Looking to keep their hopes of an immediate return to the Premier League via the automatic promotion spots alive, Leeds United will welcome a misfiring Birmingham City side to Elland Road on New Year's Day in the Championship.
The Whites have fallen further behind the pacesetters at the top of the division following back-to-back losses, while Blues are slowly being drawn towards the bottom three under the controversial management of Wayne Rooney.
Match preview
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For the first time in Daniel Farke's largely-productive reign in charge at Elland Road, Leeds United were condemned to successive defeats in the Championship after a lacklustre display against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns, with Carlos Corberan's men closing the gap to their fourth-placed visitors with maximum points.
Despite fielding a forward four which boasted 42 goal contributions between them this season, the Whites were unable to seriously test the credentials of Albion goalkeeper Alex Palmer, while at the other end a Jed Wallace and John Swift masterclass helped Grady Diangana bag the game-winning goal in the first half, clawing the Baggies within striking distance of Leeds at the conclusion of 2023.
Following a run of one win in their last five second-tier contests, Farke's men will be delighted on Monday afternoon to hear the roar of the raucous crowd at Elland Road, where they are currently unbeaten and harbour positive recent memories, as goals from Joel Piroe and Crysencio Summerville fired the Whites to a 4-0 smashing of Ipswich Town last time out in Yorkshire.
Only Blackburn Rovers and relegation-threatened Queens Park Rangers have collected fewer than Leeds' four points in the last five Championship matches, allowing Southampton to leapfrog them into third place amid their 17-game unbeaten spell, with Monday's hosts nine points off the automatic promotion spots ahead of the visit of Birmingham.
Some notable names have taken centre stage in this fixture over the last few years, with Jude Bellingham netting in a nine-goal thriller between the sides at St Andrew's in December 2019, while Kalvin Phillips scored the game's only goal the last time Leeds and the Birmingham met at Elland Road during the campaign that the Whites sealed a return to the top flight following a nearly two-decade absence.
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The full professional debut of 17-year-old Romelle Donovan was unable to help Birmingham City to only their third win under the management of Manchester United and England legend Rooney on Friday night, when Liam Manning's Bristol City arrived at St Andrew's and were barely threatened as the two sides played out an extremely drab goalless draw in front of a restless Second City crowd.
The visiting Robins had nearly 70% possession but rarely worried John Ruddy in the Blues net, and although a clean sheet is very welcome following three-straight matches in which Rooney's men have conceded three, the hosts frustrated Bluenoses with their lack of attacking potency, with the likes of Siriki Dembele settling for a bit-part role in the contest.
With reports in the national press suggesting that Birmingham could be lining up an ambitious swoop for former Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper, Rooney's job in the Second City looks increasingly at risk, and the 39-year-old's record of 10 points from 42 available does not align with the owners' ambitions of a winning mentality and eventual Premier League football.
As well as in the dugout, there could also be a significant departure from the playing ranks during January as Fulham consider the possibility of recalling seven-goal striker Jay Stansfield, who has been a massive success since his temporary switch from Craven Cottage and is now attracting interest from Kieran McKenna's promotion-chasing Ipswich and Michael Beale's Sunderland.
A run of two wins in 14 matches under the highly-scrutinised reign of Rooney has seen Birmingham nosedive from sixth to 20th in the Championship standings, with Monday's visitors to Elland Road seven points ahead of Marti Cifuentes's QPR, who currently occupy the highest of the relegation places in the second tier.
Team News
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Leeds made five changes for their clash at The Hawthorns on Friday night, including the introduction of Liam Cooper to replace Pascal Struijk, who suffered an adductor injury in training and could miss the Birmingham match.
Wilfried Gnonto earned a first start since late October in the Black Country, although it remains to be seen whether the Italy international has done enough to keep Dan James out of the side for successive games.
First-choice goalkeeper Illan Meslier will serve the second match of his three-game ban following a red card in the defeat at Preston North End on Boxing Day, meaning Karl Darlow will retain his spot in between the sticks.
Stuart Dallas is continuing his rehabilitation after a serious hip injury, and the defender is expected in action some time in January.
Birmingham were without the services of defender Marc Roberts against Bristol City due to an unspecified injury sustained in the loss to Stoke City, with Emanuel Aiwu set to partner Dion Sanderson at centre-back once again at Elland Road.
The Austrian was afforded the move into his natural position last time out due to the surprise return of right-back Cody Drameh from an ankle injury.
Tyler Roberts and Keshi Anderson both made substitute appearances against Bristol City as they step up their recoveries from long-term knocks, although it is unlikely that the pair will be fit enough to start on Monday.
Krystian Bielik will sit on the sidelines one more time as the Pole concludes his three-game suspension at Elland Road, meaning Jordan James and Ivan Sunjic will continue in the visitors' engine room.
Leeds United possible starting lineup:
Darlow; Gray, Rodon, Cooper, Spence; Kamara, Ampadu, James, Piroe, Summerville; Rutter
Birmingham City possible starting lineup:
Ruddy; Drameh, Aiwu, Sanderson, Longelo; Sunjic, James, Bacuna, Miyoshi, Dembele, Stansfield
We say: Leeds United 2-0 Birmingham City
Leeds have fallen short of their normal standards in the last two matches, but the arrival of a Birmingham side who struggle on their travels to Elland Road represents a good chance to get back to winning ways.
Blues ambled to a clean sheet on Friday night to secure an uninspiring point, but Rooney's men will face a much more potent attacking force in Yorkshire on Monday.
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Top tip
Carter White
