YEP Jury: It’s back to the real business for Leeds United and the first of 20 cup finals

DAVID WATKINS

Monday’s trip to the Emirates was a great day out and was a free hit for Leeds that ended with reputation enhanced and confidence boosted. It was always destined to be a side show though to the main event!

The next round of the main event is effectively the first of 20 cup finals, a home game with Yorkshire and promotion rivals Sheffield Wednesday under our old friend Garry Monk.

It’s a home game for Leeds so we must be aiming to win; win at home, draw away for the rest of the season and we’ll be over 90 points and promoted.

There are injury doubts over their key striker, Steven Fletcher, recently named the Owls’ player of the month for a second time but they have the giant Atdhe Nuhiu and Jordan Rhodes to call on; in comparison Leeds are currently relying on Patrick Bamford alone.

Wednesday have stalled recently with three league defeats on the trot to Stoke, Cardiff and Hull but pulled off a surprise cup win at Brighton. I’m sitting on the fence as I know the next four months will see twist after twist!

Prediction: Leeds United 1 Sheffield Wednesday 1.

ANDY RHODES

After an exhilarating FA Cup tie at the Emirates on Monday, Leeds will be more than happy to focus on their main objective again.

The Cup was a welcome distraction and afforded Marcelo Bielsa the chance to give minutes to Illan Meslier and Robbie Gotts. Both could feature again in the coming weeks after their impressive displays.

Sheffield Wednesday will be a different proposition for United. Having climbed to third in the table a few weeks ago, the Owls have slipped out of the play-off places so will be looking to get back in the running.

Their push for the play-offs is built on a mean defence having conceded just 26 goals in as many games – only Brentford, Leeds and Forest have conceded fewer.

The Whites will be hoping to impose their style on Wednesday just as they did at Arsenal. Jack Harrison and Patrick Bamford looked sharp and were unlucky not to score.

That performance was enough to strike fear through Championship sides. They just need to keep going.

Prediction: Leeds United 2 Sheffield Wednesday 1.

MATTHEW EVANS

Narrow defeats by Sutton United, Newport County and QPR in the FA Cup have hardly been the harbinger of glory in recent years for United but Monday night’s 1-0 loss to Arsenal felt different.

We have to hope that the players enjoyed the taste of what it might be like to play in the Premier League and use it to spur them on for the remainder of the season.

They should also take heart from the way they played, particularly in the first half.

If we can do what we did away at Arsenal then you have to say that the rest of our Championship games are fantastic opportunities to do it again and again until we collect the points we need.

After our heroics at Old Trafford 10 years ago we returned to league action with a 1-1 draw against Wycombe. It’s a scoreline I can see being repeated tomorrow.

Sheffield Wednesday are a tough opponent and Garry Monk has shown he has our number over the last 18 months. If we nick a win? Happy days.

Prediction: Leeds United 1 Sheffield Wednesday 1.

KEITH INGHAM

Success in a football game is sometimes down to the smallest of margins, a foot closer and you're winning, a inch or two lower brings the same result. Without doubt Leeds United and their fans gave a fine account of themselves in their slender 1-0 FA Cup defeat at Arsenal.

The same failings (like most of the season) kept me awake for most of Monday night, the amount of possession and chances we created in the first half could have won two games, never mind one and this area desperately needs improving if we want to be playing Premier League teams every week next season.

Tomorrow brings a return to improving Sheffield Wednesday under the reigns of Garry Monk.

I’m not the biggest fan of him but I can’t argue that he’s made Sheffield a better team than before. They showed in the game at Hillsborough that they could be a difficult team to play against.

Marcelo Bielsa could still be without Tyler Roberts and Adam Forshaw for the game but Pablo Hernandez and Jamie Shackleton may be fit enough to be considered for a place on the bench. The players omitted from the cup game at the Emirates will probably return to start against Wednesday.

Leeds last won at home back in December against Hull City and the odd adage that win your home games and pick points up away from Elland Road will be very important in the second part of this very important season for the club and the city of Leeds.

Prediction: Leeds United 2 Sheffield Wednesday 1.

JACOB STARR

A breathtaking first-half display at the Emirates will give us all even more confidence of getting a victory against Sheffield Wednesday tomorrow.

If we manage to replicate that performance this weekend, it will be a tough ask for Wednesday to leave Elland Road with anything, but as we all know, football is a funny old game, especially when Leeds United are involved.

The Owls won at Brighton last time out but have lost three on the bounce in the league.

Despite this, they still, somehow find themselves only two points shy of the play-offs which is where Garry Monk will want his side to be come May.

Only us and Brentford are at home this weekend out of the sides in the top six so that is something we need to capitalise on.

With a trip to QPR the following week and looking at our horrific record in London, three points in this Yorkshire derby would do nicely.

A clean sheet will be high up on the list of priorities too, as we haven’t kept one in any of the last six games.

Prediction: Leeds United 2 Sheffield Wednesday 1.

MIKE GILL

After all the excitement of Monday night’s trip to the capital, United entertain their neighbours from South Yorkshire tomorrow.

The Whites players should be justifiably proud of all the plaudits that they received for their fine performance against Arsenal. Nevertheless all their memories must be put aside as they deal with the main business in hand.

The last three encounters with Wednesday have been tight affairs with two draws, one win to Leeds and only three goals shared between the teams. There is no reason to assume that this meeting will be anything other than close.

Wednesday are eighth, just a couple of points behind Swansea in the play-off places and will be desperate to get something out of this game.

The Owls faltered over the holiday period, losing to Stoke, Cardiff and Hull but redeemed themselves last time out against Brighton in the FA Cup.

Garry Monk will be looking to outsmart his former employers and it is unlikely that we will witness a high scoring game.

Prediction: Leeds United 2 Sheffield Wednesday 1.