Key events
So where is the game? Leeds are set up to get at opponents down the sides, their wing-backs not having to worry too much about defending, three centre-backs and two midfielders allowing them to stay high and wide. Then, infield, Noah Okafor has the pace to challenge the last line and in behind, with no designated marker able to track him because he starts from deeper. Meantime, Anton Stach will come deeper, so Newcastle are outnumbered in midfield, and create, looking to slip Okafor and Dominic Calvert-Lewin in, with the wing-backs looking to cross, principally to the front post, or cut-back from the by-line. Oh, and I also wonder if they might target Gonzalez,hoping to funnel possession towards him, then pressing when he’s looking to build the play; Hall and Miley are too technically secure.
Jaissle did, of course, have a choice; he might’ve picked Touré. But it makes sense that in so competitive a contest and such an intimidating environment, he’s decided that one new face is enough.
Elanga, though, is a big miss. When he was playing age-group football, I really liked him – he combined the agility of a winger with the instinct of a striker. But when he broke into the Manchester United first team, his touch didn’t look good enough for the level, and even at Forest, he was more of a runner than a footballer. His worth-ethic, though, is unreal, and it might just be that he’s improved his technique to the point he’s growing into an all-round threat.
Fernandez-Pardo was, I’m sure, signed to be a starter. He’s had time to settle into a new home and have a look at things; now it’s time to get to work. The sense is he’ll be on the top line, with Wissa behind him.
Alreet, I’ll write those down, then we’ll consider what we might see.
Newcastle, meanwhile, change two of the front four who started their last league game, Jacob Murphy and Mathias Fernandez-Pardo – making his first start for the club – replacing Anthony Elanga, who’s injured, and Joe Willock. Also worthy of note: Mason Miley, brother of Lewis, is on the bench.
Leeds are unchanged from last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Brighton. In between times they lost 6-3 at Chelsea in the Rumbelows, having led 2-0, but only three of tonight’s XI started that one.
Let’s take a loser look at the teams…
Daniel Farke tells Sky it’s been a good start in terms of performance and points, but this is a difficult test against a strong team who are especially dangerous in transition. They’re hoping to ride momentum and it’s good their fans are excited having suffered plenty.
Eddie Howe has left a legacy, he muses, and Jaissle has tried to work with it, deploying pacy players up front, so his team need to be careful to look after the ball.
Teams!
Leeds United (3-4-2-1): Trafford; Justin, Elvedi, Muharemović; Bogle, Ampadu, Tanaka, Gudmundsson; Okafor, Stach; Calvert-Lewin. Subs: Zetterer, Bard, Bijol, Longstaff, Aaronson, Wilson James, Bahoya, Nmecha.
Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Hornicek; Dedic, Thiaw, Botman, Hall; Nico, Miley L; Murphy, Wissa, Barnes; Fernandez-Pardo. Subs: Pope, Livramento, Schär, Bamba, Steur, Touré, Willock, Ramsey, Miley M.
Referee: Adam Herczeg (Durham)
Preamble
English football is renowned for its classic match-ups – your Man United-Liverpools, your Arsenal-Spurses and so on. But it also boasts a slew of evocative fixtures that, though not ensconced in the top tier, define the game just as essentially, historic clubs telling rich stories, set in mythical grounds which elevate singular cities.
Leeds United v Newcastle United is one such, and both arrive sides at this game in decent nick. Leeds stayed up last season – comfortably, in the end – and strengthened well in the summer, adding James Trafford in net with Tarik Mahuremovic and Nico Elvedi recruited to protect him and the mercurial invention of Harry Wilson augmenting an already decent attack.
Newcastle, meantime, dispensed with the manager who delivered their first major trophy in 56 years, also selling their captain and best midfielder; another first-choice midfielder; and their best attacker. Yet, somehow, they seem to have improved.
I say somehow, but the reasons are clear. Matthias Jaissle has made an excellent start to his stint in the big chair with Nico González settling well in central-midfield. And, next to him, Lewis Miley is developing into the all-round monster he promised to become, while Anthony Elanga, Joe Willock and Yoane Wissa are taking chances largely denied them under the previous regime. Whether or not it lasts remains to be seen but, for now, things are looking good – and that’s before we’ve had a proper look at Matias Fernandez-Pardo, Bazoumana Touré and Aladji Bamba.
All of which means we’re well set for a large helping of “this league” action, under the lights, in one of football’s last remaining bear-pits. Bring it on!
Kick-off: 8pm BST
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