Red & white rumbles: Best home wins v Leeds

In this extract from United Review, the official programme for tonight's match, we pick out what we consider to be the Old Trafford highlights from that half-century...

UNITED 4 LEEDS 027 January 1951 | FA Cup fourth round

Backed by an army of 7,000 travelling fans and managed by former Reds defender Major Frank Buckley, Second Division Leeds arrived at Old Trafford intent on springing an FA Cup upset against Matt Busby’s men. The hosts, who would finish First Division runners-up for the fourth straight season, had other ideas and, led by Stan Pearson, unceremoniously put the tie to bed inside the first half-hour. United’s Salfordian spearhead tapped in a rebound to open the scoring just seven minutes in, after which the hosts ran riot through set pieces. Jack Rowley’s in-swinging corner deceived goalkeeper Harry Searson, who was adjudged to have caught the ball behind the line, and a minute later the beleaguered stopper waved farewell to Pearson’s brilliant header from another Rowley corner. Five minutes on, United’s no.10 completed his treble, this time with a downward header from another Rowley set piece, to wrap up progress in imperious fashion.

UNITED 5 LEEDS 07 September 1957 | First Division

Less than six months before the Munich Air Disaster, the Babes served up a signature performance to enthral Old Trafford at the expense of a Leeds side reduced to 10 men for much of the second half. Visiting goalkeeper Roy Wood (not to be confused with our own Ray Wood) turned in a virtuoso performance to keep the scores level until the brink of half-time, when he was finally beaten by Johnny Berry, but the visitors saw their resistance steamrollered during a madcap nine-minute spell which began on the hour. Following the departure of injured left-back Grenville Hair, Leeds understandably caved in against a United side which had already ratcheted up 13 goals in the season’s opening four games, and a baying home contingent crowed with delight as Dennis Viollet’s close-range effort was quickly followed by another Berry shot and a Tommy Taylor brace in an unstoppable show of attacking might.