Leeds United faced Aston Villa at Elland Road today in a Premier League match where both teams had something to prove. Leeds were desperate to halt their slide towards the relegation zone, while Aston Villa aimed to continue their strong form and climb higher in the table.
Team News and Lineups
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke received a boost with virtually a fully fit squad. Sebastiaan Bornauw and Wilfried Gnonto, who were doubts before the international break, were both available. Daniel James was also nearing a return to the starting lineup. Farke made one change to the starting XI from their last match, bringing Pascal Struijk into the center of defense in place of Jaka Bijol. The confirmed Leeds United lineup was: Perri, Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Gudmundsson, Ampadu, Longstaff, Stach, Aaronson, Nmecha, and Okafor. The substitutes included Darlow, James, Calvert-Lewin, Piroe, Bijol, Tanaka, Justin, Gnonto, and Gruev.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery was optimistic about the fitness of Ezri Konsa, Matty Cash, Amadou Onana, and Lamare Bogarde, who had picked up injuries during international duty. Tyrone Mings remained the only player ruled out. Ultimately, Emery named an unchanged starting lineup from their previous match, a 4-0 thrashing of Bournemouth. The predicted Aston Villa lineup was: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Kamara, Tielemans, McGinn, Rogers, Buendia, and Watkins. Youri Tielemans, however, started in place of Amadou Onana.
Match Preview
Leeds United entered the match in 16th place, just one point above the relegation zone. Their recent form had been alarming, with four defeats in their last five matches. However, their home form offered some comfort, with their only home defeat this season coming against Tottenham. In their last home match, they beat West Ham 2-1.
Aston Villa, in contrast, were flying high, sitting in sixth place. They had thrashed Bournemouth 4-0 in their last outing. Unai Emery's side had lost just one of their previous eight league games.
Key Match Talking Points
- Leeds' Defensive Frailty: Leeds had been defensively fragile, conceding 11 goals in their last five matches.
- Elland Road Comfort: Eight of Leeds' eleven points this season had come at home.
- Villa's Away Form: Aston Villa had struggled for goals away from home, scoring only three in five away games.
- Conversion Rates: Both Leeds and Aston Villa were statistically among the worst teams in the Premier League when it came to converting big chances.
- Farke Under Pressure: Daniel Farke was facing increasing pressure, with his team in the bottom three and a tough run of fixtures ahead.
Pre-match Analysis & Predictions
Sports Mole predicted a 1-3 victory for Aston Villa. They highlighted Leeds' defensive vulnerabilities and Aston Villa's superior form. SportyTrader's algorithm gave Aston Villa a 38.6% chance of winning. Goal.com's soccer expert predicted that Leeds would put up a fight but ultimately miss out on three points, suggesting a 1x2 bet on Aston Villa.
Match Events
The match kicked off at 2:00 pm GMT at Elland Road. Robert Jones was the referee, with John Brooks as the VAR. Sky Sports broadcasted the match live.
[Will be updated as the match progresses]
