Leeds United host Ipswich Town at Elland Road in a huge Sky Bet Championship showdown.
Victory would see Leeds stay third in the table and move to within seven points of their visitors, whilst Ipswich will remain second regardless of the result although a win would move them level with league leaders – Leicester.
Team News
Junior Firpo could return for Leeds following his recovery from a hamstring injury.
Sam Byram (hamstring), Jamie Shackleton (glute) and Stuart Dallas (thigh) remain absent.
Ipswich have no fresh injury concerns to report as Janoi Donacien (groin) and Lee Evans (knee) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Leeds host Ipswich at Elland Road on Saturday 23 December in a 12:30pm GMT kick-off, live on Sky Sports in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Leeds are unbeaten in five of their last seven meetings against Ipswich (W4, D1, L2).
- Ipswich have won one of their last ten league visits to Leeds (W1, D3, L6).
- Leeds have kept clean sheets in two of their last three home games against Ipswich (W3), except for a 3-2 win in September 2017.
- Six of Crysencio Summerville’s 10 league goals for Leeds this season were scored at home.
- Conor Chaplin has been involved in more goals than any other Ipswich player this season with eight goals and six assists in 22 appearances.
Prediction
Following a frustrating draw against a resilient defensively tactical Coventry last weekend in a game which they comfortably dominated but lacked much clinical end product, Leeds now need to reset and channel that frustration into this game which is a must-win in a short-term view.
Daniel Farke’s Whites know that a win will put them seven points behind Ipswich and ignite their automatic promotion hopes, but defeat would see them sit 13 points adrift of the Tractor Boys and face a difficult task in the second half of the season to go up without the play-offs.
Ipswich meanwhile just continue to roll along with their high-pressing play which left spaces at the back which Norwich clinically punished last weekend in their draw, of which Leeds must now look to exploit with players like Summerville and Dan James if want to get something here.
Elland Road though isn’t a happy hunting ground for Ipswich in recent visits but nothing much seem to have fazed them this season, so I expect them to come out fighting especilly after losing 4-3 at home to Leeds in August which motivate them to avoid a similar fate here.
A draw therefore wouldn’t be too surprising but with Ipswich, they can’t be underestimated and given the dangerous goalscoring threats across the pitch, they might just edge this if can nail their defensive tactics akin to Coventry but take their chances as ruthlessly as normal.
Prediction: Leeds 1-2 Ipswich
Result: Leeds 4-0 Ipswich
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