Blackburn Rovers v Leeds Utd Match Thread
9th December@12:30pm | Ewood Park
Leeds are back on the road at the weekend, making the two and a half hour round trip across the Pennines, to Ewood Park, home of Blackburn Rovers.
Although live on Sky, the Whites can expect a bumper crowd. The Riversiders' have allocated 7337 away tickets, and although no agreement could be reached for a reciprocal pricing deal, they sold out as soon as they went on sale.
Leeds have won seven out of the last eight games the two sides have played; including the double during Bielsa's title winning campaign (winning 2-1 at home, and 3-1 away).
Jon Dahl Tomasson's side have their work cut out, against the Championships most in-form sides. Leeds, alongside Southampton top the form guide with five wins and a draw from their previous six matches. With three wins, and three losses, the Blue and Whites find themselves ten points, and four places below them in the table.
Niall Ennis, Arnor Sigurdsson, Dom Hyam, Aynsley Pears, Ryan Hedges, Sam Gallagher, Joe Rankin-Costello, Tyrhys Dolan and Sam Barnes all missed the 3-1 defeat at Hillsborough, which saw them having to fill their bench with academy players. Out of the nine players missing, Blackburn can expect Ennis and Sigurdsson to return to action, whilst skipper Lewis Travis returns after suspension.
Their injury crisis has been further disrupted, after the FA announced on Wednesday that Jon Dahl Tomasson will be banned from the dugout following his red card at Sheffield Wednesday last weekend.
Ian Poveda will not feature for the Whites this side of Christmas, after being given special dispensation (by Daniel Farke) to join up with the Columbian National team. Stuart Dallas remains Leeds only long term casualty whilst Junior Firpo is ruled out for three weeks, after aggravating the hamstring injury he sustained during the Summer.