As Sheffield United and Burnley wait to play, Leeds will have the chance to extend their advantage at the top when they meet QPR (12:30 GMT). The other early kickoff pits Stoke against Millwall, with Mark Robins’ team perilously near the bottom three. With the Lions still hoping to make the playoffs, Alex Neil will face his old team. There are eight games at 15:00 GMT, including Swansea vs. Burnley, Plymouth vs. Derby, and Sunderland vs. Coventry. Bristol City defeated Norwich 2-1 at Ashton Gate Wednesday night, moving them up to sixth place in the standings.

When a former team visits the area, there’s usually a little additional incentive in the air, and you can bet Alex Neil will sense that at The Den this afternoon. If recent history is any indication, the Scot’s Millwall team is hoping to maintain its bragging rights when they play their former employers, Stoke, under his leadership, for the first time today. The Potters, who will aim to improve their record today in order to increase their chances of surviving, have lost four of Neill’s last five games. Actually, Neil Harris and Narcis Pelach were the two different managers in the dugout during the last meeting between these two teams in September.

Marti Cifuentes’ side need a win to turn the tide and ensure their season doesn’t spiral.

 

A first win here since 2017 would strengthen Leeds’ claims for a return to the top table.

When a former team visits the area, there’s usually a little additional incentive in the air, and you can bet Alex Neil will sense that at The Den this afternoon. If recent history is any indication, the Scot’s Millwall team is hoping to maintain its bragging rights when they play their former employers, Stoke, under his leadership, for the first time today. The Potters, who will aim to improve their record today in order to increase their chances of surviving, have lost four of Neill’s last five games. Actually, Neil Harris and Narcis Pelach were the two different managers in the dugout during the last meeting between these two teams in September.

Neil’s tenure as Millwall’s manager is nearly identical to that of Mark Robins, the team’s opposite number who took over in Staffordshire in January. Since then, their results have been inconsistent; under Neill, Millwall has gained 19 points from 14 games, while under Robins, Stoke has gained 13 from 12. Since the Lions have only won twice in their last ten games on home soil, the home crowd has been a little starved of results at the Den. However, with only Swansea, Oxford, and bottom-place Plymouth having scored fewer goals on the road this season than Stoke’s 14, there is a strong opportunity to improve that record.

The Potters can’t end the day in the bottom three, but with fixtures against Luton and Cardiff to come, they will want to make sure those sides are out of reach by then.

Leeds begins the day leading by two points as they travel to west London to play QPR. If Burnley loses and Sheffield United plays tomorrow, it could be five by 3pm. But, even in a good season, these away games at 12:30 on Saturday lunchtime have been problematic, with four games played, zero wins, one goal, and three points. Given that QPR has lost their last four games and their hopes of qualifying for the playoffs have vanished, a win or a draw would put Leeds over the 80-point mark and in first place for the final stretch following the international break.

Incentive enough – but this is the Championship and things are rarely a walk in the park.

After last Sunday’s loss to Portsmouth, are Leeds supporters feeling a little better about their chances of getting promoted? QPR supporters: what does success look like this season, or should we rule them out of the play-offs? Millwall supporters: how would you rate Alex Neil’s start as Lions head coach and do you still think the top six is possible? Stoke supporters: are you worried about this team’s chances of moving up the table, or is there more than enough quality to move them up? If you have anything else to share, please share it with us through the standard channels, and we’ll publish the best posts.

At the top and bottom of the Championship, an incredible day of action is in store. Leeds will secure the top spot going into the campaign’s last international break if they defeat QPR on the road. With Burnley playing in the Steel City tomorrow, three points at Swansea would put them ahead of Sheffield United. In a highly desirable match, fourth-place Sunderland, who still have a very narrow possibility of finishing in the top two, travels to Coventry, who are outside the top six on goal differential. Every game has something to offer, but Home Park is arguably the place where the stakes will be the highest. In a gloomy match, Plymouth, the bottom team, hosts Derby, who are in 22nd place.

Nothing is decided at this stage, but it will feel like a long way to safety for whoever loses that game.

This Saturday marks the conclusion of the Championship’s arduous winter schedule before the international break. The final twenty-three league games crammed into less than four months of unrelenting, vicious football. There should be something for everyone in the ten games we have scheduled today, all of which have promotion or relegation on the line. “One last big effort, boys, come on,” managers will undoubtedly be telling exhausted bodies and minds in the dressing room.

According to sources who spoke to TEAMtalk, Portsmouth is thinking about making a free transfer approach for former Leeds United captain Liam Cooper.

Cooper completed his Leeds contract earlier this summer, leaving him a free agent.

Leeds made a new one-year offer to Cooper, but the 32-year-old was demanding a lengthier contract, as TEAMtalk clarified.

Cooper has received attention from a number of teams, including Blackburn Rovers, however despite the start of the EFL season, the midfielder has not yet found a new team.

New guys in the championship Cooper is currently being considered for a move by Portsmouth, whose manager John Mousinho believes his leadership and experience will benefit his team.

Cooper would give their backline, which finished third in League One last season in terms of goals given up, greater seniority.

The four primary center-backs currently available to Mousinho have an average age of 25.

Ironically, Portsmouth’s return to the Championship began on Saturday against Cooper’s old team, Leeds.

Not like we have a full player like Archie Gray or Cree Summerville right now, with plenty of money to spend.

Due to the fact that we still have to make up for a few prior transgressions and ensure that we are in compliance with all financial regulations, clubs occasionally have to decide to sell a player.

We still have to deal with the fact that we did something improperly in the past and are currently paying the consequence.

We were rather frugal with our spending and disciplined over the previous season.

Rasmus Hojlund, an attacker for Manchester United, has been linked to a move away from Old Trafford due to his subpar play this season.

The attacker has struggled to establish himself at the club since signing from Atalanta, and his lack of consistency has been connected to his departure.

This season, the striker has only managed to score two Premier League goals, which is a terrible return for a Man United striker.

He arrived to Old Trafford in a big-money move with high expectations.

Journalist Ben Jacobs has disclosed the Danish attacker’s motivations for not joining the Whites, nevertheless.

According to Jacobs, the trade will not take place because Leeds cannot afford to sign the attacker, United is reluctant to sell him, and the attacker is not interested in leaving Man United.

To GiveMeSport, he said: “Despite some rumors, Rasmus Hojlund is not on Leeds’ shortlist, as far as I can tell.

This season, Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee’s subpar play has been a major source of worry at Old Trafford.

Both former boss Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim were unable to bring out the best in the two strikers.

Hojlund may remain with the team, but for financial reasons, the Red Devils are thinking about selling winger Alejandro Garnacho.

 

 

 

Pascal Struijk’s last-gasp header against Sunderland highlighted a number of things about this Leeds United team – resilience, determination and the ability to problem-solve under pressure to name a few.

 

Many supporters at Elland Road described the atmosphere as the best since the 3-1 win over Leicester City almost a year ago, when another late turnaround was staged. Goals in the final quarter of the game have become somewhat of a theme this season, particularly at home.

 

In the five home matches they have played in the Championship since the turn of the new year, seven of their 15 goals have come in the 78th-minute or later. Struijk’s 95th-minute winner was actually not the latest goal scored by Leeds this season.

 

Ao Tanaka’s heel flick in the 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday exactly a month ago came in the 96th minute – but Struijk’s effort could be the most crucial yet this season.

 

There are sliding-door moments in every season, and that last-gasp goal on Monday felt significant, perhaps seismic. The goal took Leeds back top to the top of the table and, more importantly, seven points ahead of Burnley in third-place and the play-offs with 13 fixtures left.

 

Speaking after full-time, Joe Rodon agreed that the team’s conditioning and fitness played a role in United’s win over Sunderland, stating with a smile that Daniel Farke “loves” to work the squad hard in pre-season.

 

The manager refrained from branding this squad as the most focused he has worked with in his career when asked, due to the fact that the job is not yet done. Next Monday’s visit to Sheffield United is a six-pointer in the title race but Farke might suggest the final 12 games are too.

 

He knows how consistent and resilient a team must be in order to secure promotion, having done so twice with Norwich City and having suffered a painful play-off final loss last season after stumbling through the run-in period.

 

 

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has labelled Joe Rothwell as one of the country’s best players with the ball after his impact in the Sunderland win.

Leeds United fought from 1-0 down to claim a huge win against Sunderland on Monday night. LUFC emerged 2-1 victors after a dramatic comeback at Elland Road.

 

 

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The Whites came up against a stern Sunderland side that defended brilliantly before being undone by two late goals. Both goals were scored by substitute Pascal Struijk and both assists were provided by midfielder Joe Rothwell, who also came on with around 20 minutes to spare.

 

 

AFC Bournemouth loanee Rothwell has slipped out of the starting XI in recent weeks but he’s been a big asset for Daniel Farke’s side this season. He’s produced no bigger contribution than Monday night’s efforts, and that drew the highest of praise from his LUFC manager.

 

As quoted by the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds United boss Farke waxed lyrical over Rothwell’s impact and ability, labelling the ‘pure baller’ as one of the best on-the-ball players in the country. He said:

 

“We don’t have to speak about his quality, he’s a pure baller – with the ball probably one of the best in this country.

 

“What he does in terms of passing, his technique and tidy touches is outstanding. Sometimes in this position you need a few different skills or you would win Premier League title after title and have 150 caps for England.

 

“But when it comes down to dominate the game and be there with tidy touches, to drive the game forward, if you enjoy football you enjoy him playing. It’s great we have him as a really good option.”

 

 

 

Life is all about decisions, as those making for a quick get-away from Elland Road on Monday night so painfully discovered.

 

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With the score 1-1 between Leeds United and Sunderland, some decided to beat the traffic. Daniel Farke, meanwhile, quite literally decided to beat Sunderland. Some decisions pay off and others really do not.

 

It’s never as simple as that of course. There will have been some very good reasons to head for the exits before full-time and so much had to go right for Farke’s decisions to result in three points for the Championship leaders. But for some time now there has been an inevitability about this Leeds team, who have proved they can win in all manner of ways in what is now a compelling case for automatic promotion, if not a title. And with Farke going for it in a different, specific way, his reward was a 2-1 stoppage time victory that for the first time created some real daylight between first-placed Leeds and Burnley in third, and a whole stadium of light between the Whites and Sunderland.

 

 

 

Gaps of seven and 10 points respectively feel significant with 13 games remaining and that much was reflected in the celebrations, both wild and calculated, in the late stages of the most dramatic night.

 

There was little hint of the madness to come in the first half an hour or so. Illan Meslier was presented with an immediate chance to put the previous meeting and its late drama behind him, pulling off a solid double save from Jobe Bellingham and Patrick Roberts as Sunderland worked a nice opportunity inside the opening two minutes. The risk Dan Ballard took to run the ball out under pressure from centre-half and the way Sunderland flooded forward to crash the box was an indicator that an opposition side had come to actually play.

 

Yet that was as much as they were allowed to play for half an hour as Leeds set about them with a real intensity, winning the ball back, winning corners but creating little in the way of actual chances.

 

Unsurprisingly given the stakes, there was bite to the game and a little needle. Trai Hume thundered into Manor Solomon, getting the ball, leaving the winger in pain and throwing some scornful word or another over his shoulder at his prone opponent. Brenden Aaronson, of all people, went in late on Enzo Le Fee and bent the Frenchman’s leg unnaturally. And wind-up merchant Luke O’Nien did what he does, tangling unnecessarily with Dan James after the whistle. The game’s first yellow, though, went to Ao Tanaka for a challenge of impossible-to-determine contact on Dan Neil.

 

 

 

And from that free-kick, which came on the edge of the Sunderland box after a spell of Leeds pressure, came the opener. It was entirely against the run of play and entirely avoidable. A ball over the top took Junior Firpo out of the equation and left Wilson Isidor in a one-v-one tussle with Ethan Ampadu. The striker rolled his man, who tried in vain to hold him, and rolled the ball in off the far post.

 

The rest of the half bore little but frustration for Leeds. James had a tame shot saved and a header cleared from the goalmouth and O’Nien was back at it, holding Meslier down and drawing Joe Rodon into a confrontation.

 

Farke joked before the game about Rodon never wanting to start attacks because he’s such a defender by nature but it was the centre-back storming forward with the ball and screaming at his team-mates over the lack of options as half-time approached with the score 1-0. For all their play and time spent in the Sunderland half, Leeds had precious little to show for it and the prevailing feeling was that Sunderland were doing a job on them.

 

The second half began as the first had with Meslier being tested. Hume ran onto Patrick Roberts’ clever curling scoop and volleyed straight into the keeper’s arms. Once again Leeds took over. They pressed high, they won the ball in good areas and kept the pressure on. Once again they struggled to create clear-cut chances from open play or a plethora of corners and free-kicks. The officials decided not to award penalties for a rugby challenge on Ao Tanaka and a debatable handball shout.

 

 

 

With 20 minutes to go it was decision time for Farke. Nelson Mandela once said ‘may your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears’ and on 71 minutes Farke turned to his bench as per usual. But his hope was for something different to the Leeds norm. On came central midfielder Joe Rothwell and centre-back Pascal Struijk, one with set-piece brilliance in his boots and the other with size and strength in the air.

 

Seven minutes later Rothwell curled in a beautiful free-kick and Struijk rose to glance home a header to make it 1-1. It was everything Farke had hoped for. But he wanted more. Having lined up Largie Ramazani and Mateo Joseph immediately prior to the goal, Farke had a decision to make. Stick or twist? Consolidate the point with Josuha Guilavogui and Sam Byram or go for the throat with the attackers primed and ready. On came Ramazani and Joseph.

 

The duo played their part in keeping Leeds up the pitch and getting the ball into areas where a chance might be created. Leeds had played so much football in the second half that it asked for a huge physical investment from the visitors. Jayden Bogle and James on the right relentlessly ran at Sunderland and probed for openings. The ball just kept coming back towards the men in red and white. By stoppage time they were punting the ball clear or simply into touch and hoping for a final whistle that, due to their own earlier time wasting, was not yet to come.

 

On and on Leeds pressed, camping in the Black Cats’ half and though the ball refused to drop on so many occasions, Sunderland finally ran out of lives. Rothwell’s corner from the right came all the way to Ramazani on the left and he shanked the ball right back to the taker. Rothwell shaped to cross with his right, decided to drop the shoulder and bring the ball onto his weaker foot and curled the ball beautifully to the back post where, inevitably, Struijk got up to head in a winner. Elland Road became the Stadium of Noise. Farke, his staff and substitutes danced on the pitch.

 

 

 

It had been a pugnacious affair and even the full-time celebrations had a hint of ugliness and confrontation but, like the game, it just about stayed within acceptable bounds. As Sunderland went off, Farke, his players and his staff gathered in a huddle and deliberately, collectively recognised the importance of the moment.

After the game Farke put the credit squarely on the shoulders of his players but he too must accept his fair share. For a substitution to work out that spectacularly says something. But for a team to persist in a plan with such patience says even more. It was Farkeball that exhausted Sunderland and kept the ball moving into the right areas, at the right times, to earn the set-pieces from which the goals came.

 

It was a night to remember, if you stayed to the brilliant end.

Having played for Leeds last season and Norwich City twice, he has really been on these streets three times.

Regretfully, he was at Elland Road the only time he was unable to secure promotion.

Failure at Wembley in May of last year was a double-edged sword that left them without Premier League football and with less time to get ready for the new season.

Speaking on Friday at Thorp Arch, Farke acknowledged that it is never easy to make long-term plans when you don’t know what division his team will play in the following season.

The Whites manager said, “It’s a little complicated because the financial resources differ a bit [between the leagues].”

For instance, you may have to wait a little while if you decide to extend the contract of a highly paid player who is often too costly for the Championship.

Or you have to wait till the Premier League’s funding is essentially certain if you can afford to be there with a Premier League signing.

Because you want to plan sustainably, you need to be a little more attentive.

Nothing you do will jeopardize the club’s long-term viability. I won’t do this as long as I’m in command. It’s difficult to balance.

Farke does not want to overreact, particularly in light of last year’s events, but it would also be a mistake to ignore possible Premier League blueprints.

 

 

Captain Ethan Ampadu was the only player to start who had also lined up in the midweek 2-0 win at Coventry City.

 

Attention now turns back to United’s promotion quest at Watford and Farke has made ten more changes for the 7.45pm kick-off at Vicarage Road, going with the same XI that lined up at Coventry.

 

Centre-back Pascal Struijk was handed his first start since returning from a hamstring injury in the weekend’s cup clash but now drops back to the bench.

 

That means Ampadu is set to once again partner Joe Rodon at centre-back, behind the centre midfield axis of Ilia Gruev and Tanaka which impressed at Coventry.

 

 

 

Farke’s matchday squad also features promotion to the bench for Isaac Schmidt from the 20 players selected for last Wednesday’s clash against the Sky Blues.

 

Schmidt replaces Max Wober who is back on the sidelines with a knee injury which requires surgery.

 

Wober and Patrick Bamford (hamstring) are the only two Leeds players out injured.

 

Hornets boss Tom Cleverley has made just the one change to his side for whom Jeremy Ngakia replaces Yasser Larouci at left-back. Rocco Vata also returns to the bench having missed the weekend’s 2-2 draw at Sunderland with a virus.

 

Leed United: Meslier, Bogle, Rodon, Ampadu (c), Firpo, Gruev, Tanaka, James, Solomon, Aaronson, Piroe Subs: Darlow, Struijk, Byram, Schmidt, Guilavogui, Rothwell, Ramazani, Gnonto, Joseph.

 

 

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