Leeds United will be keen to put their disappointing draw against Watford behind them when they face Hull City at Elland Road.
Leeds United will aim to put their frustrating draw against Watford behind them when they take on Hull City in the EFL Championship clash at Elland Road on Easter Monday.
Both clubs have a poor record in games played on this festive day and will aim to put their hoodoo to an end. Leeds are on a seven-game losing streak in matches played on Easter Monday and will hope that their home prowess can see them end this streak.
With Ipswich Town now leading the points table and Leicester yet within striking distance with a game in hand, Daniel Farke knows there is little margin for error. Surrendering an automatic promotion spot will undo much of the good work that the Yorkshire giants have managed to put together since the turn of the year.
Hull City have concerns of their own and are now at the risk of missing out on a playoff spot, following five matches without a win. The Tigers are formidable on their day, but the general lack of consistency has seen them struggle to make a decisive impact this season.
Leeds United’s streak in the Championship has extended to 14 league matches without a loss, with their recent tie against Watford marking only their second draw in this run. Additionally, Leeds still have four matches left at Elland Road, where they have maintained an unbeaten record in the second tier, spanning a remarkable 19-game streak since the beginning of the season.
On the other hand, Hull City has been making strides towards a top-six position, enjoying a seven-game unbeaten run before the international break. However, their momentum has been halted by a string of draws in the four matches leading up to their home clash with Stoke City.
Despite the anticipation surrounding their match against Stoke at the MKM Stadium, Hull failed to capitalise on their opportunities and suffered a 2-0 defeat. This setback has widened the gap to sixth place by six points, underscoring the urgency for Hull to avoid further defeats. Three points on the night will mean a lot to both clubs for varied reasons. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how both sides could line up for the game and their tactics.
Team News & Tactics
Leeds United
The home side will be without Pascal Struijk and Stuart Dallas are yet to recover from their knocks and are definitely ruled out for the foreseeable future. However, Daniel Farke will be hopeful that Ilia Gurev can make the cut for the match.
This will give him the freedom to deploy Ethan Ampadu at centre-back, a position that he has made his own alongside compatriot Joe Rodon. This should give the Whites a solid backline, something that was missing at the weekend at Vicarage Road.
Connor Roberts could have been in contention to start at right-back should Archie Gray be shifted to central midfield. But unfortunately, he, too, is now ruled out with a hamstring injury. A lot will depend on whether Gruev will make the cut or not. Wilfried Gnonto, meanwhile, is also set to miss the game with a thigh injury.
Leeds are expected to retain their 4-2-3-1 formation, with Illan Meslier in goal. He should be protected by the back four of Archie Gray, Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon, and Junior Firpo. The quartet should be protected by the double pivot of Ilia Gruev and Glen Kamara.
Jaidon Anthony should replace Wilfried Gnonto on the right wing, with Crysencio Summerville occupying the other flank. Georginio Rutter should return to the no. 10 role, with Patrick Bamford leading the line. Joel Piroe is likely to start on the bench and should be brought on in the second half if Leeds are in search of a goal.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Meslier; Gray, Rodon, Ampadu, Firpo; Kamara, Gruev; Anthony, Rutter, Summerville; Bamford
Hull City
Liam Rosenoir will want to see his side get back to winning ways and not fall away in the race for a playoff spot. The Tigers are anticipated to be fully fit for the Yorkshire derby, with the exception of Liam Delap, who is injured, and Jacob Greaves, who is serving the second match of his two-game suspension due to accumulating 10 yellow cards.
Aaron Connolly is likely to get another run out following his return against Stoke City while Liverpool loanee Tyler Morton could also return. Hull City are likely to turn up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Ryan Allsop in goal.
He should be protected by the backline of Lewie Coyle, Alfie Jones, Sean McLoughlin and Ryan Giles. Tyler Morton and Jean Michael Seri could prove to be a decisive pairing in the middle of the park should they turn up on the night.
This should free up the trio of Jaden Philogene, Fabio Carvalho and Anass Zaroury to push forward. Ozan Tufan should get the nod upfront ahead of Noah Ohio after the latter fired blanks against Stoke City.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Allsop; Coyle, Jones, McLoughlin, Giles; Morton, Seri; Philogene, Carvalho, Zaroury; Tufan
Key Stats
- Leeds United have kept six clean sheets in their last seven league games against Hull City.
- Hull City have won just four of their 26 trips to Elland Road. Leeds have won 16 matches while the remaining six have ended in a draw.
- Leeds United have lost 11 of their last 12 games on Easter Monday. The lone win in this run came all the way back in 2010.
- Hull City have won just one of their last 12 away league games played on an Easter Monday. This was 20 years ago in 20024 against Swansea City.
- Leeds United are currently on a seven game losing streak on Easter Mondays. This is the longest such run since Leicester City put together 10 matches without a win from 1979 to 2003.
Player to Watch
Fabio Carvalho
The Liverpool loanee enjoyed a poor spell out at RB Leipzig but has since returned to his best at Hull City. With four goals in 12 Championship games, he is amongst the Tigers’ best players since the turn of the year and is capable of pulling one out of the hat.
Still just 21, he has the motivation to remind Liverpool’s upcoming manager that he still has a future at Anfield. A strong showing at Hull will certainly aid his cause. As far as creativity is concerned, Carvalho is likely to be the Hull player who will cause the Leeds backline concerns.
Prediction
Leeds United 2-1 Hull City
While both teams go into the clash with much to play for, Leeds United’s home record speaks for itself. Daniel Farke will be wary of his side dropping more points and will want to retain top spot in the Championship as soon as possible. The game is likely to be hard fought but Leeds’s superior quality should see them home in the end.