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Leeds logo
Championship
Aug 16, 2014 at 12.15pm UK
 
Middlesbrough logo

1-0

Sharp (88')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Preview: Leeds United vs. Middlesbrough

Sports Mole previews Saturday's early Championship kickoff as Leeds host Middlesbrough at Elland Road.

With a new owner, a new manager and a plethora of new players at their disposal, Leeds United fans may have been hoping for a new start in their season opener last weekend.

However, it turned out to be a false dawn for David Hockaday's side as they slumped to a 2-0 defeat to Millwall, who only narrowly avoided relegation last season.

This Saturday brings about another chance for the club to register their first points of the new campaign as they host Middlesbrough at Elland Road.

Hockaday is likely to make a number of changes from the side that squeezed past Accrington Stanley in the League Cup on Tuesday, although Souleymane Doukara is expected to start again having scored both goals in the win.

Owner Massimo Cellino has moved to add more goals to make up for the departure of last season's top scorer Ross McCormack, bringing in Billy Sharp from Southampton this week.

Only time will tell whether that will be enough to replace McCormack's 29 league goals from the last campaign, but the new signing could be given the chance to get off to a dream start this weekend.

Big question marks continue to linger over Leeds's prospects for the upcoming season, and Hockaday will be keen to take the first step to putting them to bed in his side's opening home league game of the campaign.

Middlesbrough, meanwhile, have made a much more promising start to their season, comfortably winning both of their matches without conceding a goal.

Last weekend saw Aitor Karanka's side get their league campaign off to a very solid start, scoring in both halves to ease to a 2-0 win over Birmingham City at the Riverside.

Tougher tests will come over the next nine months, but for a side with hopes of a playoff push this season they will be happy with such a comfortable start.

That confidence will have only been boosted by a midweek victory over Oldham Athletic in the League Cup, with new signing Kike making it two goals in two games to help his side to a 3-0 victory.

Karanka will be without defender Ben Gibson this weekend after he suffered a hamstring strain that is expected to keep him out for up to a month.

However, there was good news at the Riverside this week as Adam Clayton finally completed his move to the club from Huddersfield Town.

Recent form

Leeds: DWWWLW

Middlesbrough: WWWLWW

Possible starting lineups

Leeds: Silvestri; Byram, Pearce, Wootton, Warnock; Austin, Murphy, Tonge; Ajose, Doukara, Sharp

Middlesbrough: Tomas; Hines, Woodgate, Ayala, Friend; Leadbitter, Whitehead, Adomah, Tomlin, Reach; Kike

Sports Mole says: 1-1


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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds1695228121632
2Sunderland1695226121432
3Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd1610422191232
4Burnley168621961330
5Middlesbrough1683529191027
6West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom166821811726
7Watford168262524126
8Millwall166641914524
9Blackburn RoversBlackburn156451917222
10Bristol City165742020022
11Derby CountyDerby165562020020
12Stoke CityStoke165561920-120
13Norwich CityNorwich164752524119
14Swansea CitySwansea165471414019
15Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds165471826-819
16Luton TownLuton165381826-818
17Coventry CityCoventry164572223-117
18Oxford UnitedOxford Utd164571924-517
19Plymouth ArgylePlymouth164571728-1117
20Preston North EndPreston163761624-816
21Cardiff CityCardiff164481524-916
22Hull City163671621-515
23Portsmouth152671628-1212
24Queens Park RangersQPR161871326-1311


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