Leeds vs West Ham Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Two potential relegation rivals meet at Elland Road for the Friday night game in the Premier League.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports / US – USA Network
How to watch online: UK – Sky Go / US – nbc.com
Leeds preview: Needing to bounce back
It's back-to-back defeats now for Leeds, who most recently lost 2-0 away to fellow promoted outfit Burnley. It was a contest that saw Leeds enjoy the lion's share of possession only to lose to a side who scored from two of their three attempts over the course of the match.
Daniel Farke's side have generally performed well at home though, losing only one of their four Premier League games at Elland Road this season, and maintaining that form will clearly be key to their hopes of surviving relegation.
West Ham preview: Relegation candidates
West Ham are faring even worse than the hosts, with the Hammers currently occupying 19th place in the table having won just one of their eight league games this season, which came against fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest.
There has been no 'new manager bounce' yet under the recently-appointed Nuno Espirito Santo, who has seen his new side pick up just one point from his first three games in charge of the club.
Leeds team news: Late calls
Both Pascal Struijk and Ethan Ampadu have missed team training due to illness and a late call will be made on their availability, as is the case with Noah Okafor and Willy Gnonto, who are both recovering from injuries.
Harry Gray misses out, but summer signing Lucas Perri was back on the bench against Burnley so Farke has a decision to make as to whether Karl Darlow remains in goal.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Darlow; Bogle, Rodon, Bornauw, Gudmundsson; Longstaff, Ampadu, Stach; James, Calvert-Lewin, Harrison
Unavailable: Gray (Injured)
Questionable: Struijk (Illness), Ampadu (Illness), Gnonto (Fitness), Okafor (Fitness)
West Ham team news: Mavropanos out
Konstantinos Mavropanos picked up an injury in the 0-2 defeat to Brentford on Monday and misses out here, while there was no mention of Niclas Fullkrug in Espirito Santo's press conference but, judging by previous comments, it seems unlikely the German striker will make it.
El Hadji Malick Diouf has been one of the few bright lights for West Ham this season and is likely to come back into the side, while Jarrod Bowen could be preferred as the frontman to Lucas Paqueta, who would then occupy the number ten position.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Areola; Walker-Peters, Todibo, Kilman, Diouf; Fernandes, Soucek; Guilherme, Paqueta, Summerville; Bowen
Unavailable: Mavropanos (Injured), Earthy (Injured)
Questionable: Fullkrug (Injured)
Leeds vs West Ham prediction
After a couple of defeats on the bounce, Leeds will look at this as a winnable fixture against a West Ham side who just can't seem to get going this season, regardless of who is in charge.
The hosts have put in some decent performances at Elland Road this season, and with the Hammers so low on confidence, Farke will be urging his side to go on the front foot in front of what is likely to be a raucous atmosphere under the Friday night lights.
Espirito Santo still hasn't found the right formula in the Hammers hot seat, so backing the hosts in the draw no bet market could yield a return.
Leeds vs West Ham tip: Leeds draw no bet
