In this article
Leeds United will be hoping to enact revenge on Preston North End after a hotly-contested 2-1 loss at Deepdale on Boxing Day. The hosts committed over 20 fouls and picked up five yellow cards on the day with Georginio Rutter and Daniel James coming in for some rough treatment. Ilian Meslier was sent off, Pascal Struijk scored a penalty and Liam Millar scored an 87th-minute winner to complete a game that simply had everything.
This should be a different affair. Leeds are far stronger at home than they are on the road and the promotion-chasing outfit have won their last three matches by 3-0 scorelines, starting the year with a bang. Preston, meanwhile, remain up and down with questions being asked of Ryan Lowe.
It’s a Championship fixture that is live on the tele so we’ve done our duties, providing all the numbers and stats you need to create a Leeds vs Preston bet builder – you can also check our bet builder tips at the bottom of this article.
Our Stats Pack Guide will help you extract further value from the data in this piece.
Fancy £50 in free football bet builders for this weekend’s fixtures? Obtain them by creating a Paddy Power account today:
LEEDS VS PRESTON PREDICTED LINEUPS
Ampadu to remain at centre Back
With Pascal Struijk still out, the expectation is that Daniel Farke will continue to play Ethan Ampadu at centre back alongside Welsh team-mate Joe Rodon with Ilian Gruev getting more minutes in the centre of the park. With Archie Gray at right back, it means Leeds only have two players in their natural positions in the back four. Patrick Bamford has scored in his last three and should keep his spot upfront.
Lowe may mix things up
Ryan Lowe saw his side beat Bristol City last time out but this is a different encounter against much stronger opposition. Andrew Hughes signed a new deal this week and will start in a fairly consistent back three. The main question centres around the attack with the half time arrivals of Will Keane, who scored a brace, Mads Frokjaer-Jensen and Emil Riis Jakobsen, who assisted the second, all in line for starts.
LEEDS VS PRESTON TEAM STATS
Leeds phenomenal at home
Leeds United’s title charge is heavily based on their superb home form. They are unbeaten at Elland Road and have won nine of their last ten, scoring two or more in seven of their last eight. They have managed 1.6 xG or more in 12 of 13 at home while conceding less than 1 xG in ten. It’s clearly getting to opponents – they have drawn two or more yellow cards in 12 of their last 13.
Preston powderpuff at present
Ryan Lowe is under pressure from his fanbase and it’s unsurprising. For a manager that talks about wanting to play attacking football, his side have created more than 0.8 xG in just four of their last 19 league matches and one of their last eight on the road. They have had more than 10 shots in four of their 13 away matches and three or more shots on target in six.
LEEDS VS PRESTON SHOTS AND SHOTS ON TARGET stats
Leeds have plenty of dangerous options
When your front four consists of Crysencio Summerville, Daniel James, Georginio Rutter and either Joel Piroe or Patrick Bamford, you are automatically a threat to the opposition at this level. Patrick Bamford has managed ten shots and seven shots on target in his last three starts (2.0 to have two or more shots on target) while Daniel James has found the target in 11 of his last 13 home matches.
Tasty odds for Preston to find the target
Preston are deemed very unlikely to trouble Leeds, which means their odds are quite high. Will Keane has found the target in four of his last five appearances and is seen as Preston’s most likely player to do so at 2.1. Liam Millar plays as a very advanced wing back and he is available at 3.3 to do what he has done in five of his last six appearances – that’s a bigger price than Liam Cooper and Charlie Cresswell.
LEEDS VS PRESTON GOALS AND ASSISTS stats
Elland Road sun shining on Summerville
Crysencio Summerville is amongst the best players in the Championship and he consistently proves that, managing 19 goal contributions and at least one in 13 of their last 16 matches, including each of his last nine at home. Daniel James isn’t far behind having contributed in eight of his 12 starts at home (Summerville is the bigger price) while Patrick Bamford can be backed at 2.1 to continue his scoring streak.
Keane and Millar the men to back
As mentioned above, Preston don’t provide a huge threat. It’s, therefore, unsurprising that Will Keane is the man deemed most likely to find the net at 5.5, alongside the returning Emil Riis Jakobsen. Keane has scored eight goals this term with few coming close to that. Liam Millar has seven goal contributions to his name and his pace could be important on the break.
leeds CARDS AND FOULS stats
Leeds feisty in the middle
Leeds are quick to pounce on opponents in the centre of the pitch and that starts at the front with Bamford committing close to two fouls per 90 minutes played and Rutter has committed a foul in seven of his last ten, and two or more in five of those outings. Ilian Gruev has stepped in with a point to prove while Summerville isn’t just a dribbler – he has fouled in 18 of 25 matches.
The problem is that if they want targets to hit, they don’t have many. The wide players for Preston have proven most problematic, Liam Millar being fouled in seven of his last nine (including twice in five of those) and Brad Potts being fouled in five of his last six. They are the only two players fouled more than once per 90 minutes.
PRESTON CARDS AND FOULS stats
Preston ready for another war with Leeds
In the reverse fixture, Preston committed over 20 fouls and they will be ready for it again. That includes midfield pair Alan Browne and Ali McCann, who committed seven fouls, and Andrew Hughes, who committed three. Brad Potts has fouled somebody in 17 of his last 20 matches, Liam Lindsay has in eight of his last ten, while Ali McCann has in 15 of his last 18 and Keane in 11 of his last 13.
The good news, is they have plenty of targets. Their attempts to destroy Rutter weren’t successful, the forward fouled seven times in the reverse fixture. He has been fouled twice or more in his last 13 matches and took another seven whacks against Birmingham City. And Daniel James was fouled five times by Preston last time out.
LEEDS VS PRESTON BET BUILDER TIPS AND PICKS OF THE PACK
We have put together a four-leg Leeds vs Preston bet builder with our selections from our stats pack above.
Leeds vs Preston
21st January
kick off 12:00 Leeds to Win
Leeds have won 9 of their last 10 league matches at home.
Preston have lost 6 of their last 9 league matches away from home.
Daniel James 1+ shots on targetJames has had a shot on target in 11 of his last 13 home matches.
Preston have conceded 4 or more shots on target in 6 of their last 9.
Brad Potts 1+ foulsPotts has committed a foul in 17 of his last 20 appearances.
Leeds have drawn 10 or more fouls in 9 of his last 10 appearances.
Liam Lindsay 1+ foulsLindsay has committed a foul in 8 of his last 10 league matches.
Leeds have drawn 10 or more fouls in 9 of his last 10 appearances.
Three of the Leeds frontline have been fouled 5.91 times per 90 combined.
Load our 11/4 Bet Builder You can increase your punting potential by visiting our Free Bets Page today.
