League Cup Match Preview: Leeds United v Preston North End

Match: Leeds United v Preston North End

Date: 28 August 2018

Time: 19.45 BST, 2.45 PM EDT, 3.45 PM ART

Venue: Elland Road

Television: None.

Streaming: LUTV Audio only.

Check livesoccertv for more information.

All-time Record: Leeds United v Preston: 20W 12D 24L

Previous League Results: Leeds 0 - 0 Preston 12 August 2017, Preston 3 - 1 Leeds 10 April 2018

Leeds take on Championship rivals Preston North End at Elland Road in the second round of the League Cup tonight.

Expect to see a rather changed lineup for Leeds United tonight, as some of the usual suspects missed the U23 match yesterday, as well as some players that might have been on the bench or given token appearances over the past few league matches.

Jamal Blackman will almost certainly start in goal, with Conor Shaughnessy and either Pontus Jansson or Gaetano Berardi in central defence. Jansson is coming off an injury, but he’s played less than Berardi, so he might be tapped for another match while Liam Cooper recovers.

Jamie Shackleton and Tom Pearce will likely play at the full-back spots, with Kalvin Phillips or Matuesz Klich playing as the defensive midfielder.

Up front, expect to see Jack Harrison, Patrick Bamford, Lewis Baker, and Stuart Dallas.

After winning their opening fixture of the season against Queens Park Rangers, Preston have only gotten one more point in the Championship, a 2-2 draw at home against Stoke City. They beat Morecambe in the first round of the League Cup, but Morecambe might be one of the worst teams in the Football League, as the sit on three points in 22nd place in the League Two table, with their only win coming at home against Northampton Town.

If Leeds are perceived to not be bothered by the League Cup, surely a Preston team that is sitting far away from where their supporters would have imagined they would be at the beginning of the season would be bothered even less. Expect to see a less than full strength side for Preston as well.

Leeds’ quality, even in the reserves, should be enough to see them through to the next round, although I agree with KC & Jack from the Mighty Whites Podcast: Unless Leeds go on a deep run, to the semi-finals or something similar, I really can’t be bothered about the Carabao Cup. It’s just more fixtures that will pile up and that can distract from a promotion run.