:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/52740183/631145070.0.jpg)
Tonight, Leeds United face Derby County at Elland Road. The rivalry between the two sides goes back decades, but in 2017, Leeds sit five points ahead of Derby in the top third of the Championship table, and every point matters.
Our James Mahoney wrote the full preview of tonight’s match, and Anatoliy Ivantchouk again looked at three potential men of the match for Leeds, but Sean Ryan’s heartfelt description of the 2017 squad has been our most popular article of the week, so be sure to read that as well.
Let’s go. MOT
WHAT
Leeds United vs. Derby County
EFL Championship fixture
WHERE
Elland Road, Leeds
Sky Sports, beIN Sports, LUTV, BBC Radio Leeds, International Listings
WHEN
Friday, January 13, 2017
11:45am PT / 2:45pm ET / 7:45pm BT
WHO
Leeds United starting XI
Green, Coyle, Ayling, Bartley, Berardi, Bridcutt, Vieira, Hernandez, Roofe, Doukara, Wood
Subs: Silvestri, Denton, O'Kane, Phillips, Mowatt, Dallas, Antonsson
Derby County starting XI
Carson, Baird, Keogh, Shackell, Hanson, de Sart, Bryson, Johnson, Ince, Camara, Bent
Subs: Mitchell, Russell, Pearce, Hughes, Vydra, Weimann, Nugent
ODDS
Leeds 13/8
Draw 21/10
Derby 9/5
PREDICTIONS
Johnny Wakefield: 2-1 Leeds. We’re good, we’re at home, and while we won’t have our full-strength back line, I think we’ll win this one by a single goal in front of the Leeds faithful. I’ll peg Hernandez and Roofe with the goals. MOT.
James Mahoney: 1-1 draw. Games against Derby have always been tricky fixtures for Leeds and tonight won’t be any different. Leeds will need a better start than in recent games to get anything from this one. I expect the game to play out similar to the Aston Villa games - a tight and cagey 1st half with limited chances and in the 2nd half both teams will be more expressive in their play. They will cancel each other out though and the game will finish even. MOT.
Joshua Gilbert: 4-2 Leeds. A lackluster start could see the Whites down a goal early on, but I think Monk will encourage the lads to push on and to play with 110% effort. I think the 2nd half will be all Leeds as they will unleash goal after goal in quick succession.