It’s a top of the table clash between two of the Sky Bet Championship’s most exciting teams as Teessiders Middlesbrough travel to Elland Road for tonight’s clash with Leeds United.
A win for either side will end the unbeaten record of the other and push the victor three points clear of the vanquished. Whatever the scoreline, whoever the winner, it will be a game played out in front of a packed and baying crowd.
Last time out it was Boro who turned out winners, battering an ailing Leeds United side 3-0 with the Whites putting in a disinterested performance as Patrick Bamford had their pants down with a well-taken hat-trick.
Thankfully it is a different Leeds United this time around under Argentinian coaching legend Marcelo Bielsa, and it will hopefully be a different performance from the players tasked with taking part in such an important game.
Leeds United team news vs Middlesbrough
📋 | Your #LUFC Starting XI presented by @Ladbrokes:-
Peacock-Farrell, Ayling, Douglas, Cooper (c), Berardi, Phillips, Klich, Alioski, Harrison, Saiz, Roofe pic.twitter.com/QiHlbemYhC
— Leeds United (@LUFC) August 31, 2018
Tonight’s Leeds United side sees two changes as Jack Harrison and Liam Cooper start, Harrison replacing an injured Pablo Hernandez and Cooper returning from injury. The rest of the starting XI is a familiar sight for Leeds United fans.
It’s a return to the bench for Pontus Jansson, and it is a bench that contains former Middlesbrough man and last season’s hat-trick hero Patrick Bamford.
It is a selection that has obviously gotten fans talking. Here’s what some of them are saying over on Twitter:
Cooper 😍😍 pic.twitter.com/QiCKNY2qPm
— CallumFGames (@CallumFGamesYT) August 31, 2018
No Pablo that’s a big loss
— John paul jones (@Johnleeds77) August 31, 2018
Dropping janson is not right. He has always kept a winning team
— Corkball69 (@PhilipCawtheray) August 31, 2018
Can’t wait for Harrison and Alioksi to aimlessly run into the channels.
— Hank Scorpio (@hank_lufc) August 31, 2018
PJ was surely needed for his height and airial presence vs these boys. Who am I to question MB though
— NigelOmonrojie-Smith (@NOS74) August 31, 2018
Hernandez a big loss and I would have started Pontus ahead of Berardi but what do I know #lufc #mot
— Andy Firth (@AndrewFirth21) August 31, 2018
Bielsa knows best.
— Mr Mark Musgrove (@MusgroveMr) August 31, 2018
We’ve dropped our tallest player against flint 🙂
— JB (@joe_bennett29) August 31, 2018
One different player to Stoke game Kev Pablo is injured and PJ was blowing out of his arse on Tues looked knackered
— Andy Pye (@BalearicSocial) August 31, 2018
Think Harrison deserved his place tonight was very good against Preston mid week
— Luke (@LukeeLUFC) August 31, 2018