Key occasions
49 minutes: Fast and incisive soccer from Leicester, with Pereira enjoying a few give-and-gos to separate open the Leeds midfield; then Mavididi cuts inside and shoots, however it’s blocked.
47 minutes: A lot of Leeds’ buildup play has been down their proper, with Grey, Gnonto and Rutter all getting concerned rather a lot. Firpo will get it on the alternative facet however is robbed by Fatawu who tries to shoot … from 40 yards … it doesn’t go effectively.
Second half: We’re off once more. Neither supervisor has made a change on the break. Extra of the identical?
Leeds have a bench brimming with stars. So when does Daniel Farke introduce Daniel James, Patrick Bamford or Jaidon Anthony? If it’s not at first of the second half, it gained’t be a lot lengthy after the hour mark, certainly.
Elsewhere within the Championship, which as you realize is formally sponsored by WTF scorelines …
Enzo Maresca appeared to get entangled in an altercation with the fourth official because the half-time whistle sounded. It appears like he was booked for one thing, which I’m afraid I didn’t see.
Mood fraying already? About that break …
HT: Leeds 0-1 Leicester
Everybody take a breath. Seize a drink, and a kit-kat, different chocolate bars can be found.
A breathless first half involves an in depth with Leicester within the ascendancy, however with neither facet giving a single inch. Leeds have performed some cracking soccer with out actually testing Mads Hermansen, whereas the guests took their likelihood by Wout Faes. That’s the distinction after 45 minutes.
Because it stands, Leicester can be certainly en path to the Championship title, whereas Leeds’ computerized promotion hopes can be dealt a big blow. BUT – and it’s an enormous however – you are feeling there are lots extra twists and turns for us on this contest.
We’re now into two added minutes. This has been an enthralling watch.
45 minutes: Leeds have two gamers mendacity on the deck, amid appeals for a free-kick (or two) – which Pawson ignores. Leicester can’t get the suitable move away to launch a counterattack and capitalise.
43 minutes: Phenomenal stuff from Dewsbury-Corridor there, simply to glide away from the challenges and take his workforce up the pitch. Sensational toes.
42 minutes: Rutter and Gnonto virtually get in one another’s method … in reality it’s very messy from Leeds on the sting of the Leicester field and ultimately an offside flag goes up. Farke puffs out his cheeks.
40 minutes: The territorial benefit lies with Leeds, who’ve additionally had the majority of possession and haven’t been with out possibilities on this sport. They’ve simply lacked that medical contact in entrance of aim, as Summerville exemplifies with a wild previous shot that flies into the stand.
37 minutes: No pictures on the right track for Leeds but … nevertheless, there’s an opportunity to conjure one thing up right here as they win a nook. It’s tough-tackling stuff from Leicester to defend it, although, with Mavididi taking it clear.
36 minutes: Leeds gave the impression to be build up a head of steam with some good triangles down their inside-right channel, however Grey overhits his cross in the long run.
34 minutes: Rutter is trying to set Summerville off and working as Vestergaard, working again in direction of his personal aim, buys an inexpensive free-kick. The Leeds followers don’t like that.
32 minutes: “The place’s your well-known environment?” is the taunt from the travelling Leicester followers, who’re clearly having fun with the present scoreline and perhaps the actual fact the sport has calmed down a contact.
An early contender for pun of the night time, courtesy of Peter Oh:
Talking of the center of the pitch, any likelihood that the respective quantity 8s have locked horns, or at the least eyes? [Winks at Kamara.]
30 minutes: Leeds are having fun with a uncommon spell of low-tempo possession, with Leicester joyful to take a seat in in the meanwhile. The house facet actually do have some nice ball-players: Gnonto, Rutter and Kamara are all spectacular in the intervening time.
That is the aim that separates the perimeters as we strategy the half-hour mark.
Leicester open the scoring by Wout Faes! 💥
A transfer straight from the coaching floor to make it 1-0 in opposition to Leeds at Elland Street ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/bVzmeRVqtA
— Sky Sports activities Soccer (@SkyFootball) February 23, 2024
27 minutes: It’s ice-cool from Firpo to chest it again to Meslier beneath strain in his personal field. Seconds earlier, Meslier hadn’t been so composed beneath strain from Daka … he handed it out of play.
It’s turning into a bit stop-start with tackles flying in as soon as extra. Dewsbury-Corridor is down clutching his ankle.
26 minutes: Rutter was once more the architect for Leeds in creating that newest Summerville likelihood. The house facet look so harmful on the transition, however their ultimate ball and/or ending has allow them to down to date.
24 minutes: Summerville is denied by a last-ditch problem by the sliding Vestergaard. That is chaos proper now, however it’s completely good to look at.
23 minutes: The center of the pitch appears to have change into utterly – and alarmingly – open on this sport. It’s end-to-end stuff already.
22 minutes: Oh, Gnonto, what have you ever completed? Rutter has been chic to date and performs the Italian into a beautiful pocket of house within the Leicester field. However Gnonto’s contact is so poor, so heavy and it permits the guests to shuttle again and block.
20 minutes: An excellent run from Dewsbury-Corridor ends with the midfielder taking a tumble within the penalty field … beneath very minimal contact. Nothing doing there.
19 minutes: As Enzo Maresca receives therapy for an damage he’s suffered on the touchline, Pereira receives the primary yellow card of the sport. And it’s a poor choice by Craig Pawson. The Portuguese clearly gained the ball.
18 minutes: All of the noise is being made by the Leicester followers now. That Faes aim has received them bouncing.
17 minutes: An opportunity for Leeds to hit again instantly … and once more Piroe has squandered it. Gnonto’s cross from the suitable discovered the No 9 in acres of house. It wasn’t the simplest header however it’s guided effectively vast.
GOAL! Leeds 0-1 Leicester (Faes, 15)
Faes scores from the ensuing nook! Daka flung himself on the ball to flick it on on the close to put up – and the centre-back is there to nod it in on the again stick.
Elland Street is surprised.
15 minutes: Each managers are eager on the inverted full-back position, with Archie Grey stepping inside to play that for Leeds.
The hosts are caught this time, although, with Mavididi laying it again to Daka after profitable it, with the shot forcing Meslier to fingertip over.
12 minutes: Pereira finds his method into the Leeds field to latch onto a cross, however his header is missing energy and simply wolfed up by Meslier. The tempo has simply slowed a tad now.
10 minutes: Leicester wish to move it round. Leeds wish to press excessive. It’s making for attention-grabbing – and frenetic – viewing.
9 minutes: We should have had half a dozen pictures at aim already on this sport, the newest of which comes from Harry Winks, who’s Leicester’s midfield metronome however not recognized for his capturing. Aaaand that’s why. He was miles out and dragged it very vast.
7 minutes: There’s a couple of tasty challenges moving into. Gruev on Dewsbury-Corridor, there, brings a few free-kick for Leicester. Moments earlier Choudhury had been on the receiving finish of 1, too.
Fatawu picks up the scraps after a half-clearance however he wallops over.
5 minutes: Now an opportunity for Leeds after Grey overlaps from right-back and it falls fairly kindly for Piroe … over the crossbar! A pleasant flick from Gnonto to set that up. However the end was horrible.
4 minutes: Regardless of Choudhury being a midfielder and Pereira being a right-back, Choudhury is enjoying right-back and Pereira appears to be enjoying in midfield. Leicester are getting themselves into the sport, having fun with a spell on the ball. Dewsbury-Corridor drills vast on his left foot.
2 minutes: No scarcity of impetus from both facet within the opening minutes, as Leeds get it ahead, Rutter turns properly and darts down the left, profitable the house facet a nook.
Vestergaard heads it to security.
1 min: A workforce all in white in opposition to a workforce all in blue. Ain’t {that a} sight for sore eyes. Farke and Maresca look somewhat extra relaxed than the 2 units of supporters.
KICK OFF
Let’s goooooooo!
The gamers are out and we’re good to go. Recreation faces on, everybody.
Daniel Farke tells the TV cameras “it’s vital to not break the rhythm and use the momentum” of an eight-match profitable run – though he says Leeds’ good outcomes of late is not going to essentially assist them at the moment.
“This environment is second to none on this nation,” he says of the Elland Street roar that awaits his troops. “It’s a superb choice for us to seek out one other gear tonight.”
This track feels apt, given the venue and environment tonight.
Let’s be trustworthy, this could actually be a Premier League fixture. It has all of the hallmarks of 1: heaps using on it, a bumper crowd, prime quality benches on each side. It’s a rattling sight extra attention-grabbing than Luton v Burnley (sorry guys, it simply is). We’ve even received a Premier League ref gracing us together with his presence. Welcome Craig Pawson!
These two sides will simply hope this is a Premier League sport in 2024/25.
If the Lionesses’ conflict with Austria tickles your fancy, then that’s our different stay soccer providing this night and John Brewin is your man.
It does appear to be Leeds have the stronger substitutes’ bench tonight. Farke really has a humiliation of attacking riches at his disposal, for this degree.
With Vardy and Iheanacho out, Leicester have only one striker on the bench.
Bamford and Joseph on Leeds bench, alongside 10-goal James. Is perhaps vital. #lufc #LCFC
— Leon Wobschall (@LeonWobYP) February 23, 2024
Leicester are usually not in the most effective of moments, as fashionable managers prefer to say, regardless of being prime of the league. Wilfred Ndidi is out long-term, Kelechi Iheanacho remains to be lacking and it appears Jamie Vardy has an damage, too, which retains him out of the matchday squad. Throw in the truth that the Foxes misplaced their earlier sport and you’ve got a couple of wobbles for Maresca’s males to take care of.
That mentioned, a win at the moment would most likely put the rubber seal on computerized promotion for them and solely 4 Championship groups (Middlesbrough twice, Coventry, Leeds and Hull) have truly overwhelmed Leicester this season. They’re nonetheless a formidable outfit.
Group information
Leeds: Meslier, Grey, Rodon, Ampadu, Firpo, Gruev, Kamara, Summerville, Rutter, Gnonto, Piroe
Subs: Klaesson, Cresswell, Cooper, Roberts, Shackleton, James, Joseph, Anthony, Bamford
Leicester: Hermansen, Pereira, Faes, Vestegaard, Justin, Winks, Choudhury, Dewsbury-Corridor, Fatawu, Mavididi, Daka
Subs: Stolarczyk, Coady, Doyle, Nelson, Praet, Akgün, McAteer, Albrighton, Cannon
Preamble
Nicely. What a sport this guarantees to be. The best possible of the Championship, a sport that can most likely eclipse loads of Premier League matches by way of high quality, stature and competitiveness. “This can be a particular sport, for this reason we began to play soccer,” mentioned Daniel Farke earlier this week as he regarded ahead to a scorching Elland Street environment beneath the Friday night time lights – it’s second versus first within the second tier.
With Leicester at present having fun with a seven-point cushion on the prime, it’s most likely an even bigger sport for Leeds tonight. They will really feel Ipswich and Southampton respiratory down their necks, and people groups in third and fourth respectively have pretty pleasant residence video games tomorrow – during which they’ll be anticipated to capitalise on any Leeds slip-up.
The place’s your cash, then? Leeds have gained 5 on the bounce going into this one, whereas Enzo Maresca’s facet suffered a shock 2-1 residence defeat to Middlesbrough final day trip. The Whites had been the victors by a solitary aim when the 2 sides confronted off on the King Energy in November.
It’s an 8pm GMT kick-off tonight and it must be a real cracker. Don’t miss out.
