Saturday 29th March 3:00pm | Elland Road
Leeds United return to Championship action this Saturday, hosting Swansea City at Elland Road in a crucial fixture for their automatic promotion push. Daniel Farke’s side will be looking to bounce back from a mixed run of form, having taken just five points from their last four matches. With Sheffield United level on points and Burnley closing in, the Whites need to rediscover their winning touch to maintain control over their top-two ambitions. A positive omen for Leeds is their flawless record in 3pm kickoffs this season—winning eight and drawing two—which they will look to extend against the struggling Swans.
Swansea arrive at Elland Road in dire need of points, sitting 16th in the table and only six points above the relegation zone. Their form has been poor, with just three wins in their last 12 games, making them the worst-performing team in the division over that stretch. However, they have shown slight improvement in recent matches, securing two victories in their last six. Caretaker boss Alan Sheehan, a former Leeds player, will be hoping to mastermind a shock result, particularly given Swansea’s success in recent games where they have played a more counter-attacking style instead of their usual possession-based approach.
Farke provided a mixed injury update ahead of the clash, confirming that Ethan Ampadu is available for selection after recovering earlier than expected. Max Wober has returned to training but is still some way off match fitness, while Junior Firpo continues his recovery process. Willy Gnonto’s involvement remains uncertain following an ankle injury on international duty, with a late fitness test determining whether he can make the squad. If available, Gnonto could be in contention for a starting role in the No. 10 position after impressing off the bench against QPR.
Swansea will be without Harry Darling, Kristian Pedersen, and Myles Peart-Harris due to injuries, but Hannes Delcroix is available again after missing the Burnley match. The visitors’ struggles in attack have been a major issue this season, ranking third-worst in the league for goals scored and bottom seven for shots on target. Despite their emphasis on possession and progressive passing, they have lacked a clinical edge in the final third, underperforming their expected goals tally significantly. Liam Cullen and Ronald Pereira will be key attacking threats, with Cullen leading the team with 10 goals.
The reverse fixture in Wales was a thrilling encounter, with Leeds emerging 4-3 victors thanks to a late strike from Gnonto. Interestingly, Leeds adopted a more direct, counter-attacking style in that match, which could provide clues as to how Farke might approach this game, especially given Swansea’s vulnerability in defensive transitions. Swansea’s best results in recent weeks have come when they have sacrificed possession, which could tempt Luke Williams into a more pragmatic setup at Elland Road.
With four home games remaining, Farke has emphasized the importance of making Elland Road a fortress, stating that the home crowd’s support could be decisive in Leeds’ push for promotion. He downplayed long-term talk of the Premier League, insisting that full focus is on taking three points against Swansea before looking ahead to Luton. A victory on Saturday would be a significant step in keeping Leeds on track for a return to the top flight, while Swansea will be hoping to cause an upset and secure much-needed breathing space in their battle to avoid the drop.
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