Leeds United are on course to equal an unwelcome run of form which saw Marcelo Bielsa lose his job as they prepare to face Wolves in the Premier League.
With doubts over the fitness of Willy Gnonto and Dan James ahead of the crucial clash with Wolves, Daniel Farke faces the difficult task of adding firepower to an attack which has managed just one goal this season.
Leeds have already set one unwelcome record this season by failing to score from open play in their first four games, for the first time in the Premier League. Dominic Calvert-Lewin came under fire for his performance against Fulham after missing the best chance of the game.
Ao Tanaka and Joel Piroe could return to the Leeds squad in a boost to Farke. But Leeds received a blow with the news that star striker Jorgen Strand Larsen could be fit for Wolves as both sides search for valuable Premier League points.
With Leeds struggling for goals, and several pundits, including Chris Sutton, predicting a Wolves win, Farke could match a record last set in 2022 if Leeds fail to find the net again.
Leeds United on the brink of unwanted record
Although Leeds have failed to score from open play this season, they have found the net once, from a Lukas Nmecha penalty in the opening day win over Everton.
However, if Leeds fail to find the net against Wolves, their goal drought will extend to four matches for the first time since March 2022.
That run of form included the final game of the Marcelo Bielsa era at Leeds. The Whites’ four-game run without a goal started with a 6-0 defeat at the hands of Liverpool, before they succumbed to a 4-0 home defeat against Tottenham.
Leeds’ current run without a goal:
- Arsenal 5-0 Leeds
- Leeds 0-0 Newcastle
- Fulham 0-0 Leeds
Jesse Marsch replaced Bielsa after that game, but he was unable to make an immediate impact, as Leeds fell to two more defeats, losing 1-0 away at Leicester before a 3-0 loss against Aston Villa.
But things finally turned around for Leeds as they found the net twice against Norwich in a 2-1 win, which included a dramatic last-minute winner by Joe Gelhardt.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has a poor record against Wolves
Having led the line against Fulham, Calvert-Lewin is the most likely candidate to start up front for Leeds in their trip to Molineux.
However, in stark contrast to Jack Harrison’s good form against Wolves, the Leeds number nine has not enjoyed much success against the side from the West Midlands in the past.
Calvert-Lewin has faced Wolves seven times in his career to date, but has failed to find the net in any of those appearances, registering just six shots on target in those games according to Statmuse.
However, records are there to be broken, and it would be a welcome boost to both Calvert-Lewin and his manager if he could break his duck this weekend.
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