Leeds United welcome title-chasing Manchester City to Elland Road in festive Wednesday Night Football.
Victory would lift Leeds up to 12th in the table and five points clear of the relegation zone, whilst Man City can reclaim second ahead of Newcastle with at least one point.
Team News
Leeds will be without Tyler Adams as he serves an one-match suspension after he was sent off in their 4-3 defeat at Tottenham last month.
Illan Meslier, Mateusz Klich (both illness), Liam Cooper (calf), Rodrigo (hamstring), Jack Harrison (adductor), Crysencio Summerville (knock) and Patrick Bamford (hip) all face late fitness tests.
Luis Sinisterra (foot), Archie Gray (toe) and Stuart Dallas (thigh) are still sidelined.
Man City could be without Ruben Dias after he missed their Carabao Cup win against Liverpool with a hamstring injury.
Kalvin Phillips (fitness) is unlikely to be risked but Julian Alvarez (personal) remains absent.
Stat Attack
- Leeds are unbeaten in four of their last six league meetings against Man City (W2, D2, L2).
- Man City have won just one of their last four visits to Elland Road (W1, D1, L2).
- City’s Nathan Ake scored in both appearances against Leeds last season, in which Pep Guardiola’s Citizens scored 11 goals in total across both meetings.
- Rodrigo has scored five goals in Leeds’ last four matches (W2, L2), during which he scored the opening goal in three of those four games except for their 4-3 defeat at Tottenham.
- City have conceded four goals in three of their last four league matches – except for a 1-0 win at Leicester in late October.
Prediction
Despite having had a month off, Leeds’ injury list initially does look scary but if several players pass late fitness tests, I do hope that they can show the same aggressive attacking press and finishing which they bravely demonstrated at Spurs last time out even despite Adams’ red card.
Defending though has often been an issue for Leeds this season and that problem was what ultimately cost them in North London, but I do hope that Jesse Marsch used the mid-season break wisely to focus on fixing his defensive tactics and we see another strong display here.
Man City though already have a game under their belt after edging Liverpool in a dramatic thriller so morale will be high, yet this is now a must-win game for Pep Guardiola’s men after Arsenal and Newcastle both won on Boxing Day but this City team will be difficult to beat.
Leeds’ best bet therefore will likely be to try and play with the same lethal intensity that Brentford displayed last month in their win over City just before the break, because if they can adopt that quality and add their own aggression then I can see a tough contest for the visitors.
Either way, this game could be a corker if both teams bring their best attacking game otherwise I can see a comfortable away win if Leeds don’t settle quickly, especially given that this is their first competitive game in over a month whereas City are already up to speed.
Prediction: Leeds United 1-3 Manchester City
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