Last time out Leeds United faced the sternest test of their 2018/19 Sky Bet Championship campaign so far away at Swansea City. It was a hard-fought, 2-2 draw earlier this week; a draw that highlighted the Whites battling spirit.
Today they are back on the road, taking their exciting brand of football to Norfolk, with Norwich City their opponents this afternoon. Leeds currently sit in a very comfortable 2nd place in the table, just behind Middlesbrough on goal difference. The Whites have been rampant at times, scoring nine goals in their first three wins and conceding just two times. The 2-2 draw at Swansea’s Liberty Stadium somewhat tempered that, yet Leeds have 10 points from their opening quartet of games.
Norwich have even decorated the away changing room in advance.
Loving the new colour scheme @NorwichCityFC 👌 pic.twitter.com/1dLO9Bh7Pz
— Leeds United (@LUFC) August 25, 2018
Leeds United team news
📋 | Today’s #LUFC Starting XI presented by @Ladbrokes:
Peacock-Farrell, Ayling (c), Douglas, Jansson, Berardi, Klich, Phillips, Alioski, Hernandez, Saiz, Roofe pic.twitter.com/EidNQPT71h
— Leeds United (@LUFC) August 25, 2018
Leeds fans knew in advance that captain Liam Cooper would play no part in this fixture, a hamstring injury suffered during the warm-up at Swansea that will sideline him for three weeks. This injury to Cooper forced Leeds United into an emergency reshuffle with Luke Ayling coming in from right full-back to play at the centre of defence with Jamie Shackleton getting his full début, and impressing, at right-back.
As the above shows, it is youngster Shackleton who misses out as he is dropped back to the bench to make way for the starting return of Pontus Jansson. The popular Swede returns to partner Gaetano Berardi in the centre of defence. Other than that it is an unchanged starting XI and familiar bench for Leeds United fans to digest.
The team news, as expected, has already got some Leeds United fans talking over on Twitter. Here’s what some of them are saying:
— We All Love Leeds (@Leeds______) August 25, 2018
— Albert (@Albertlufc) August 25, 2018
Announce 3 points.
— BELLERS (@Bell995c) August 25, 2018
Captain Ayling!!!! Good call….. #MOT
— Adam Woods (@w_o_o_d_s_y) August 25, 2018
Alioski is a very lucky boy
— Jamie (@JamieDuncanson1) August 25, 2018
Harsh on young Shackleton
— TimAubert (@TimAubert) August 25, 2018
Glad Pontus is back, needed some height in there. Come on #LUFC
— Leeds United Editor (@LeedsEditor) August 25, 2018
Jannsons back is a big positive. Can’t make any predictions these days because you just never know with us. That being said I haven’t felt as positive about Leeds United for a long long time. #lufc #alaw #mot #nowvLee
— Paul ⚽ (@4everleeds) August 25, 2018
Happy with that team…….need a performance from Alioski lucky to keep his place #lufc #mot
— Andy Firth (@AndrewFirth21) August 25, 2018
