Hernandez impact, Whites Preston record and the stat that gives Bielsa hope - 5 things you need to know ahead Leeds United's trip to Preston

Missed any of the build-up ahead of Leeds United's trip to Preston? Here are five things you need to know ahead of the clash at Deepdale.
Leeds United waiting on Pablo Hernandez ahead of Preston clash.Leeds United waiting on Pablo Hernandez ahead of Preston clash.
Leeds United waiting on Pablo Hernandez ahead of Preston clash.

1 - Hernandez doubt

Pablo Hernandez has travelled with the squad to Deepdale but remains a doubt for the clash in Lancashire with an ankle injury.

If the Spaniard is to miss the fixture then it would be a major blow for Leeds.

Leeds United waiting on Pablo Hernandez ahead of Preston clash.Leeds United waiting on Pablo Hernandez ahead of Preston clash.
Leeds United waiting on Pablo Hernandez ahead of Preston clash.
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Hernandez has been directly involved in 23 goals under Marcelo Bielsa this season and has bagged four of United's last five league goals.

He certainly makes Leeds tick...

2 - What Marcelo Bielsa has said...

On Preston...

“It’s a different team inside the Championship because they play with a different style.

"The players they are using are different to the normal players.”

On his squad dealing with promotion pressure...

“I’ve never seen our team overcome by the responsibility on them or by nerves or by the press,” Bielsa said.

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“This team know how to live in moments of adversity and at the same time, it’s a team who keep calm in positive moments.

“The mental aspect (of football) isn’t independent of the physical aspect. Both are linked. It’s difficult for a team who aren’t physically ready to make a big effort by using a strong mind but it’s possible that a team who are physically ready aren’t able to show that if they don’t have strong minds.

“A strong mind means you can use all your capabilities and resources. The evidence talks for this team.”

3 - What Alex Neil has said...

On Leeds...

“With me being Scottish and him coming from Argentina, he is not the most talkative when we have met," Neil said.

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“But he is very respectful of us and I think he understands the methods we try and the way we do things.

“Leeds are not dissimilar to ourselves in the way they want to play.

“What we did in the first game against them was to blitz them for 30 minutes and we did that against Norwich too.

“In the second game, I don’t know if he’d had his spies in the bushes, but he certainly did his homework on us. He picked up on all our weaknesses and exploited them.

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“I’ve got my work cut out to make sure we give ourselves the best possible chance of getting a result in this one.”

4 - Whites Preston record

Leeds boast a strong record against Preston having fallen to defeat just once in the last eight meetings between the two.

United have won five, drawn two and lost one during that period.

The single defeat was this fixture last season as Paul Heckingbottom's team fell to a 3-1 defeat at Deepdale.

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Kemar Roofe handed the Whites an early lead before Paul Gallagher, Sean Maguire and Alan Browne struck to hand the hosts all three points.

5 - The stat that gives Leeds hope

Any glimmer of hope will do, right?

United head over the Pennines with three points a must if they are to pile the pressure back on Sheffield United in the promotion race.

Victory will see Leeds leapfrog over the Blades into second spot with Chris Wilder's side making the trip to Birmingham on Wednesday evening.

The one thing that United fans can take solace in is Bielsa's ability to bounce back from defeat.

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Leeds have fallen to back-to-back losses just once in the Championship this season with Hull City's victory at Elland Road in December followed by a humbling at Nottingham Forest on New Year's Day.

Victory tonight would get things back on track with the run-in hotting up.