Preview: Leeds United vs. Plymouth Argyle – prediction, team news, lineups

Both aiming to bounce back to winning ways in their fights at opposite ends of the Championship table, Leeds United and Plymouth Argyle will square off at Elland Road on Saturday.

After a draw away at Bristol City at the weekend, the hosts only trail the automatic promotion spots on goal difference, while their visitors moved a point above the relegation zone with a draw of their own last time out.

Match preview

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Leeds United return to action on Saturday aiming to extend a seven-match unbeaten streak in the Championship and climb into the top two, having enjoyed a strong start to their second season in England’s second tier under the management of Daniel Farke.

Aiming to go one better and seal a return to the top flight after last season’s playoff final defeat, the Whites currently sit third having amassed 23 points from their first 12 outings, with the only defeat across those games coming at home to fellow promotion-chasers Burnley in mid-September.

Farke’s men have since added 15 points to their tally in seven attempts since that setback, having headed into the October international break following consecutive draws before bouncing back to winning ways on their return at home to then-unbeaten Sheffield United as Pascal Struijk and Mateo Joseph fired them to an important 2-0 triumph.

Watford then visited Elland Road and the Yorkshire giants made it three straight home victories, eventually picking up a 2-1 victory thanks to early goals from Largie Ramazani and Brenden Aaronson, before most recently visiting Bristol City at the weekend and having to settle for a point as neither side managed to break the deadlock.

While they failed to move into the top two with that stalemate, Leeds United do only trail second-placed Burnley by the barest of margins on goal difference, and they will now bid to extend their winning run at Elland Road with another three-point haul to strengthen their position in the fight at the top of the table.

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In their way stand a visiting side who travel to Elland Road aiming to end a three-match winless streak in their own fight at the other end of England’s second tier.

After avoiding relegation back to League One by a single point last season and turning to Wayne Rooney to take charge over the summer, Plymouth Argyle again find themselves 21st in the Championship after 12 games with 12 points on the board.

Their three victories thus far have all come at Home Park, with the Pilgrims having only managed a single point in their first six games on the road, leaving them with the Championship’s worst away record at this early stage having conceded 13 goals and only scored once.

After falling to 5-0 and 1-0 defeats away at Cardiff City and Millwall on their return from the recent international break, Rooney’s men most recently met Preston North End on Saturday, and after falling 3-0 behind in the second half they were eventually able to snatch a point as Freddie Issaka and Andre Gray reduced the deficit to one before Morgan Whittaker levelled the scores in injury time.

With a degree of confidence to take from that comeback but defensive concerns lingering, Plymouth Argyle will be desperate to end their dismal away record by taking a major scalp at Elland Road on Saturday to move further clear of the bottom three.

Leeds United Championship form:

Plymouth Argyle Championship form:

Team News

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Leeds United head into the weekend without right-back Jayden Bogle, who will serve a suspension after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season against Bristol City, although Junior Firpo will return to start on the other side of the defence after his own suspension, allowing Sam Byram to move across into Bogle’s place.

Daniel Farke continues to contend with several injury layoffs, with midfielders Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev remaining sidelined alongside defender Max Wober and winger Largie Ramazani, while attackers Daniel James, Joe Gelhardt and Patrick Bamford are all fresh doubts.

Ao Tanaka and Joe Rothwell will continue to partner up in the midfield given the Whites’ absences, while Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph will compete to lead the line, likely with support from Willy Gnonto, Brenden Aaronson and Manor Solomon.

Plymouth Argyle have several selection concerns of their own for the trip to Elland Road, with Ibrahim Cissoko suspended and goalkeeper Conor Hazard and defenders Brendan Galloway, Lewis Gibson and Joe Edwards confined to the treatment room.

Andre Gray will hope to earn a first start for the Pilgrims after netting their second goal off the bench in the 3-3 draw with Preston, while Freddie Issaka and Morgan Whittaker will continue on the wings after also scoring in that game, with the latter having managed three league goals so far this season after notching up 19 last time around.

Ryan Hardie will also fight to come in from the outset, while Darko Gyabi, who joined Plymouth from Leeds, will hope to earn a spot in the midfield alongside either Adam Randell or Adam Forshaw, who featured 91 times for the hosts between 2018 and 2023.

Leeds United possible starting lineup:
Meslier; Byram, Rodon, Struijk, Firpo; Tanaka, Rothwell; Gnonto, Aaronson, Solomon; Joseph

Plymouth Argyle possible starting lineup:
Grimshaw; Pleguezuelo, Szucs, Palsson, Mumba; Forshaw, Randell; Whittaker, Al Hajj, Issaka; Hardie

We say: Leeds United 3-0 Plymouth Argyle

With one of the league’s strongest sides squaring off against its worst away record, we can only envisage Leeds United outclassing the Pilgrims at Elland Road and taking all three points on Saturday.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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