Leeds United will look to further boost their Championship promotion hopes when they face Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium on Friday night.
The Yorkshire outfit were still just within touching distance of the play-off positions prior to their clash against Brentford at Elland Road on Saturday, despite no victories since Boxing Day seemingly leaving their hopes in tatters.
However, Paul Heckingbottom picked up his first three points since he succeeded Thomas Christiansen against the Bees, with Liam Cooper’s first-half goal moving them to within five points of sixth-place Bristol City, and just three points adrift of their opponents on Teesside on Friday.
The former Barnsley boss will be well aware that his side need to keep picking up points to keep the pressure on the sides above them, and he will know that the clash against Tony Pulis’ side is the ideal opportunity to move level on points with Boro and throw themselves right into the promotion mix.
Heckingbottom made five changes – with some of them enforced – to his team against Brentford, and he will perhaps be thinking about making some more in the north-east to give his side the best possible chance of taking all three points back to Elland Road.
Here is how Leeds must line up against Middlesbrough on Friday, ahead of Felix Wiedwald in goal…
Defence
Heckingbottom omitted left-back Laurens De Bock from the squad against Brentford on Saturday following his horror show against Derby last week, although he said afterwards it was due to the home-grown rule with Adam Forshaw missing because his wife was in labour.
It meant that Vurnon Anita came into team on the left-hand side of the back four, and he will hope to keep his place in the side ahead of De Bock after helping the team keep a clean sheet against the Bees.
However, Heckingbottom should choose to have the more naturally left-footed De Bock back in the side, especially with Adama Traore available after his dismissal against Sunderland at the weekend was overturned.
The rest of the back four picks itself right now with Gaetano Berardi at right-back and Pontus Jansson and captain Liam Cooper, who scored the winner on Saturday, likely to start in defence.
Midfield
Heckingbottom selected a midfield duo of Adam Forshaw and Ronaldo Vieira in the 2-2 draw against Derby last week, but it was all change against Brentford with Eunan O’Kane and Kalvin Phillips starting in the middle.
With Forshaw likely to return against his former club he should come back into the starting XI, and Phillips certainly did more than O’Kane did against Brentford and it is the latter that should drop to the substitutes’ bench against Tony Pulis’ men.
Attack
Lasogga must be the first pick in the centre-forward spot right now because of his impressive goal record for Leeds this season, but Heckingbottom has some big decisions to make in the three attacking spots behind the big German.
Stuart Dallas, Samu Saiz and Ezgjan Alioski started in the win against Brentford with neither Pablo Hernandez nor Kemar Roofe in the 18 due to injury concerns, but the duo will be hoping to be involved at the Riverside Stadium.
Alioski produced the assist for Cooper’s goal against Brentford and Saiz impressed against the Bees, but Heckingbottom should consider bringing in Hernandez for Dallas against Boro to ensure his team have the attacking threat to get a much-needed three points.
Do you agree, Leeds fans? Let us know below.
