YEP Jury: Confident Leeds United in great shape ahead of trip to struggling Stoke City

MATTHEW EVANS

We’ve looked nervy at home ever since the defeat to Wigan on Good Friday so it was a huge relief to get our first win at Elland Road since Jack Harrison scored late to beat Sheffield Wednesday in a very similar game to the one that got us all three points against Brentford in midweek.

The media spent most of the pre-match space trying to create tension around Pontus Jansson’s return to Elland Road but it was a fairly non-descript comeback and largely irrelevant to the game with the notable exception of his successor – Ben White – putting in an assured man-of-the-match performance at the back.

White, along with Costa and Nketiah are the difference between last season and this so it’s fitting that the two substitutes combined to break the deadlock and turn a point into three. Marcelo Bielsa’s going to have to find a way to use their talents without upsetting the balance of our pretty steady first XI but it’s a lovely problem to have and I’m confident that we can beat Stoke tomorrow.

Prediction: Stoke City 0 Leeds United 2.

ANDY RHODES

Following two much-needed wins in the last week, Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds now travel to face a Stoke City side that have surprised many this season, and not in the way you’d expect.

Rather than kick on under promising young manager Nathan Jones, the Potters have slipped to bottom of the Championship after four games played. Their leaky defence is one that the in-form Patrick Bamford and Eddie Nketiah will be licking their lips at, while five goals scored isn’t impressive.

United’s fans will be hoping to see more of Helder Costa and Nketiah after they combined for the only goal of Wednesday’s game against Brentford, while Bielsa admitted he may have to change his system to accommodate both Nketiah and Bamford.

Stoke, meanwhile, still have threats in the likes of Joe Allen, Scott Hogan and Lee Gregory, although they only have one goal between them thus far.

These days, God is said to prefer Olympiacos to Jones’ Stoke. Let’s hope that Bielsa receives a divine intervention in Staffordshire this time round.

Prediction: Stoke City 1 Leeds United 2.

DAVID WATKINS

That was a huge win on Wednesday, a dominant performance against one of the better footballing sides in the Championship.

We turn now to Stoke, where we travelled last season with every hope of a morale-boosting victory, only to come away with a fourth defeat in five games. Then, as now, Stoke were in disarray, a string of defeats behind them and having just appointed current manager Nathan Jones. The expectation for Leeds this time will be another victory against a side that has garnered just one point from four league games and which sits bottom of the table.

A warning though; Leeds United last season often messed up such games, so a Leeds win would banish that unwanted trait. But don’t write off Stoke completely, they had a creditable 2-2 draw at home with fancied Derby recently and only lost an otherwise even game at Preston this week due to three uncharacteristic goalkeeping clangers by Jack Butland; they are a better side than recent results suggest. I’m optimistically hoping for better than last season but still anticipate a Stoke revival.

Prediction: Stoke City 1 Leeds United 1.

KEITH INGHAM

TOMORROW the ‘army’ travel to the Potteries to see Leeds play Stoke City.

Last season they surprised many by beating United 2-1 with goals from Sam Clucas and Joe Allen, Leeds were down to 10 men before their second goal, Pontus Jansson sent off for a second yellow card. It was another of those games that Leeds had enough chances to at least get something out of the game but didn’t. How that came back to bite us!

Stoke have started the season poorly, sitting bottom of the Championship. Their manager Nathan Jones is already seen as one of the favourites to be sacked if results do not improve.

Leeds face Stoke again in the coming week, they meet in the second round of the Carabao Cup next Tuesday at Elland Road when both teams will be much changed from the 22 that start on tomorrow.

I’ve gone for a draw in the away games played this season and have been pleasantly surprised that Leeds have taken all three points instead of the one I expected. So I’ll not change for this game.

Prediction: Stoke City 1 Leeds United 1.

MIKE GILL

Cometh the hour, cometh the men. Against Brentford, those men were Helder Costa and Eddie Nketiah.

United tried everything against a well organised Brentford side but could not unlock their defence. Then Costa made a great run down the right, jinked around the Brentford defence and hit the perfect cross to Nketiah who duly obliged with his first Championship goal.

While this was going on, Stoke were being hammered by Preston and currently occupy an uncomfortable seat on the Championship trap door.

United are of course sitting pretty at the top of the table.

As we know all this counts for little at this stage of the season but Marcelo Bielsa is pleased with progress so far.

His counterpart, Nathan Jones could be one of the early season casualties if the Potters dont improve. Let’s hope that if they do pick up, they leave it until after tomorrow’s match. United should be full of confidence and you would hope that they can come back from Staffordshire with three points.

Prediction: Stoke City 0 Leeds United 2.

SHAUN SMITH

It’s been a while since we had a proper game of football at Elland Road. There are often as many parked buses on the pitch as there are in the Fullerton car park.

Brentford rolled up in midweek, a viable punt for promotion, and made a decent fist of it, doing unto Leeds what Leeds do unto others.

United though are fit and gritty and the emergence of Adam Forshaw and the 
deification of Kalvin Phillips means we are a tougher nut to crack these days.

So it’s off to the Potters tomorrow who appear to be cracked presently.

Bottom versus top but it means nothing.

We have embraced madness and little makes sense in a Leeds United universe.

However, the Whites won against Brentford with a cylinder misfiring and such is the character of the side, they’ll be wanting to tighten up the passing.

I expect Leeds to be slicker than slick and it’s time we bagged a few.

Prediction: Stoke City 0 Leeds United 4.