Leeds United can take one more big step towards a return to the Premier League on Saturday lunchtime as Daniel Farke’s side host Tony Mowbray’s West Brom at Elland Road.
March 1st, the date of this weekend’s kick-off, coincidentally marks the five year anniversary of Leeds 4-0 hammering of The Baggies during Marcelo Bielsa’s first season in West Yorkshire.
A result which was supposed to be one of Leeds United’s crowning moments en route to their Championship throne. As we all know now, they would be usurped by both Norwich City and Sheffield United, eventually falling short in the play-offs.
Those from-behind victories over both Sunderland and the aforementioned Blades, however, mean confidence has seldom been higher at Elland Road.
It certainly not feel out of the question that a Leeds side unbeaten since November and with 18 goals in their last five league matches produce a thrilling repeat of that one-sided hammering back in 2019.
Joel Piroe to score again as Leeds United striker chases down Golden Boot
West Brom have conceded ten more goals in the Championship than Leeds this season; 31 from 34 matches.
The Baggies are expected to be without Semi Ajayi at Elland Road, too. He suffered a setback against Oxford United last time out following a lengthy spell on the sidelines. As such, 33-year-old former Leeds defender Kyle Bartley may be thrown straight back in after a three game suspension.
Either way, Joel Piroe should go into Saturday’s clash expecting to maintain his stunning recent form in front of goal.
Piroe thundered a ‘fabulous’ late strike to see off Sheffield United, taking his tally to five goals in five league matches. The £10 million signing from Swansea City is currently the favourite for the Golden Boot, and with good reason.
Ilya Gruev could cancel out West Brom’s Alex Mowatt
West Brom may also have to do without top scorer Josh Maja and experienced winger Jed Wallace. Adam Armstrong – Leeds’ tormentor last season and a January loan signing from Southampton – at least offsets Maja’s absence.
And as Daniel Farke confirms Ethan Ampadu is out for around six weeks, Armstrong will be hopeful of scoring a fifth goal in four games against The Whites.
Farke also highlighted West Brom’s impressive possession game under Mowbray in his pre-match presser. Alex Mowatt, the former Leeds youth captain, has been one of the main beneficiaries. He scored last time out against Oxford in a 2-0 win.
Do not be surprised, then, if Farke opts to stick with the Ilya Gruev – Ao Tanaka partnership which has worked so well. Gruev gives Leeds the sort of tenacity, muscle and defensive diligence Joe Rothwell perhaps lacks, so the £4 million Bulgaria international could find himself tasked with blocking Mowatt’s route to goal.
Junior Firpo rested as Sam Byram returns to the Leeds XI
It would be a major surprise, on the face of it, if Daniel Farke was to rest Junior Firpo with the left-back in the midst of his best form as a Leeds player.
Yet, while Firpo excels going forward – no one in a white shirt has more than his eight assists while it was he who got the comeback started at Bramall Lane – the more defensively-minded Sam Byram could come in very handy against West Brom.
While Firpo tops the assist charts at Leeds, Tom Fellows’ tally of 11 is better than anyone else in the Championship.
Presuming Fellows starts on the right – as he tends to do – Farke may be tempted to deploy Byram up against an old-school winger who loves to hit the byline and float crosses into the box.
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