Leeds finally return to action this weekend in a bid to end a three-game wait for a win when they host injured Aston Villa.
The Whites will have gone 29 days without a match when they take to the pitch at Elland Road on Sunday after the international break ends.
Leeds’ brilliant start to the season was slightly cut short by just one point in its last three games before fixtures against Nottingham Forest and Manchester United were both postponed.
The unexpectedly long break has meant the club are hoping to see a number of key players return from injury, unlike Villa, whose squad have started to shrink in recent weeks.
Steven Gerrard’s team had just started to turn a corner after a poor start to the campaign, with four points from their last six.
Leeds v Aston Villa: Date and how to follow
This Premier League game will take place on Sunday October 2.
Kick-off at Elland Road is at 4:30 p.m.
The match will be shown on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football with coverage immediately following the Manchester derby.
talkSPORT will have updates throughout the game while talkSPORT.com will be on hand for any post-match feedback.
To tune into talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 via the website, click HERE for the live stream. You can also listen through the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.
Leeds v Aston Villa: team news
The hosts are expected to be boosted by Rodrigo’s return from a dislocated shoulder, but Stuart Dallas remains out long-term.
However, Junior Firpo and Patrick Bamford are closing in on returns after recently playing for development side Leeds.
Villa, meanwhile, could be without four players for the trip, with Boubacar Kamara out after suffering a knee ligament injury.
He joins summer compatriot Diego Carlos in the treatment room, with full-backs Matty Cash and Lucas Digne also struggling with injuries.
Leeds v Aston Villa: What was said?
Jesse Marsch is set to serve a one-game ban this weekend after being shown a red card in Leeds’ 5-2 loss to Brentford earlier this month.
Yet the American has already given his verdict on how he expects his side to respond in his absence when asked about Thomas Tuchel’s potential touchline suspension ahead of Leeds win on Chelsea.
“In theory, when the manager isn’t there, it’s an advantage,” Marsch said at a press conference last month.
“I’ve probably been kicked out of MLS games too many times so I’ve developed strategies to deal with that.
“One of the strategies was to see if the team could take more ownership and that’s a big tenet of my leadership principles.”
Leeds v Aston Villa: Facts of the match
- Aston Villa’s Philippe Coutinho has four goals in his two previous Premier League appearances against Leeds (2 goals, 2 assists), and could become the first Villa player since John Carew against Stoke in December 2009 to score in each of his first three appearances against an opponent in the competition.
- Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey netted the winner in their last league game against Southampton (1-0), taking his Premier League tally to nine. If he scores or assists against Leeds, he will be Villa’s youngest player (21 years 127 days) to record 10 Premier League goals since Gabriel Agbonlahor in April 2007 (20 years 171 days) and the club’s fourth youngest ever. total.
- Leeds United’s Luis Sinisterra has scored in each of his first three starts for the club in all competitions and could become the second player in club history to score in his first four starts, after Charlie Keetley in 1928.
- Only Brentford (4) have scored more goals from high Premier League turnovers this season than Leeds (3), although only Liverpool (28) and Manchester City (29) have had fewer high turnovers against them than Aston Villa (38).
- Aston Villa have lost their last four away league matches, their last consecutive league road defeat in January/February 2017 (5).
- Leeds conceded five goals in their last league game against Brentford (2-5), as many goals as they conceded in their first five of 2022-23. Indeed, since returning to the Premier League in 2020, Leeds have scored more than 5 goals in more different top-flight games than any other team (5).
- Aston Villa have picked up four points from their last two league games (W1 D1), one more than from their first five games of the season (W1 L4). Meanwhile, the Villans could record consecutive clean sheets in the competition for the first time since April.
- Leeds are unbeaten at Elland Road in the league so far this season (W2 D1) – only twice in the Premier League have they avoided defeat in each of their first four home league games of a campaign, in 1992 -93 (8 matches – W5 D3) and 2001-02 (8 matches – W4 D4).
- Aston Villa have won their last two away league matches against Leeds, as many as they have won in their previous 17 visits to Elland Road (D9 L6). They’ve never won three in a row at the Whites before.
- Leeds have won just one of their last 10 Premier League home games against Aston Villa (D5 L4), a 3-1 win on the final day of the 2002-03 campaign.
Watch the World Cup with talkSPORT
At talkSPORT we are powered by fans, so come join us for the ultimate World Cup fan experience this winter – at the talkSPORT fan zone.
In a huge covered room under the arches of Waterloo in London, we will bring you live screenings of every World Cup match.
There will be Q&A with talkSPORT talent, you’ll be part of our live shows and plenty of food and drink will be on offer too.
Come and have the best World Cup fan experience in London – and enjoy a free pint – with tickets for the England and Wales group stage matches on sale now HERE!