Two sides in contrasting form meet in the Championship this week as Cardiff City travel to Elland Road to face Leeds United.
The visitors sit just outside the playoff places and are unbeaten in their last six matches, while Leeds have lost four of their last six games.
Leeds United
© Getty Images
Steve Evans is still looking for his first win in charge of Leeds, with the side securing two draws before slipping to a 2-0 defeat to Blackburn Rovers since hiring the former Rotherham United manager last month.
Last week's defeat leaves Leeds 19th in the table, just three points clear of the relegation zone, and still looking for their first home win since March.
The team have picked up just three points at Elland Road this season, losing four of their seven matches on home soil, including their most recent three.
Leeds have kept just one clean sheet in the league so far this season, while every other side in the second tier has denied their opponents at least twice.
Attacking has also been a struggle for the team, who have netted just 12 goals in 14 games. Only four sides in the Championship have netted fewer times, but Chris Wood has shown promise, with five goals.
As well as their struggles on the pitch, Leeds continue to be distracted by the club's ownership, with Massimo Cellino appealing against the Football League's decision to ban him from owning the club, despite him agreeing to sell to supporters' group Leeds Fans United.
Recent form: LLLDDL
Cardiff City
© Getty Images
Cardiff City's six-match unbeaten run has left the Bluebirds ninth in the table, just two points outside the playoff places.
The Welsh side have struggled to convert draws into wins in recent weeks though, being held to stalemates in four of their last five fixtures, including Saturday's goalless draw with Ipswich Town.
The form of goalkeeper David Marshall has been integral to the unbeaten run, with the Scottish international keeping clean sheets in his last four appearances. With six clean sheets in total this season, Cardiff have kept their opponents off the board just once more than Hull City, who have the best defence in the league.
Scoring has been a struggle for Russell Slade's side over the last month though, with the team scoring just two goals in their five matches in October. Cardiff have scored more than once in just one of their last eight matches.
Joe Mason remains the club's top scorer with five goals in 14 appearances this season, but he has been denied in his last four outings.
Slade has insisted that the club's owner, Vincent Tan, is willing to provide transfer funds in January, while midfielder Peter Whittingham believes that the club is better equipped for life in the Premier League should they secure promotion back to the top flight this season.
Recent form: WDDWDD
Team News
© Getty Images
Leeds are without captain Sol Bamba after he picked up his fifth booking of the season last time out, with Giuseppe Bellusci in line to come in at the back in his absence.
On-loan Tom Adeyemi will also have to sit out for the hosts, as he is ineligible to face his parent club, but Steve Evans has reported no new injury concerns ahead of this fixture.
Cardiff will be without Fabio, as the Brazilian injured his foot in the draw with Ipswich, ruling him out for the next month, while Kagisho Dikgacoi is also a doubt after missing the last fixture with a hamstring injury.
Kenwyne Jones may be ready to make his return though, having missed the last four matches with a shin injury sustained while on international duty, but Federico Macheda and Idriss Saadi are still out.
Leeds United possible starting lineup:
Silvestri, Byram, Bellusci, Cooper, Berardi, Dallas, Botaka, Murphy, Mowatt, Antenucci, Wood
Cardiff City possible starting lineup:
Marshall, Peltier, Morrison, Connolly, Malone, Noone, Gunnarsson, Whittingham, Pilkington, Jones, Mason
Head To Head
When the two sides met at Elland Road last season, Cardiff secured a 2-1 win over Leeds, having also won the reverse fixture earlier in the campaign.
Cardiff have won their last four matches against Leeds, and are unbeaten in 14 games against this week's opponents.
In 24 matches between the two clubs, Leeds have won just three matches, Cardiff have 14 wins, while seven games have finished level.
We say: Leeds United 0-1 Cardiff City
Cardiff have not had the best goal-scoring record in recent weeks, but Leeds's struggles at home, as well as their recent head-to-head record against the Bluebirds, make the visitors the favourites to secure the three points at Elland Road.
Sian Cowper
