Leeds United v Charlton Athletic: Big Match Preview

AHEAD of Leeds United's Championship finale against Charlton Athletic, Lee Sobot puts together a Big Match Preview looking at the main aspects of tonight's clash between the Whites and Addicks.
By Lee Sobot
Published 22nd Jul 2020, 05:50 BST
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KEY DETAILS

Date: Tonight

Time: 7.30pm

IN-FORM: Charlton Athletic striker Macauley Bonne. Picture by Adam Davy/PA Wire.IN-FORM: Charlton Athletic striker Macauley Bonne. Picture by Adam Davy/PA Wire.
IN-FORM: Charlton Athletic striker Macauley Bonne. Picture by Adam Davy/PA Wire.

TV: LUTV

Competition: Sky Bet Championship

Venue: Elland Road (behind closed doors)

Odds (best available): Leeds win - 8-11

Draw - 16-5

Charlton win - 19-5

KEY BATTLE - PATRICK BAMFORD V JASON PEARCE

Addicks centre-back Pearce spent three years at Leeds from May 2012 until January 2015 and the defender wore the Whites captain's arm-band for the opening months of the 2014-15 campaign.

Pearce is now skipper of the Addicks at the heart of the Charlton defence and the 32-year-old looks sure to be in for a busy day with Leeds set to line up full strength.

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That should mean the usual goal scoring opportunities for Whites no 9 Patrick Bamford and Pearce will need to try and keep United's top scorer quiet.

CHARLTON KEY MAN - MACAULEY BONNE

Bonne is Charlton's joint-top scorer this season with Lyle Taylor on 11 goals but Taylor is out of the picture with the forward having been out of contract at the end of June and refusing to play for fear of picking up an injury that could jeopardise his next move.

Taylor has now been released and without him, 24-year-old Zimbabwe international Bonne has scored three goals in his last four games including a 92nd-minute equaliser in Saturday's 2-2 draw at home to Wigan Athletic.

Bonne lined up alongside Josh Davidson in a front two against Wigan with Jake Forster-Caskey as a no 10 and Bonne will be out to continue his purple patch.

LEE SOBOT'S VERDICT

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An historic game that will see Leeds lift the Championship trophy and finally wave goodbye to English football's second tier and end a 16-year exile from the country's top flight though sadly with no fans inside the ground.

The title and promotion are in the bag but head coach Marcelo Bielsa is set to field his strongest available side in respect of the competition and expect fourth-bottom Charlton to scrap for their lives with the Addicks battling relegation under former Whites favourite Lee Bowyer.

Charlton are only outside of the dropzone on goal difference.

A message from the Editor:

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https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/why-yorkshire-evening-post-needs-your-support-laura-collins-yep-editor-2913382

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Thank you Laura Collins

Related topics:Lyle TaylorCharlton Athletic

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