meslier.

4 min: Manchester United win another corner after dominating the early exchanges. This inswinger is claimed by Meslier who sends Leeds upfield on a quick counter. Dan James reacts well to get back and put a stop to their gallop.

3 min: Robin Koch has taken up the role of sitting midfielder in front of the Leeds back four, the position normally occupied by Kalvin Phillips. Pascal Struijk, the other option for that role, is in central defence.

2 min: Scott McTominay has a shot blocked by Liam Cooper after driving forward down the inside right channel. A corner for Manchester United, which Illan Meslier punches clear.

1 min: Manchester United try to attack down the left but run into a white wall of resistance.

Not long now: With the crowd suitably enthused, Varane makes way for the players who are actually in action today. Harry Maguire leads out Manchester United, while Liam Cooper skippers Leeds. Both sides are wearing the kit with which they are most readily associated and kick-off is just a couple of minutes away.

Raphael Varane is a Manchester United player: Suited, booted and holding a Manchester United shirt handed to him by a member of staff on his way down the tunnel, Raphael Varane walks out on to the pitch to a rapturous reception. Standing in the centre-circle, he whips out his phone and takes a selfie.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer speaks: “Of course they do mean a lot for us,” he says of the returning fans in an interview with BT Sport. “The last time they were all here the last kick of the ball was Scott McTominay scoring against Manchester City, so that’s a decent memory. That’s what Old Trafford is about, that’s what football is about. You need to have that connection again, to have that energy in the game, to get that little extra edge for the players.”

On his players and their pre-season: “The main thing is that the players are ready for when it really means something. Pre-season doesn’t really mean anything. It’s all about preparation and fitness but now there’s points at stake. The last kick of the lasty game of last season was disappointing for us and now we’ve got to make sure we avoid that.”

On the omission of Jadon Sancho: “It’s too soon for him to start. He’s had holidays after the Euros and he’s been ill. He’s been training with us now for four days, which is not really enough to be playing 90 minutes against Leeds, who will give us a real physical challenge. He’ll be ready to come on and make a difference.”

On the omission of Anthony Martial: “Anthony is working on his fitness because he’s been injured for five months. He’s been training well and he looks like he really wants to get back in but he’s only played 45 minutes since March. It’s not fair on him to start the first game today.

An email: “I’ve got a sneaky feeling that Mason Greenwood might really push on this season,” writes Hugh Molloy. “He’s had the summer ‘off’ with the United strength and conditioning boys who’ve made real differences to people like Ronaldo and de Gea in the past. This, and the reluctance to purchase cover for Cavani, points to Mr Greenwood looking very good in pre session.”

Marcelo Bielsa speaks: “The goal is to play better than we did last season and to face every game trying to win,” he tells BT Sport through his trusty translator. On the subject of the omission of Kalvin Phillips, he says the midfielder has only done “half the work of his teammates” in pre-season. He also says they have had to “diversify” Junior Firpo’s preparations after the defender suffered an injury setback in training.

Raphael Varane: BT Sport are reporting that the French World Cup-winning defender is likely to be paraded on to the pitch and “announced” as a Manchester United player before kick-off. A penny for the thoughts of Victor Lindelof, who plays today but is almost certain to be replaced by Varane in Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s first choice line-up at the earliest opportunity.

Today’s match officials

• Referee: Paul Tierney.
• Assistants: Constantine Hatzidakis and Neil Davies.
• Fourth official: Anthony Taylor.
• VAR: Chris Kavanagh.
  

Those teams: Jadon Sancho is a conspicuous presence on the bench for Manchester United, for whom his fellow England team-mates Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw start in defence. United will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Mason Greenwood spearheading an attack supported by Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes and Dan James.

Marcelo Bierlsa has opted to keep Kalvin Phillips in reserve and Robin Koch seems most likely to deputise for him in front of a back four in which Stuart Dallas gets the nod at left-back over Junior Firpo. It’s an unsurprisingly attacking Leeds line-up, with Patrick Bamford up front ahead of a midfield four of Jack Harrison, Rodrigo, Mateusz Klich and Raphina.

Early team news

Manchester United have a number of absentees, with Marcus Rashford, Alex Telles, Jesse Lingard, Phil Jones and Dean Henderson all unavailable through injury or Covid-related illness.

Edinson Cavani is also out, as he is undergoing a period of self-isolation. The Uruguayan striker was given extra time off for personal reasons following his Copa America exertions but is now back in the UK. Eric Bailly and Amad Diallo are also in isolation following their return from the Olympics. United fans hoping to get their first glimpse of Raphael Varane in action as a United player will have to wait, as his transfer from Real Madrid has not yet been finalised.

By contrast, most of Leeds United’s players have had a full pre-season but Marcelo Bielsa does have a couple of big decisions to make. Summer signing Junior Firpo suffered a knock in training but has been passed fit and could make his debut at left-back.

On England duty for the duration of Euro 2020, Kalvin Phillips returned to training approximately two weeks later but this match may have come a little too soon for him to start. Robin Koch is expected to get the nod ahead of him. Diego Llorente, a cornerstone of the Leeds defence, is definitely out, having picked up an injury that could rule him out for a fortnight.