The Premier League record Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo can break in Leeds fixture
If Cristiano Ronaldo is picked in Ralf Rangnick’s starting lineup for Sunday’s highly anticipated match against Leeds United at Elland Road, he will set a new Premier League record.
The Reds, who won a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday, will face their bitter rivals in front of their home crowd for the first time since a League Cup fixture in September 2011.
Given that last season’s encounter was played behind closed doors owing to Covid-19 limitations, the last time United visited this particular section of West Yorkshire for a Premier League fixture with all four sides of the ground filled to the rafters was in October 2003.
United won 1-0 on that occasion, over 20 years ago, thanks to a late goal from former club captain Roy Keane.
Furthermore, Ronaldo played for United that afternoon, meaning that if he starts on Sunday, he will be the first player in Premier League history to face the same opponent twice in such a short period of time.
If interim manager Rangnick chooses the Portugal captain to lead the line, it will be 18 years and 125 days since he faced Leeds, setting a Premier League record in the process.
Ronaldo is the only player from Sir Alex Ferguson’s starting line-up at Elland Road in 2003 who is still playing, demonstrating the incredible work he has put in to stay in such good shape.
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United was also hoping to extend their unbeaten record in all competitions against Leeds to five games, having won three of their last four visits.
