Looking to strengthen their grip on proceedings at the summit of the division, Leeds United will welcome Preston North End to Elland Road on Saturday afternoon for a Championship battle.
The Whites recorded a hard-fought success at Middlesbrough earlier in the week, whilst the Lilywhites were denied a much-needed victory late on at Deepdale versus Cardiff City.
Match preview
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After three straight stalemates recently, it appeared as if Leeds United's Premier League charge was beginning to derail, but Saturday afternoon's hosts have taken back control of their destiny in the top-two fight following an all-important win at Middlesbrough on Tuesday night.
The Whites were undoubtedly the better side at the Riverside Stadium last time out and were the victims of a number of incorrect offside calls, but the visitors still got the job done, with former Manchester United speedster Dan James providing the game-winning goal in the second minute.
Following the extension of their unbeaten run in the second tier to five matches, Daniel Farke's troops have moved to the very summit of the Championship standings with five matches left to play, level on points with Burnley in second and two points ahead of third-placed Sheffield United.
The Yorkshire outfit will be supremely confident of recording another triumph at their Elland Road fortress, with the Whites currently in the midst of a 17-game league unbeaten streak at the venue, netting a staggering 49 goals across 20 home matches in the second tier to date.
Despite sitting pretty in first place at this stage, there are still improvements and issues for head coach Farke to contend with as the campaign reaches its dramatic conclusion, including the form of leading marksman Joel Piroe, who has failed to find the net during his last seven appearances.
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After nearly a decade of mid-table mediocrity in the Championship, Paul Heckingbottom's Preston crop of 2024-25 are set to provide more of the same, with this weekend's visitors to Elland Road losing sight of faint playoff dreams following a run of one win in 10 league contests.
It appeared as if the Lilywhites were heading towards their first victory since March 15 on Tuesday night when goals from Milutin Osmajic and Stefan Thordarson fired the hosts in front against Cardiff, but the Bluebirds came up with an added-time equaliser courtesy of substitute Yakou Meite.
Following the collection of just two points from their last three second-tier battles, Preston have slumped down to an uninspiring 16th spot in the Championship table ahead a daunting jaunt to Elland Road, seven points ahead of Cardiff in the highest of the relegation places.
Winning on just three occasions across 20 second-tier away matches so far this season, the Lilywhites are understandably major underdogs for their fight against Leeds this weekend, with Preston last victorious away from home on February 11 at the base of Norwich City.
In an era of false nines and inverted wingers providing the goals, Heckingbottom's troops remain reliant on a pair of towering forward men, with Emil Riis Jakobsen and Osmajic scoring a combined 18 goals in the Championship with five matches left to play in the regular season.
Team News
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After netting the winner at Middlesbrough earlier in the week, Welsh wizard James faces the remainder of the campaign in the Leeds medical room owing to a hamstring injury.
The Whites are also fighting on without the services of Pascal Struijk, who suffered a foot injury during the draw at Luton Town last weekend.
Impressing off the bench in recent times since his return from injury, Patrick Bamford is pushing for Piroe's place in the XI on Saturday.
Preston might have seen the last of first-choice goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, who is out for the rest of the term due to an ankle problem.
The Lilywhites are also short on options in their backline, with both Brad Potts (hamstring) and Jack Whatmough (calf) sitting in the medical room.
Leeds United possible starting lineup:
Darlow; Bogle, Rodon, Ampadu, Firpo; Tanaka, Gruev; Gnonto, Aaronson, Solomon; Piroe
Preston North End possible starting lineup:
Cornell; Porteous, Gibson, Hughes; Kesler-Hayden, Thordarson, Whiteman, Frokjaer-Jensen, Brady; Keane, Osmajic
We say: Leeds United 3-0 Preston North End
Losing just one of their 20 Championship matches at Elland Road this term, Leeds are a force to be reckoned with on their own patch and should ease to victory this weekend.
Preston's campaign is beginning to peter out and they could be the latest victims of an attacking onslaught from Farke's side on Saturday afternoon.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
