After four consecutive victories in all competitions, Leeds United (7th) play host to Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle United (1st) at Elland Road tomorrow in arguably the most discernible Championship fixture of the season. The match will see two revered names of the English game clash with one another, as Leeds seek to regain their play-off berth, while Newcastle hope to extend their advantage at the top of the table to five points.

In the game’s 11th minute, both sets of supporters will pay tribute to the now sadly deceased Gary Speed, with a minute’s applause. In addition to managing the national team of Wales from 2010 up until his tragic death in November 2011, the adored Welshman sported the colours of both Leeds and Newcastle during his playing career. His inventive charges up the left wing, along with his precise, pinpoint crossing ability, will forever be remembered by each and every supporter privileged enough to witness his footballing prowess in the flesh. May you rest in peace, Gary Speed.

Presently, there is a fervent sense of optimism emanating from the supporters of Leeds United. The team are performing to an excellent standard, with a spring in their step and a consummate swagger on the ball. An incredible spectacle at Carrow Road in the Whites’ last outing saw a frenetic finish; with the scores level at two apiece, up stepped 18-year-old Guinea Bissauan prodigy Ronaldo Vieira to score his inaugural goal for Leeds to ensure that his side captured all three points - the victory, the club’s fourth successive win in all competitions. Indeed, the result symbolized that the West Yorkshire club are most certainly undergoing an evidently luminous renaissance under the premiership of head coach Garry Monk, who has performed miracles in order to transform Leeds from being ill-starred strugglers into proficient play-off contenders.
                                                                     
Owner Massimo Cellino has been unusually hushed (bar the Telegraph ‘sting’), and you therefore cannot help but assume that the tranquil ambience that has been existent throughout much of the season up to now has only been to the benefit of Monk and his players. In stark contrast to recent seasons, the club’s name has generally been in the newspapers for the right reasons, with Monk having frequently received effusive praise since late September onwards by virtue of the many commendable results Leeds have achieved in recent months. Taking all of this into account, it is no surprise then, that a bumper crowd is expected to be in attendance tomorrow afternoon.

Opponents Newcastle meanwhile, have also enjoyed a highly impressive campaign, albeit rather expectedly, with scant few observers actually forecasting choppy Championship waters for the Magpies after their recent relegation from the Premier League. With that said, the Toon’s start to the season was far from auspicious, with defeats to Fulham (1-0), and Huddersfield (1-2) making for a nervous beginning to life back in the second tier for the side’s supporters. Since then though, Rafa Benitez’s men have demonstrated their resolve and firepower, and attained consistency; they’ve tasted the sweetness of success in every one of their last seven league games, scoring on no less than 17 occasions in the process. The club are now firmly en-route to a return into the Premier League at the first attempt, and it isn’t even worth trying to conceal the fact that they pose an exceptionally potent threat.

Will Leeds United maintain their unbeaten run? Or will Rafa Benitez’s charges play the role of party poopers? You can have your say by leaving a comment below...

Team News

Leeds United

There are still a few injury problems that persist to plague the Leeds United squad.

Midfielders Liam Bridcutt (fractured foot) and Pablo Hernandez (strained hamstring) are both out of action, while winger Stuart Dallas is a doubt after withdrawing from international duty with Northern Ireland last week.

Newcastle United

The Magpies have injury concerns of their own.

Fleet-footed winger Rolando Aarons will be sidelined for a lengthy period of time after rupturing a knee ligament during a training session earlier in the week. Fellow wide man Matt Ritchie is once again available for selection though, having seen his suspension expire.

Finally, there are doubts with regard to the availability of goalkeeper Rob Elliot and defender Massaido Haidara, with the latter having recently recovered from a long-term knee injury.

Probable Lineups

Leeds United (4-2-3-1) - Green; Ayling, Bartley, Jansson, Taylor; Phillips, O’Kane; Sacko, Vieira, Roofe; Wood.

Newcastle United (4-2-3-1) - Darlow; Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett; Hayden, Shelvey; Ritchie, Perez, Gouffran; Mitrovic.

Media: The thoughts of Leeds’ Garry Monk and Newcastle's Rafa Benitez prior to the match

Leeds United head coach Garry Monk has declared that he feels tomorrow’s match will prove to be the toughest of the season thus far, but speaking to LUTV, the 38 year-old, formerly of Swansea City, insinuated that a sell-out crowd could hand his team an advantage over their counterparts from North East England.

“On paper this will be the toughest test of the season,” remarked Monk.

“They (Newcastle) are top of the league, which means they have been the best team so far.

“They have high calibre players and a high calibre manager, they have the most expensive team in the league, so you would expect them to be where they are.

When quizzed about the potential effects that the absence of Liam Bridcutt and Pablo Hernandez could have, the Whites boss did hasten to add that there would be no change in his team’s approach to the fixture.

“Our approach is no different, our job is to give 100 percent and try and put our best football on the pitch and we know that when we do that we can fight for a result.

“We have a capacity crowd ready to support the team, we want to send people home happy and we are going out there determined to win the game.”

Meanwhile, Monk’s Newcastle contemporary Rafa Benitez dubbed the upcoming encounter between the two sides as ‘massive’, and the Spaniard is of the opinion that his players will be relishing the challenge.

Benitez, who returns to Elland Road for the first time since guiding Chelsea to a 5-1 victory over Leeds in the quarter-finals of the Capital One Cup back in the 2012-13 season, said: “They are doing well, we are doing well, there will be a lot of fans in the stadium and I think it’ll be a massive game for everyone.

The former Real Madrid boss went on to say: “It is the kind of game you want to play in and you want to win.

“They are in form, like us, and it will be very tough. I think it will be an interesting game.”

Match Facts

Newcastle have won 37 points after 16 games this season; their best start to a campaign since attaining 39 points in season 1995/96.

Leeds United’s star striker Chris Wood has scored in six of his last seven games at Elland Road in all competitions.

Only Brighton and Hove Albion (26) and Newcastle (25) have picked up a greater number of points in the last 10 games than Leeds (22).

Star Men

Leeds United: Pontus Jansson, Central Defender - (7.66 WhoScored rating)

The 25 year-old Swedish juggernaut has been a revelation since signing for Leeds from Serie A side Torino in August, with his abrasive, physically imposing and tough-tackling style of play having already seen him become something of a cult hero among the Elland Road faithful. His raw, enthusiastic appetite for the game, an attribute he took pleasure in demonstrating when he jumped into the away section at Norwich City in an impassioned reaction to scoring his first goal in English football, has also proved key, and his contribution to the Whites’ fine form of late can not be underestimated. If Leeds are to negate the substantial attacking threat posed by their Newcastle counterparts tomorrow, Jansson, who has won 3.7 aerial dues per game on average, will have to perform to his maximum capability.

Newcastle United: Jonjo Shelvey, Central Midfielder - (7.39 WhoScored rating)

The 24 year-old, who previously was a comrade of Leeds manager Garry Monk at Swansea between 2013 and 2015, was recently cleared to play in tomorrow’s fixture after allegations of racial abuse. No man will be more relieved than Rafa Benitez, as Shelvey has been integral to Newcastle’s successful campaign thus far. The former Liverpool player, who once scored a hat-trick against Leeds at Elland Road in 2011 during a loan spell at Blackpool, has chipped in with three goals and five assists this term, whilst also maintaining a pass completion rate of 80.2%. If the Magpies are to unlock the defensive blockade of their opposition, then Shelvey will be tasked with playing a starring role.

   
Writer's View

After an enthralling encounter against Norwich City from which we deservedly emerged triumphant from, we face our most austere challenge of the season with high-flying Newcastle making the trip to Elland Road.

Though our recent showings have been nothing short of sensational, Newcastle’s squad boasts an array of supremely talented players with a wealth of top-level experience to their names. If we are to get anything out of this match, then we will have to adopt and adhere to a cohesive, structured defensive shape in order to keep a rampant Magpies attack at arm’s length.

Taking into account the inauspicious absences of both creative conjuror Pablo Hernandez and the steely, industrious Liam Bridcutt, I must concede that the chances of a victory are at best, meagre. Indeed, if a hard-fought stalemate, bereft of goals but abundant with passion was offered to me right at this moment, I’d likely accept it gratuitously.

I cannot help but perceive that Newcastle’s enviable strength and depth will culminate in defeat, but there has been many a shock this season, so with that in mind, it would be preposterous of any onlooking observer, affiliated to either club or not, to rule out a Leeds victory entirely - but I must confer you with a prediction, so I’ll plump for a marginal Newcastle win.

Prediction - Leeds United 1-2 Newcastle United

Statistics derived from WhoScored.com

Photo: Action Images

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