Leeds United will be hoping to extend their strong run of form in the Championship when they travel to Coventry City on Wednesday night.
Leeds are in the midst of a 12-game unbeaten run, having not lost since being narrowly beaten by Blackburn Rovers at the end of November.
In their latest game, Leeds United hammered Cardiff 7-0 in what was their biggest win in 50 years to further their lead atop the Championship table.
Burnley, placed third, have since narrowed the gap between themselves and United to two points after beating Oxford United 1-0.
There will be an opportunity for that deficit to be extended to five points once again when Leeds United face Coventry, with one Whites player in particular potentially having a huge say against the Sky Blues.
Junior Firpo’s Cardiff performance means he has to feature vs Coventry
Cardiff’s visit to Elland Road saw left-back Junior Firpo start for the first time in over a month, with the defender having missed seven games due to injury.
Since returning to fitness, Firpo has predominantly served as back-up to Sam Byram to ensure he was fully recovered, given the injury problems he has faced during his time in West Yorkshire.
Against Cardiff, however, Firpo highlighted just how important he is to Daniel Farke’s Leeds side, starting the match and finishing with a hat-trick of assists.
As reported by Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth, Firpo was “excellent” against City, dominating the left flank alongside Manor Solomon.
Daniel Farke must start Firpo over Sam Byram
Byram has proven a capable option for Leeds since rejoining the club in 2023, far surpassing the expectations of many.
It is clear, though, that Firpo must start if he is fit to play. Firpo is left-footed and while that is simple enough to say, it makes such a difference to Leeds’ flow in attack, as Byram has a tendency to invert onto his stronger right foot.
| Statistics | Junior Firpo | Sam Byram |
| Games Played | 17 | 25 |
| Assists | 6 | 1 |
| Expected Assists | 4.1 | 1.0 |
| Shot Creating Actions | 49 | 25 |
| Progressive Carrying Distance | 1171 yards | 712 yards |
A win against Coventry would be momentous for Leeds, a real statement to the rest of the division about their intent to get promoted.
In seeking those three points, there is a clear argument for Firpo to start in order to better Leeds’ chances of securing the win.
Receive a digest of our best Leeds content each week direct to your mailbox
