Mike Phelan has experienced both aspects of a Manchester United v Leeds game, facing the Yorkshire side as a player in his five years at Old Trafford before sitting in the dugout during many a titanic battle between the two clubs.
All of them will have carried a greater intensity than Wednesday's pre-season friendly between the old rivals at Perth's Optus Stadium, but every fixture between United and Leeds carries at least some edge and this tune-up for the 2019/20 season will be no different.
Phelan can still remember those testing trips into enemy territory at Elland Road and the heat of the battle between the two fierce rivals.
"It was intense playing and even coaching when we went to Leeds as coaches," he said. "It's always been a difficult environment - home and away really but particularly when we went to Elland Road. They were vociferous, to say the least, and that was just getting off the coach and going into the ground.
"During the game, it was blood and thunder at times. They have a very passionate support, Leeds United, and they were very a good team at the time. They're trying to get those memories back and are trying to get into the Premier League."
Leeds missed out on a glorious chance to return to the top flight last season, blowing a strong position for automatic promotion before losing in the play-off semi-final to Derby County.
But Phelan believes they have the right man at the helm in the eccentric Marcelo Bielsa.
"Bielsa is an excellent coach and a very deep thinker on the game," Phelan told United's official website.
"He is very passionate about football and how he wants his teams to play. I think we saw that last season when they went very, very close and probably should have got over the line.
"They just need that little bit extra but didn't quite have it. He works the team hard and took his principles that he wants them to adhere to. He'll be looking to take them all the way this time."
