The last thing we wanted to hear on the eve of our first home game of the season was that Chris Wood was in the middle of a transfer story, the club rejecting a £12 million bid from Burnley for his services. Burnley are sure to come back in for the New Zealand skipper and hopefully it won’t have an effect on his performance tomorrow, the chance to really lay down a marker for the season.
Preston are a decent side and will be looking to kick on and improve on last season. In Alex Neil they have a very good manager at this level and I do think he will help them progress. An opening day win at home to Sheffield Wednesday was the perfect start and they will also be looking to make a statement tomorrow, especially given their lack of success at Elland Road recently, and in all honesty their lack of success against Leeds in recent times. Preston will want to come and show that there is life after Simon Grayson and they will have a strong side on the pitch as both teams look to make it six points from six.
Leeds have some injury issues ahead of the game. Both Gaetano Berardi and Matthew Pennington will miss out after picking up bad problems on the opening day at Bolton. Liam Bridcutt and Mateusz Klich have both been dropped from the 18 for “tactical reasons” and Samu Saiz seems set for a place on the bench after Thomas Christiansen said he needed to get better physically, an excuse in my eyes, a way to play Pablo Hernandez without actually choosing him over Saiz. I think it’s a matter of time before Saiz takes his place, Hernandez needs to up his game now and hopefully the arrival of Saiz will help him kick on.
Danger Man – Jordan Hugill – The striker is set for a big season and he started off by causing all sorts of problems for the Wednesday rearguard. A key battle tomorrow will be him against Cooper.
MY XI
