Leeds Aim to Get Back to Winning Ways
Following a week of cup action in England, the focus returns to league football and the Championship fixtures begin on Friday night. We have a fantastic clash to look forward to as Leeds United host Derby County at Elland Road.
Leeds United start the week sitting top of the table, 2 points clear of second place Norwich City and know they need to win if they want to guarantee first place come the end of the weekend. Derby County are in sixth place, 8 points behind Leeds United but currently inside the playoff zone. A win would strengthen their promotion bid.
Marco Bielsa has worked wonders at Leeds United this season but there is a sign things could be about to take a turn for the worse. The club have lost each of their last three games, with defeats coming in the Championship and the FA Cup.
While the FA Cup loss at Queens Park Rangers last weekend is not a huge blow, the losses at home to Hull City and away to Nottingham Forest could prove costly. Leeds will want to get back to winning ways and this is a huge match for the club.
Long term form has been good this season and trends show Leeds United have lost just two of their last seventeen home Championship matches. They won seven of their last ten games in all competitions and have scored 2 or more goals in four of their last six Championship games.
Derby County held Premier League Southampton to a 2-2 draw in the FA Cup on Saturday and that means they face a replay next week. However, they cannot afford to take their eye off the Championship if they want to win promotion and need to pick up their form having won only one of their last six games in all competitions.
Trends show there has been just one win in the last five Championship games for Derby County and they are in danger of slipping out of the playoff places. However, the Rams have remained tough to beat and they have lost just one of their last seven Championship matches.
In terms of goals, both teams have scored in fifteen of Derby County’s last eighteen games and they have seen over 2.5 goals in five of their last six away matches.
Looking ahead to the team news and Leeds United are without the suspended Kalvin Phillips for this game. Gaetano Berardi and Isaiah Brown will miss out due to injury while Patrick Bamford and Stuart Dallas are making progress but his game could come too soon.
Derby County are without Scott Malone, Curtis Davies, Craig Forsyth, Mason Bennett and Marcus Olsson due to injury. Harry Wilson has a hip injury and is doubtful.
Leeds United will be determined to get back to winning ways and will be hoping the home fans can push them over the line. We should see goals in this game and Leeds could come out on top with both team scoring.
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