Leeds Utd v Man City - MATCH THREAD

[Ellandback1]

Leeds Utd v Manchester City

Saturday 3rd October 2020 17:30 | Elland Road | Live on Sky Sports Main Event


Leeds participate in their first 'War of the Roses' (in the league) for 16 years as they entertain the blue side of Manchester for what promises to be an explosive affair, Saturday tea-time at Elland Road. Still outraged from their 5-2 thumping against Leicester, City boss Pep Guardiola will be 100 percent focused on three points, even if it is against his old friend and mentor Marcelo Bielsa. To make matters worse Pep faces an injury crisis.

Aymeric Laporte, Gabriel Jesus, Bernardo Silva, Joao Cancelo and Sergio Aguero are all ruled out whilst Ilkay Gundogan, Aleks Zinchenko and John Stones face late fitness tests. Leeds will be without in-form winger Jack Harrison as Premier League rules state you can't play against your parent club in the top tier. However, if the sides faced each other in the FA Cup, the 23 year old would have been allowed as they have a different set of rules! Ezgjan Alioski is set to come in to replace Harrison.

With Pablo Hernandez injured for another week Bielsa's bug question in the No 10 role is Roberts or Rodrigo. Despite the Spanish international's good second half performance against Sheffield United it's Roberts who gets the nod again. There were rumours ahead of the game that Liam Cooper was injured, but those look to be unfounded as he takes his place in the starting eleven alongside Robin Koch. Diego Llorente will have to wait for his first start as he makes the bench. Some had thought Bielsa's latest signing may slot into a back three but it is not to be.

This is the first competitive meeting between the teams since 2013, when City won 4-0 at home in an FA Cup tie. The most recent encounter at Elland Road ended 2-1 to Leeds in the Premier League in March 2004. Manchester City have beaten Leeds in only two of the seven Premier League away fixtures, losing five times. The Whites have won 14 of their past 17 league matches, keeping clean sheets in 11 of those victories. The eight goals scored by Leeds equals the record for a promoted side after three games, last set by Bolton Wanderers in 2001.

Manchester City could lose successive league fixtures for the first time since December 2018. They have won three successive Premier League away matches, by an aggregate score of 12-1. City's solitary defeat in their past 31 top-flight meetings with promoted teams came at Norwich in September last year. They let in five goals against Leicester last time out, matching the total tally they had conceded in the previous 11 league games. It was the first time a Pep Guardiola team had conceded five times - in his 686th match as a manager - and the first time in 12 years that City had let in five goals.


Leeds United Starting XI
Meslier, Ayling, Koch, Cooper, Dallas, Phillips, Costa, Klich, Roberts, Alioski, Bamford

Leeds Subs: Caprile, Llorente, Struijk, Shackleton, Davis, Poveda, Rodrigo

[Smudge3920]

Whilst hype is being made of the injury list at Citeh, I am still not buying into it with the depth of squad they have... whilst our squad is growing, do we risk throwing the new boys in at the deep end or be patient ?... I say patience, go with those that are used to the system, (but Bielsa knows best). If the opp arises maybe off the bench in the 2nd half...I stand by my 2-2 result... but I will be smiling you can be sure if it does go our way ...MOT

[mothbanquet]

If we go at them for a full 90, we've got a chance of beating anybody this season. City are defensively suspect and play an open game that stutters when they're not given time and space on the ball, which plays right into our hands.

I am concerned that Laporte was back in their squad last night, so hopefully he won't be risked in such an intense game as we're sure to give. I'm somewhat sure that we'll be able to keep De Bruyne quiet, but my major fear is Sterling. He's going to give us a rough ride with Ayling pushing up the pitch and Koch will need to be perfect to deal with that danger.

It's going to be another Liverpool-style rollercoaster. Including the pens.

[HarryofOz]

Just go for it, nothing to lose.

[Chilli D]

Laporte played last night so he'll be back and they have just spent 65m on Diaz so I expect them to be stronger defensively.
I think their display against Leicester was a one off and we will have to be at our very best to get anything from the game.
De Bruyne is on a different level and we need KP to keep him quiet (easier said than done).
Interesting to see how we line up without Harrison. I expect Alioski will get the nod.

[Carrick Dave]

Bernardo Silva was on the bench last night too.

This is another free throw at the dartboard, we aren’t expected to beat City (by that I mean Marcelo probably hadn’t marked this one down as a source of points before the season started) so if we get anything out of the game it’s a bonus.

A cheeky win would do nicely though.

[Fridge]

This for me is the best time to face them; Aguero and Jesus are out, they’re defensively shaky and we are in form.

There’s nothing to lose here, nobody will be expecting us to get a result so the pressure is off a little bit.

[Ratscoot]

This for me is the best time to face them; Aguero and Jesus are out, they’re defensively shaky and we are in form.

There’s nothing to lose here, nobody will be expecting us to get a result so the pressure is off a little bit.

Agree Fridge a free hit here as long as we don't get smashed but I'm expecting another roller coaster game but hoping we grab a 3-2 win

[mothbanquet]

Honestly, I think a sneaky win would fuel too much hyperbole in the media right when we just need to keep our heads down and grind out performances.

[HarryofOz]

Honestly, I think a sneaky win would fuel too much hyperbole in the media right when we just need to keep our heads down and grind out performances.

What about a runaway win

[mothbanquet]

What about a runaway win

Then I'll believe the hyperbole myself

[HarryofOz]

Then I'll believe the hyperbole myself

[1964white]

Alioski replaces Harrison reading between the lines in Bielsa's press conference

[1964white]

De Bruyne is on a different level and we need KP to keep him quiet (easier said than done).

I just hope Kalvin doesn't receive too much stick from our fans should De Bruyne give him the runaround, DB is world class!

[Fridge]

De Bruyne is the best midfielder in the world. Keeping him quiet is a challenge but it is doable - Leicester did a brilliant job of keeping him out of the game completely at the weekend.

Keeping him out is the key to getting a result. With Aguero and Jesus out, they should play Sterling up front (or a 19y/o Delap). Without Sterling out wide, this will limit the service to their strikers from the wing - meaning they’ll be reliant on De Bruyne to deliver.

[Chilli D]

I just hope Kalvin doesn't receive too much stick from our fans should De Bruyne give him the runaround, DB is world class!

He is. I echo Fridge's sentiments that he's the best midfielder in the world.
The guy has everything.

[mothbanquet]

He is. I echo Fridge's sentiments that he's the best midfielder in the world.
The guy has everything.

Agreed. If he were Pablo's replacement we'd be looking at playing for Champions League qualification without a doubt.

[Leeds1000]

I think i read that Leicester stayed compact and hit City on the break. I can't imagine MB being that disciplined? If we leave the holes in Midfield we have done so far, i agree De Bruyne will have a field day. Citeh not playing with a recognised striker may help our cause.

Harrison is a big loss. He gets thru a lot of defensive work. If Ali gets the nod i can see City targeting our left hand side? Unlike the SU game i have a bad feeling about this game. So hopefully we can dig something out.

[andrewjohnsmith]

Bielsa did say to not expect us t be so attacking in the press conference. And he also said Alioski can do some things that Harrison can not. I'd read that as Alioski is playing for Harrison. If he plays Dallas like he did last week, it would be valuable to have Alioski tucking back and covering. Don't think it's within Pablo's timeline to return, so I'd expect Rodgrigo to start - although Bielsa saying we won't be as creative might suggest otheriwse.

Meslier - Aying, Koch, Cooper, Dallas - Phillips, Klich - Alioski, Rodrigo, Costa - Bamford

[Fridge]

I think i read that Leicester stayed compact and hit City on the break. I can't imagine MB being that disciplined? If we leave the holes in Midfield we have done so far, i agree De Bruyne will have a field day. Citeh not playing with a recognised striker may help our cause.

Harrison is a big loss. He gets thru a lot of defensive work. If Ali gets the nod i can see City targeting our left hand side? Unlike the SU game i have a bad feeling about this game. So hopefully we can dig something out.

I should think that Bielsa has watched the Leicester v Man City game, if so then he has seen the textbook for ‘how to beat City’

I think Bielsa’s system of always outnumbering attackers with a spare man when man marking will help us to control De Bruyne.

That being said, this won’t be an easy one, I predict that we will lose it but will hopefully give them a game and put a good performance in