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Leeds logo
Championship
Dec 13, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Fulham logo

0-1

FT(HT: 0-0)
Rodallega (60')

Preview: Leeds United vs. Fulham

Sports Mole looks ahead to Saturday's match between Leeds and Fulham at Elland Road, with both sides keen to bounce back from heavy defeats last time out.

Both Leeds United and Fulham will be looking to bounce back from disappointing results when they face each other at Elland Road on Saturday.

The hosts took an early lead in their match against high-flying Ipswich Town last weekend, but were powerless to resist as the in-form Tractor Boys eventually cruised to a 4-1 victory at Portman Road.

Things were even worse for Fulham, though, as Troy Deeney's hat-trick helped Watford to a resounding 5-0 away victory over the 10-man Cottagers.

As a result, just one point still separates the two sides in the Championship table, although they will both have an eye cast tentatively over their shoulders at those below them.

For Leeds, returning to Elland Road will be a big plus having lost just two games in front of their own fans this season, while their last home outing saw them pick up a very impressive 2-0 victory over league leaders Derby County.

No fewer than 18 of Leeds's 23 points have come at Elland Road this season, a tally that only four teams in the entire division can better.

Neil Redfearn will be particularly pleased with the recent form of Mirco Antenucci, who has scored four goals in his last four games for the club and is expected to lead the line once again this weekend.

His goals have helped to fill the void left by Ross McCormack over the summer, and the Scottish striker will return to Elland Road this weekend for the first time since his departure.

He has not quite found his Leeds form at Craven Cottage yet, though, and that has contributed to a poor first season back in the second tier for the West Londoners.

Kit Symons's side have the worst defensive record in the division having shipped 39 goals in their 20 outings, 27 of which have come on the road. Indeed, they have not kept an away clean sheet for 28 matches now, conceding a whopping 74 goals in the process.

The visitors will be without first-choice goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli this weekend after his red card against Watford, with Gabor Kiraly expected to replace him between the sticks.

Symons could opt to make a couple of other changes too considering the capitulation against the Hornets, with George Williams and Elsad Zverotic among those pushing for starts.

Leeds:

Recent form: LDWLDL

Possible starting lineup: Silvestri; Byram, Cooper, Pearce, Warnock; Cook, Mowatt, Bianchi, Adryan; Doukara, Antenucci

Fulham:

Recent form: DDWLWL

Possible starting lineup: Kiraly; Zverotic, Burn, Bodurov, Stafylidis; Ruiz, Parker, Williams, Christensen; Rodallega, McCormack

Sports Mole says: 2-1


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Barney Corkhill
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Almen Abdi (right) of Watford celebrates with team mates after scoring his sides fourth goal during the Sky Bet Championship match against Fulham on December 5, 2014
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