Leeds United will be keen to keep within touching distance of second spot when they welcome Preston North End.
Promotion-chasing Leeds United will be eyeing all three points when they welcome Preston North End to Elland Road on Sunday night. The Lilywhites saw early season expectations of promotion go up in smoke and will now hope to do their first league double over Leeds in 66 years.
Preston North End have won just five of their last 20 Championship games, but one of them was against Leeds at the Deepdale Stadium. Daniel Farke’s men will be keen to avoid another upset, further risk derailing their season.
The hosts, despite being down in the 12th spot are a mere two points off the playoff spots. A win on Sunday will not just end Leeds’s proud home record but also put Ryan Lowe’s men back in contention for the third promotion spot.
Having defeated Bristol City last time around, Preston North End are chasing consecutive league wins for the first time since November. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Leeds United
Liam Cooper is recovering but might not make the cut for the night. Daniel Farke is likely to keep his faith in the same playing XI that beat Cardiff City last time out.
The home side will be without the injured trio of Pascal Struijk, Stuart Dallas, and Karl Darlow. Leeds United have an otherwise fully-fit squad to choose from. Farke is expected to retain his 4-2-3-1 formation, with Illan Meslier in goal.
The excellent Archie Gray should start on the right flank, with Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu and Junior Firpo forming the rest of the four-man backline. Ilia Gruev and Glen Kamara should hold the fort as the midfield double pivot, while Crysencio Summerville and Daniel James provide the width upfield. Georginio Rutter will don the number 10 role ahead of the out-of-form Joel Piroe while veteran striker Patrick Bamford will lead the attack.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Meslier; Gray, Rodon, Ampadu, Firpo; Gruev, Kamara; James, Rutter, Summerville; Bamford
Preston North End
The Lilywhites surprised several opponents with an excellent start to the season, winning six and drawing two of their opening eight Championship fixtures this season. However, a run of just five wins in the next 20 games has seen them plummet down the standings.
Preston North End got the better of Leeds in the reverse fixture, winning 2-1 on Boxing Day. They will now travel to Elland Road, seeking the first league double over the Whites since the 1957/58 campaign. Ryan Lowe has no injury concerns to worry about and has a fully-fit squad to choose from. He is expected to deck out his side in a 4-1-4-1 formation.
Freddie Woodman should start in goal behind the back four of Brad Potts, Jordan Storey, Liam Lindsay, and Andrew Hughes. Ali McCann should start in a deeper role and should keep switching with Ben Whiteman in taking turns to push forward. They should be assisted ably by former Danish Under-21 star Mads Frokjaer-Jensen.
Alan Browne and Liam Millar should provide the width on the wings. Both players scored in the reverse fixture at the Deepdale Stadium and will hope to repeat that trick. Emil Riis Jakobsen should start up front.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes, Potts; McCann; Millar, Whiteman, Frokjaer-Jensen, Browne; Riis
Key Stats
- Leeds United last lost to Preston North End at home in a league fixture in 2010, their only defeat against the opposition in the last 11 games in this category. A win on Sunday will see Preston North End secure the double over Leeds United since the 1957/58 season.
- Leeds United are the only side in the Championship without a loss at home this season.
- The last time Leeds United went unbeaten in their first 14 home games of a league campaign was in 2009/10 when they were in League One.
- Leeds United have conceded the first goal in 15 Championship games this season. Only Hull City, Sheffield United (Both 16) and Rotherham United (17) have a worse record.
- Only Finn Azan and Morgan Whittaker have secured more combined goal contributions in the Championship this season than the Leeds United duo of Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville.
Player to Watch
Georginio Rutter
Rutter has been a decent addition to the Leeds United roster and has picked up the slack in a creative role of late. He scored against Cardiff City last time around and will be keen to find the back of the net once again.
The German attacker has built up a solid partnership with Crysencio Summerville, and the duo will hope to catch the Preston defence cold. The duo have made an impressive 39 combined goal contributions this season in the Championship, a number bettered only by the Plymouth Argyle duo of Finn Azan and Morgan Whittaker (40).
Prediction
Leeds United 2-0 Preston North End
Leeds United are the favourites but were surprised in the reverse fixture on Boxing Day. Daniel Farke will be keen for his side to not drop any more points, especially at home. Elland Road has not fallen in the Championship yet, and it is unlikely to happen this weekend. It is unlikely to be dominant, but Leeds should come away with a 2-0 win.