Leeds vs West Brom preview: Championship clash live on Sky Sports Football
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Friday 1 March 2019 18:41, UK
Marcelo Bielsa has confirmed Leeds will be unchanged from the midweek defeat at QPR when they play West Brom as they look to regain top spot ahead of the weekend matches.
"It will be the same team and same bench," said the Argentinian, who remains without top scorer Kemar Roofe.
Roofe hurt his knee in the clash with Swansea on February 13 and although he is making good progress, the 14-goal forward is not expected back any time soon. Full-backs Gaetano Berardi and Barry Douglas were back on the bench at Loftus Road after injury, with the latter coming on for the last 25 minutes of the 1-0 defeat.
West Brom trio Jacob Murphy, Hal Robson-Kanu and Ahmed Hegazi are all back in training and will be monitored ahead of the trip to Elland Road. Winger Murphy and forward Robson-Kanu both missed last weekend's 1-0 Sky Bet Championship defeat against Sheffield United.
Defender Hegazi limped off shortly after the hour but all three have resumed training and may yet feature. The Baggies have won their last three matches away from home and would close the gap on the third-placed Whites to a point with victory.
Opta stats
This will be the first league meeting between Leeds and West Brom at Elland Road since January 2007, when the Baggies won 3-2 in a second-tier clash.
West Brom have won each of their last three games against Leeds in the Championship, scoring at least three goals on each occasion.
Leeds have registered more than 50% possession in each of their last 20 Championship matches at Elland Road - the last team to have a greater share than the Whites were Bolton Wanderers in March 2018.
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West Bromwich Albion have won eight of their last nine away Championship games (L1), including the last four in a row; they haven't won five away league games in a row since April 2002.
Leeds have lost five of their last 10 Championship games (W4 D1), having lost just three of their first 24 under Marcelo Bielsa this season.
West Brom striker Dwight Gayle has scored in all three of his league appearances against Leeds, netting four goals, including three at Elland Road.
Prutton's prediction
It would have come as a blow to Leeds knowing that they could have started this game on top of the table, but they didn't take their chance to beat QPR on Tuesday night.
West Brom will also be reeling from the blow of losing at home to Sheffield United last week. They have struggled at The Hawthorns lately, though, and will probably be happy to be back on the road. That being said, I fancy Leeds to just about edge this one.
David Prutton predicts: 2-1 (8/1 with Sky Bet)
