Two sides in contrasting form met in the Championship's lunchtime game on Saturday as Leeds United hosted Leicester City at Elland Road.
Visitors Leicester went into the match on a run of five straight victories and made it six with a last-gasp winner from David Nugent that denied Leeds a deserved point after an improved display from Brian McDermott's men.
Read how it all unfolded in our minute-by-minute updates below.
Morning folks! After a long week, Saturday is finally upon us and as always on Sports Mole we've got plenty of today's footy covered. First up, it's a Championship clash in Yorkshire as Leeds welcome Leicester to Elland Road. Team news on the way...
LEEDS XI: Kenny, Byram, Pearce, Lees, Warnock, Kebe, Brown, Austin, Stewart, McCormack, Varney
LEEDS SUBS: Cairns, Murphy, Diouf, Peltier, Wootton, Poleon, Mowatt
LEICESTER XI: Schmeichel, De Laet, Morgan, Moore, Konchesky, Knockaert, James, Drinkwater, Dyer, Nugent, Vardy
LEICESTER SUBS: Logan, Hammond, King, Mahrez, Wasilewski, Phillips, Wood
Leeds manager Brian McDermott has switched it up today and looks to have gone for a 4-4-2 formation, with Luke Varney getting a rare start up alongside top scorer Ross McCormack.
For Leicester, Nigel Pearson goes for his first-choice XI but there are new faces on the bench in Riyad Mahrez and veteran striker Kevin Phillips.
REFEREE WATCH: The man in charge today is Mike Dean, who usually refs in the Premier League but has taken a step down today.
Click here to see the table ahead of today's full 12-game schedule in the Championship. Leicester are four points clear at the top while Leeds are four shy of the playoff places in 11th.
PREDICTION TIME! The form book suggests an easy away victory this afternoon but I don't think Leicester are going to have it so easy. I'm not sure that Leeds will get a win but it will be close. 1-1 or 1-2.
As I said earlier, it's a busy, busy day on SM. Click here to see all the games, including the 11 others in the Championship this afternoon.
Here come the two sides out of the tunnel. Leeds are all in white while Leicester go all-blue. Elland Road is fairly empty but the atmosphere is still decent.
Handshakes pre-match at Elland Rd. We'll be under way in a moment. Come on City! #lufcvlcfc #lcfclive @SkyBetChamp pic.twitter.com/1u9kUcDApx — Leicester City (@OfficialFOXES) January 18, 2014
Just before kickoff, there will be a minute's applause to remember Leeds legend Bobby Collins, who passed away earlier this week. He was described as the most influential player in the history of the club.
KICKOFF! A nice tribute to Collins and now we're off in Yorkshire.
It's been a really good start by Leeds and Konchesky was ever so lucky to escape without a booking after clearly hauling down Kebe.
Down the other end and Vardy tests Kenny but the whistle had already gone for Nugent's shove on Pearce.
OFF THE POST! Huge chance for Leeds to go in front as Moore fails to properly clear the danger, instead kicking it to Varney on the left. He picks out McCormack with a perfect cross but the league's top scorer can only glance his free header against the inside of the post from seven yards. You feel that Leeds have to take those sort of chances.
OFF THE POST! And now Leicester strike the upright! It's a brilliant through-ball from Morgan to find Vardy in behind and he strikes it brilliantly on the half-volley against the far post. Kenny could only watch as the ball whistled past him. Brilliant start at Elland Road!
SO CLOSE! How has there not been a goal yet?! Schmeichel flaps at Warnock's free kick and it falls to McCormack who lobs the Danish keeper but can't beat James on the line. He heads it out but soon the ball is back at McCormack's feet. His low shot squirms off a defender and spins towards the far post where Schmeichel gets a fingertip to it to nudge it wide.
Austin hooks over a deep cross from the right and there's white shirts queuing up at the back post. Kebe is perhaps the one man you don't want to be on the end of it and he can only head into the side-netting from eight yards.
It's been a really bright start from the hosts but they haven't got a goal to show for it. Will they live to regret that?
CHANCE! Another golden opportunity for Leeds and this time it's an even worse miss by McCormack. He was presented with a clear one-on-one opportunity after a mistake by Konchesky but almost had too much time and couldn't beat Schmeichel. Leeds have to make this dominance pay!
The game has settled down a bit now after that electric start. Both sides have hit the woodwork, with Leeds having numerous other chances but somehow not finding the net.
Another opening for Leeds as McCormack is clattered but sets Kebe away down the right. The new Leeds man could shoot but tries to square it for Varney but De Laet gets there first to slice away.
CHANCE! Another glorious chance for Leeds as Warnock's initial corner is cleared back to him and he delivers his second cross to the back post where Schmeichel misses it, giving Lees a free header but he somehow can only nod it inches over the bar.
They've just kicked off at the Stadium of Light in the early Premier League game. If you want to follow Sunderland vs. Southampton with us, open this link in a new tab.
JUST OVER! Leicester threaten for the first time in a while as Knockaert fizzes a shot just over the crossbar from outside the area. It looked initially as if Kenny had tipped it over but replays show that there was no touch from the Leeds keeper.
Here's McCormack glancing that early header against the inside of the post:
Ross McCormack pic.twitter.com/kLTN60PEMU
— LUFC Pictures (@LUFCPictures) January 18, 2014
Leicester have seen a lot more of the ball in the last 10 minutes with 63% possession. Still not looking that dangerous though.
Just the one minute of time added on. There's been little to speak of at the end of this half. Leicester manager Pearson will be delighted to not have conceded.
HALF TIME: LEEDS 0-0 LEICESTER
Dean brings a highly-entertaining first half to an end. Leeds have been excellent and done everything but score. Leicester have hung on and will look to come out and play some top-of-the-table football in the second period.
As things stand in the table, Leicester will be edging five points clear while Leeds are going to stay 11th. That will all change come 5pm once the other 11 matches have been played though. If Leicester's winning runs ends here today, will Burnley and QPR be able to close the gap? They both play at home against Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield respectively.
Although Leicester had 58% possession, they didn't get one of their three shots on target. Leeds had 10 efforts on goal but could only test Schmeichel three times.
KICKOFF! We're back underway at Elland Road, with neither Pearson or McDermott making a half-time change. Will Pearson be tempted to bring on new signings Phillips and/or Mahrez?
BOOKING! The first yellow card of the game goes to Knockaert for clipping Warnock's heels as he looked to streak away down the left.
BOOKING! Another Leicester yellow as Morgan barges into Varney. That's a bit harsh as it did look quite accidental. Leeds now have a free kick in a great position to the right of the area. Warnock to swing it in...
It's actually McCormack who curls it in but Leicester head it clear. Brown gets the ball back for the home side and drives past James before shooting low straight at Schmeichel. Like the first half, it's been an action-packed start to the second.
It almost opens up for Vardy in the area before Lees gets back to clear the danger.
JUST WIDE! That's the closest Leicester have come since Vardy hit the post early on. James sidestepped his man and then opened his body, curling a shot just wide of the post.
Jimmy Kebe. pic.twitter.com/Wt6pWYPuzn — LUFC Pictures (@LUFCPictures) January 18, 2014
De Laet is hobbling and looks like he will have to come off shortly.
Konchesky almost makes another howler but this time his backpass is just reached first by Schmeichel as Varney looked to nip in and steal it.
LEICESTER SUB: Marcin Wasilewski is brought on for the injured De Laet, who looks like he has a hamstring problem.
UPDATE: At half time in the North-East it's Southampton who lead Sunderland 2-1. Read our half-time report here.
BOOKING! Vardy challenges Brown late and Dean has his yellow card out for a third time.
Looks like Pearson is about to send Phillips on. Can the 40-year-old striker make the difference?
Jeers from the Leicester fans as Varney tries to turn and break away. There's no Leicester player near him but he gets his feet in a muddle and falls over.
LEICESTER SUB: Phillips comes on for his Foxes debut in place of Vardy.
BOOKING! First Leeds player in the book is young right-back Byram for scything down Knockaert.
Phillips's first shot in a Leicester shirt is a tame effort that Kenny has no problem holding on to. McDermott is yet to make a sub, surely he'll make one soon?
LEICESTER SUB: It's Pearson who makes the next change though, bringing on Andy King for Dyer with his final sub.
With about 10 minutes left it's Leicester who look to be pressing for a winner. King has just volleyed wide after a cutback from Phillips.
The visitors have a corner and it drops for Phillips but he can only blaze it over on the half-volley with loads of shirts around him.
LEEDS SUBS: McDermott makes a pair of changes by bringing on Lee Peltier and El-Hadji Diouf for Kebe and Varney.
GOAL! LEEDS 0-1 LEICESTER (NUGENT)
The Foxes look like they've stolen it as Nugent's initial shot is blocked but the ball falls kindly for him and he pokes it past Kenny from close range. Leicester's top scorer has done nothing all game but taken his chance when it came.
The fourth official indicates four minutes of added time. Can Leeds salvage a point? They certainly deserve at least that.
FULL TIME: LEEDS 0-1 LEICESTER
Leicester pick up an undeserved three points and that's now six maximums on the bounce for the Foxes. They move seven points clear at the top, with the chasing pack still to play at 3.
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Written by
Pascal Lemesre
Pascal Lemesre
