Leeds United v Manchester United: Gloves are off as fans dream of ending 54-year record

Yet many have Leeds as favourites for Sunday’s Premier League clash.

Whites manager Daniel Farke instinctively dismisses it out of hand, whilst claiming he is pleased what it says about his team. But on the Thorp Arch training pitches this week, the gloves have been off, his spidey senses tingling at the merest hint of over-confidence or, heaven forbid, softness.

Leeds United versus Manchester United has never been and hopefully never will be for the faint-hearted.

The visitors had better hope it is one of those games where form goes out of the window because theirs – five games without a win, consecutive draws against the (then-)bottom team in the Premier League, home points twice dropped against ten men – is not very good.

In January, Red Devils coach Ruben Amorim was sacked after drawing in West Yorkshire, and his successor Michael Carrick would be well-advised not to push his luck.

Leeds, by contrast, were unbeaten in the league until last Saturday, when they played well for an hour against the best team in the country, only to lose 2-1 at Arsenal.

People are starting to notice.

"I'm not sure if we're favourites," says Farke when the idea is put to him in Friday's pre-match press conference.

"We had a brilliant start into this new season and are in a really good position.

"Nevertheless, if you have a look at the squads, if you have a look how long they have spent at Premier League level (in the top division 51 years straight), you have to say that they are definitely not the underdog in a game against Leeds United.

"If you look at the transfer value of their team, the quality they have and also the options, it's still a very dangerous opponent, and even more dangerous on the back of a few games without a win.

"We have to be at the top of our game against the next good side to be ready to win some points."

Doth the leader protest too much?

If he does, it is his job. Stamping out complacency is as important to football managers as breathing confidence into his will be for the embattled Carrick.

Farke insists his comments are realism, nothing more.

"I'm not worried about the fact that someone would judge us as favourites," he insists, when The Yorkshire Post returns to the topic.

"It's what we want to be.

"We want to win football games. We want to do things right. We want to be want to be there with top performances.

"It's credit to our work.

"I don't want to hide, and I don't like to play psychological games. If you're in a in a top shape and deliver performances like this, I don't want to talk us down.

"We have all the reasons to go with confidence and a good mood into this game, and we want to."

Then comes the but.

"We just have to make sure that we don't lack the basics, and we have to make sure that we still stay humble and are not big-time and think, 'Okay, we can afford to be there with just 99 per cent work against the ball, and we (only) concentrate a bit,’" he warns.

"It's not I don't have to win the first and the second ball, this is what my team-mate can do, and I concentrate a bit on the no-look pass and lovely backheel touch.

"We have to make sure that we do the basics, and it's always a fine balance between playing with confidence but not going over the line.

"This balance, I have to say, it's relatively easy with the squad because I don't have the feeling that anyone is flying too high.

"If so, I make sure they are not."

Occasionally they can stray.

"I have a responsibility to look after my players when they do something that I don't like," says Farke. "Ao Tanaka was one example.

"He's always overcritical with himself and not happy with himself – 'I need to improve, I need to improve.’

"Sometimes he needs an arm around his shoulder, and needs some backing and some claps on the shoulder and to tell him how good he really is. This is what we've done with him.

"He was excellent in the last games and is in a top shape.

"But this week I spotted him when it was 25 degrees (Celcius) coming out with gloves.

"I said, 'Listen, you're not (Japan and Aston Villa player Zion) Suzuki, a goalkeeper, or whatever.

"Don't think right now we can do it so soft. We lead proper duels here, we are Leeds United and we are not overdoing things.

"I took the gloves.

"If someone thinks we can afford to do anything with one per cent less or can be a bit soft or whatever, I will make sure this won't happen.

"Sadly, it doesn't result in us always like winning game after game but we still need a good balance.

"For this game, if someone wants to label us favourite, I don't mind.

"I know exactly where we are as a club in our development, and I will make sure no one will fly too high."

One thing is for certain, it is a nice thing for Farke to have to worry about.