Everton vs Leeds United preview, team news, kick-off, prediction, live on Sky Sports

Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Everton vs Leeds in the Premier League on Saturday, live on Sky Sports (kick-off 5.30pm).

Team news

Everton left-back Lucas Digne is facing up to three months out with an ankle injury to give manager Carlo Ancelotti a decision to make ahead of the visit of Leeds.

Last week the Italian changed to a wing-back system and with the inexperienced Niels Nkounkou his only cover on the left he may be tempted to employ the tactic again.

Right-back Seamus Coleman (hamstring) is still not fit while long-time absentee Jean-Philippe Gbamin (Achilles) remains a couple of weeks away from being in contention.

Leeds head coach Marcelo Bielsa is expected to choose from an unchanged squad, with no new injury concerns following last week's goalless home draw against Arsenal.

Midfielder Pablo Hernandez remains sidelined with a muscle strain and defender Diego Llorente (groin) is still not in contention to make his club debut.

Midfielder Jamie Shackleton (thigh) is also still out, while club-record signing Rodrigo is pushing for a recall to the starting line-up having recovered from coronavirus.

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Everton vs Leeds will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event from 5pm on Saturday; kick-off at 5.30pm. Sky Sports customers can watch in-game clips in the live match blog on the Sky Sports website and app. Free highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.

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There will also be two additional midweek programmes - one will be played across the weeks commencing January 11 and 18 and the second will be in the week commencing May 10. All of these games will be broadcast live.

You can also follow the action with our dedicated live blogs on the Sky Sports website and app, and watch free match highlights from every game shortly after full-time on our digital platforms and YouTube channel.

Jones Knows prediction

You are advised to make space in the diary for this one. It should be an adrenaline-fuelled 'attack, attack, attack' football match.

Carlo Ancelotti has yet to really find a balance at Everton, but boy are they dangerous going forward. Leeds have slightly more confidence and belief in their gung-ho structure but do not possess the same level of finishing as Everton in forward areas. That may hold them back this season. That said, I am certain Ancelotti's team will present them with plenty of opportunities this weekend.

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Everton have shipped 16 goals this campaign, the fourth-worst record in the league, and look vulnerable to pace and trickery in wide areas especially with no Seamus Coleman and Lucas Digne available. Down the flanks is where Leeds like to dig for gold, so I am happy to get them on side in this one with a high scoring draw the play.

A bet to focus on is Jack Harrison to grab an assist at 5/1 with Sky Bet. Having watched him closely this season, it is easy to see why he is so highly regarded by Marcelo Bielsa and everyone at Leeds. Against Arsenal last weekend, there was a period in the first half where his direct dribbling and clever passing down the left made him borderline unplayable - he created three glorious chances but all were spurred.

Only Mohamed Salah and Bruno Fernandes have created more chances for his team-mates from open play than Harrison in the Premier League. He is in elite company for good reason. His numbers are no fluke and a third assist of the campaign is due.

JONES KNOWS PREDICTS: 2-2 (20/1 with Sky Bet)

ALSO LOOK OUT FOR: Jack Harrison to get an assist (5/1 with Sky Bet)

Opta stats

• Everton are unbeaten in their last 13 top-flight home games against Leeds (W6 D7) since a 2-3 loss in August 1990. Indeed, in the Premier League, Everton have only faced Fulham at Goodison Park more often without defeat (14) than they have Leeds (12).
• Leeds won their last meeting with Everton in all competitions, winning 2-1 in a League Cup tie in September 2012. Their last league victory against the Toffees came in December 2001 (D2 L3 since).
• Everton have kept a clean sheet in eight of their last 10 home league games against Leeds; they're looking to win three league games in a row at home against the Whites for the first time since December 1951.
• Everton lost their last Premier League home game against Man Utd; they've not lost consecutive home league games since September 2019, which involved defeats against a side from Manchester (Man City) and a Yorkshire club (Sheffield United).
• In their first four Premier League games this season, Leeds had 45 shots (11.3 per game), scoring nine goals for a conversion rate of 20%. In their last five league games, they've had 85 shots (17 per game), but have scored just five goals (6% conversion rate).
• Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has conceded 14 Premier League goals this season (excl. own goals), around four more than would be expected based on the quality of the shots on target he's faced (xGoT), the biggest negative difference for a keeper in the competition this season.
• Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the Premier League's highest goalscorer this season, netting 10 goals in nine games. In the competition's history, only Les Ferdinand (13 in 1995-96) has ever scored more than 10 goals in his side's first 10 games in a single campaign.
• Since joining Everton in 2018, Lucas Digne has created more chances than any other defender in the Premier League (159), while only Liverpool pair Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson (26 each) have more assists among defenders in that time than Digne (15).
• Patrick Bamford has scored in all four of Leeds' Premier League away games this season - in the history of the competition, only Thierry Henry at Arsenal in 2001-02 has scored in each of his side's first five games on the road in a single season.
• Patrick Bamford has scored in each of his last four away league games for Leeds - the last player to score in five consecutive away games for the club was Ian Lawson between April-October 1963.

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This week on the Pitch to Post Preview Podcast, Peter Smith is joined by Michael Bridge and Charlotte Marsh to look ahead to a blockbuster London derby between title hopefuls Chelsea and Tottenham. James Cooper explains how Bruno Fernandes has become Man Utd's leader, and we analyse Arsenal's creativity problems.

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