Leeds United fans on 'out of sorts' Whites man, youngster shout, missed player and Coventry City

Here is what our YEP Jury have had to say on Saturday afternoon’s 3pm kick-off in the battle of two promotion hopefuls plus reflections on Easter Monday’s win against Hull City, an ‘out of sorts’ Whites man, youngster shout and much missed player view.

KEITH INGHAM

With all three top teams winning on Monday, it seems to be which team ‘blinks’ first might miss out on promotion. Ipswich visit play-off hopefuls Norwich, Leicester host Birmingham City and Leeds travel to Coventry so the league table may change once again.

Leicester led it for a few hours before Ipswich went back top after another late winner against Southampton - who seem out of the race now. They do have two games in hand so may get back into the ‘mix’.

After a couple of days’ rest and some training, United travel to FA Cup semi-finalists Coventry City who are just outside the play-off places and until their 2-1 defeat to Cardiff City were in very good form. City were play-off finalists last season so it won’t be an easy game but at this stage of the season what game is?

It is doubtful Ilia Gruev will be fit so the only choice Daniel Farke has to make, if all the players are available, is whether he gives Mateo Joseph the chance to lead the line. Patrick Bamford missed a sitter against Hull and looked out of sorts before being subbed. I think Joseph is pushing hard to start but the manager may still stick with Bamford. Leeds just have to get something out of the game with Coventry and I think they will

Prediction: Coventry 0 Leeds United 2.

MIKE GILL

Leeds United once again showed their grit and positive mental attitude against a crude but often effective Hull City side. They refused to surrender to Hull’s high press trap and the result was not easy for Leeds fans to watch. United reaped their reward in the dying minutes and showed that whether their fixture is played before or after their rivals, it makes no difference to them at all.

The visit to Coventry City is a rare 3pm kick off tomorrow and the Sky Blues are still very much in the race for a play-off place despite a shock home defeat to Cardiff City on Easter Monday. The Sky Blues have had a great season and play in the semi-final of the FA Cup in two weeks’ time and it would be an act of charity for the Whites to beat them thereby allowing Coventry to concentrate on their Cup run.

Mark Robins is an experienced Championship manager and will have other ideas and this is going to be a tough challenge for Leeds. Another win is required whatever United’s rivals do, but nobody believes that the top two places will be settled until the last couple of games.

Prediction: Coventry 0 Leeds United 2.

NEIL GREWER

On Monday evening, the most enjoyable part of the first 80 minutes was the tannoy blasting the Cure’s ‘In Between Days’ at half-time. Leeds were in need of a cure – the team included a player suffering illness, one playing with injections and many looking jaded. Somehow after 80 minutes and following some wise substitutions, the performance changed for the better.

Tomorrow we need to be “on it” from the start. Ilia Gruev is proving to be a massive miss, and Daniel Farke’s main dilemma is how to cover his absence if he remains unavailable. Hopefully he will be available and hopefully Glen Kamara will be illness free.

The manager’s second dilemma revolves around the No 9 position. Mateo Joseph has impressed recently and must be due more minutes. I believe Joseph will play a large part in the promotion push by scoring some important goals and maybe this will start on Saturday.

We should have enough quality to win this game but energy and fitness have been recent weaknesses so squad use and substitutions will certainly be crucial.

Prediction: Coventry City 1 Leeds United 2.

ANDY RHODES

With the Championship’s Easter results offering more questions than answers, the only thing we know for certain is that the run-in will be relentless. The four points that Leeds collected were hard-earned and came from tough games, but with Ipswich Town setting the pace, United must keep up.

A trip to Coventry City tomorrow, then, may prove tricky. This game wouldn’t be straightforward for any side in the division but, when so much is riding on a result, anything can happen.

Daniel Farke will hope that his side can feed off the elation of the final few minutes against Hull City. The relief when Dan James sealed the points was palpable. Farke will also hope that he has a larger squad to utilise.

Ilia Gruev has been a clear miss, and interchanging what was a settled team isn’t ideal during a run in. There are difficult games to come for all teams competing for promotion. If Leeds can negotiate their way past the likes of Coventry and Southampton, they will hope to be firmly in contention.

Prediction: Coventry City 2 Leeds United 2.

DAVID WATKINS

The Championship is now hurtling towards a conclusion with Leeds having just six games left and still needing one or both of our main rivals to stumble. Easter Monday saw both Leicester City and Ipswich Town come from behind to win and then Leeds left it late to see off Hull City to claim three points to leave it all as it was.

The next hurdle for Leeds is an in-form Coventry City, a side that has recent experience of the play-offs having been there last season. This time they’ve put a decent run together to propel them back towards the top six and they will be keen to keep pushing on.

Coventry’s recent victories have all come against struggling sides, Huddersfield Town, Rotherham United and Watford, but we’ve seen what they are capable of in their FA Cup run, beating Wolves in the previous round at the Molineux. They cannot be underestimated, but a 2-1 defeat against Cardiff City last time out suggests maybe that upcoming Wembley semi-final with Manchester United might be playing with their minds.

I’m hoping so and I’m going for a Leeds win and hoping Norwich can do some damage to Ipswich in the East Anglian derby that kicks-off earlier.

Prediction: Coventry City 0 Leeds United 2.