Leeds United entertain a winless Newcastle in a Premier League battle at Elland Road.
Victory will lift Leeds back into the top ten, whilst Newcastle will go into the international break safely away from the relegation zone with a win.
Team News
Ao Tanaka is ruled out for Leeds with a serious knee injury suffered in their league defeat at Arsenal last weekend.
Ethan Ampadu (knee) and Sebastiiaan Bornauw (calf) are still ruled out.
Newcastle will be without Anthony Gordon after he was sent off in their dramatic 3-2 loss at home to Liverpool.
Joelinton (groin) is ruled out but Sandro Tonali (shoulder) faces a late fitness test, whilst Fabian Schar is available after he successfully observed concussion protocols in recent days.
When is Kick-Off?
Leeds host Newcastle at Elland Road on Saturday 30 August at 5:30pm BST, live on Sky Sports in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Leeds have lost one of their last six league meetings against Newcastle (W2, D3, L1).
- Newcastle have lost just one of their last eight visits to Leeds (W5, D2, L1), during which their two draws ended in 2-2 results.
- Leeds are yet to play out three consecutive draws against Newcastle this century, having last done so between December 1993 – December 1994.
- Leeds have scored 11 goals in their last three home games without conceding (W3).
- Newcastle are winless in their last four away games (D2, L2).
Prediction
Having received a ruthlessly clinical reality check at Arsenal after their lucky opening win against Everton, Leeds strangely didn’t seem particularly reactive to that defeat in their Carabao Cup exit at Sheffield Wednesday with a largely limp performance so more improvement is needed.
Newcastle meanwhile deserved a point against Liverpool because they were pretty dominant and did well to recover from 2-0 down with ten men, but small defensive errors were clinically punished although they can take heart from the positives and try bring that intensity into this game.
In fact if Newcastle turn up with the same grit and intensity even without the suspended Gordon, I can see them potentially taking this such has been the quick deflation in Leeds’ momentum with little obvious sign of a quick reignition in performance here.
Prediction: Leeds 0-2 Newcastle