The latest Premier League team news as Sunderland prepare to visit Leeds United on Tuesday night.
Leeds United have received mixed news on the injury front as they prepare for an Elland Road double header with Manchester City and Sunderland.
The Whites have become one of the most in-form sides in the Premier League since their reverse fixture against City when a brave second-half comeback went without reward as Daniel Farke’s men suffered a 3-2 defeat at the Etihad Stadium. However, since that loss, Leeds have lost just two of the following 16 fixtures in all competitions to open up a six-point advantage of the relegation zone and progress into the fifth round of the FA Cup, where they will host Farke’s former club Norwich City.
The Whites boss will now hope his players can continue their fine upturn in form as they seek revenge for that defeat against City before they aim to go one better when they host Sunderland after battling to a 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light in December. Their chances have been boosted by the news Swedish international defender Gabriel Gudmundsson is available once again after recovering from an illness - but fellow summer signing Noah Okafor will remain on the sidelines and is not expected to return from a hamstring injury until the middle of next month.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday evening’s home clash with title contenders Manchester City, the Whites boss said: "Gabi (Gudmundsson) is recovered, good news. Just Noah is out and will miss this game. All the others are ready, in training and in a good mood and want to play."
Important
Leeds United boss Daniel Farke.placeholder image
Leeds United boss Daniel Farke. | Bruce Rollinson/PA Wire
The Whites have become proficient with set-piece goals this season and have scored 13 times from corner-kick or free-kick routines. That is almost double the amount Sunderland have scored during the same time and the two sides have conceded a combined 20 goals from set pieces across the season according to the stats experts at WhoScored. Farke believes his side will have to be ‘spot on’ in both boxes on set-pieces as they look to claim a notable win against title-chasing City before they turn their focus towards the midweek clash with Sunderland.
He said: "Set pieces are an important topic. They were always important in each and every decade and right now also, of course, an important topic, especially right now also for this game. It's important if you want to achieve something against Man City, then you have to make sure that you don't lose the set piece scoreline. So if you lose the set piece score then it's very difficult to gain some points, we have to make sure that we at least draw it, or of course even better to win it. So it's still an area where we have to be spot on and have to defend really well and also use our chances in terms of attacking."
Continue Reading