Leeds Utd v Middlesbrough
Tuesday 10th December 8:00pm | Elland Road
Free scoring Middlesbrough are the visitors to Elland Road on Tuesday evening, as the Whites look to snatch pole position from their bitter rivals Sheffield Utd. With the Blades not playing until Wednesday (at Millwall), Leeds have the chance to pile pressure on Chris Wilder's team, and pull clear of the chasing pack. It will be easier said than done against a Boro side who have scored 19 goals in their previous six games including a respectable 1-1 draw at Burnley at the weekend.
Michael Carrick's team are only one of two clubs to beat Leeds at home this season, running out 3-0 victors back in August during the first round of the EFL Cup. Despite this, Boro are seven points and three places below Leeds in the Championship table after nineteen games. Farke's men completed the double over the Smoggies by the finest of margins last season (3-2 and 4-3), suggesting an open game with plenty of goal-mouth action come match day.
Junior Firpo limped off half way through the first half against Derby and will miss the next 4-6 weeks. With Byram also out with a thigh strain, Max Wober looks set for his first league start of the season. Jayden Bogle is a doubt with a muscle, whoever starts at right back, alongside Struijk and Rodon in the Leeds defence will have to be at their best to keep out Tommy Conway (8), Latte Lath (7) and Finn Azaz (6). Ethan Ampadu and Isaac Schmidt will be eased back to action gradually whilst Ramazzani can expect to play a larger part after his third cameo role in a row at the weekend. Manor Solomon is beginning to find his feet, and looks set to make the left wing role his own after impressing against Derby.
Middlesbrough have a defensive crisis with Alex Bangura, Darragh Lenihan, Rav van den Berg and Tommy Smith set to miss out, with Carrick expecting to go with a back four of Anfernee Dijksteel, Dael Fry, George Edmundson and Neto Borges.
