Why is Manchester United vs Leeds United postponed this weekend? Premier League match cancellations explained

Manchester United’s Premier League fixture against Leeds United tomorrow has been postponed
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Manchester United and Leeds United are set for another weekend on the sidelines after it was confirmed their Premier League clash at Old Trafford would be postponed.

Last weekend, all football in England was called off, as a mark of respect to the Queen, following her passing last Thursday.

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The pair were joined by the other 18 top flight teams in seeing last week’s fixtures also called off, as Man Utd were due to travel to Selhurst Park, while the Whites were set to host Nottingham Forest.

Consecutive postponements for the two clubs now mean neither will play a league match for the rest of the month - with the next set of fixtures scheduled for the first weekend in October.

Premier League clubs were already set for two weeks off at the end of September, as UEFA Nations League football returns, with England set to face Italy and Germany in their final two matches before the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

This is why Man United vs Leeds United has been postponed...

Why has Man Utd vs Leeds Utd been postponed this weekend?

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Manchester United vs Leeds United is one of only three matches that has been postponed this weekend.

All Premier League games last weekend were called off as a mark of respect for The Queen’s death , however her upcoming funeral means the face off at Old Trafford will also be rescheduled.

Football games could face a police shortage as they are sent to London to prepare for The Queen’s funeral, meaning a number of matches were in jeopardy as they required extra security - such as Leeds’ trip to Manchester.

The clash is famous for its fierce rivalry between the two sets of fans, meaning a larger police presence is required to combat any potential trouble.

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Chelsea vs Liverpool has also been cancelled for a similar reason, while Brighton vs Crystal Palace was already postponed due to the train strikes.

A statement by the Premier League read: “Premier League fixtures will resume this weekend after a pause to the season as a mark of respect following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

“Seven of the 10 Premier League fixtures this weekend will be played, with three matches postponed due to events surrounding The Queen’s funeral. In addition, kick-off times will change for two Premier League matches.

“Matches postponed on Sunday 18 September are Chelsea’s matches against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, and Manchester United’s home match v Leeds United.

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“Brighton & Hove Albion’s fixture against Crystal Palace, that was due to be played at 15:00 BST on Saturday 17 September, will also remain postponed.”

When could the postponed fixtures be played?

With the Premier League set to pause for a further six weeks in November for the World Cup, multiple fixture postponements could create a very busy schedule for clubs.

As things stand, Premier League officials have no available dates for the rest of the year with every midweek until the World Cup occupied by European ties, league fixtures and the Carabao Cup.

Next year, there are only three vacant midweek slots though these have been left for free for Carabao Cup and FA Cup clashes.

It has been suggested that third and fourth round replies in the aforementioned domestic cup competitions could be scrapped to ease the fixture backlog facing top flight clubs.

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