MX23RW : Saturday, November 23 09:06:03| >> :120:46652:46652:
[monks data]
Barnsley
Championship
Apr 19, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Leeds logo

0-1

FT(HT: 0-1)
McCormack (16')

Preview: Barnsley vs. Leeds United

Sports Mole looks ahead to Saturday's Championship Yorkshire derby between relegation-threatened Barnsley and Leeds United at Oakwell.

Barnsley's survival hopes are still just about alive with four games remaining of the season, and they could find themselves out of the bottom three with a win over Yorkshire rivals Leeds United at Oakwell on Saturday.

The Tykes recorded a priceless 2-1 victory over fellow strugglers Charlton Athletic on Tuesday evening, a result that lifted them off the foot of the table and within two points of the Addicks.

Charlton do still have a game in hand over all of the teams in the bottom three, but Blackpool, Doncaster Rovers and Birmingham City are also still candidates for the drop and another victory for Barnsley this weekend would make things very interesting.

Despite their midweek win putting them within touching distance of safety, their final three matches suggest that Saturday's game is still a must-win encounter. They have two teams in the top four to play, while a trip to in-form Middlesbrough is sandwiched between those games.

Relegation candidates fighting for their lives can often provide shock results in the closing stages of the season, though, and Barnsley do have the advantage of facing four teams with not much left to fight for.

The best moments of their mini-revival have come away from home, however, and their form at Oakwell is something of a concern. They have not won or even scored in their last four home games, picking up just one point in that time.

Manager Danny Wilson will be desperate to improve that record and he has an almost fully fit squad to choose from, with Jack Hunt the only injury doubt.

Leeds, meanwhile, picked up a long overdue victory last Saturday by beating Blackpool, and they will be hoping that the result beckons in a new era at the club following a period of turmoil both on and off the field.

New owner Massimo Cellino is expected to make plenty of changes during the summer, so many of the current Leeds crop could well be playing for their future in the final four games of the season.

Individually, then, they have plenty to play for, even if as a club there is only pride at stake now. Two wins in 13 games has seen Leeds slip from playoff contenders to 16th in the table, and even a top-half finish now looks beyond them.

However, a good end to the campaign will go a long way to clearing the doom and gloom that has surrounded the club over recent months, and victory in a Yorkshire derby would be a good place to seal back-to-back wins for the first time since February.

Jimmy Kebe and Rodolph Austin are doubts for the match, but Matt Smith and Luke Murphy are expected to retain their places in the starting lineup.

Recent form

Barnsley: WWDLLW

Leeds: LLLLLW

Possible starting lineups

Barnsley: Butland; Etuhu, Mvoto, Nyatanga, Kennedy; McCourt, Cywka, Dawson, Lawrence, Jennings; O'Grady

Leeds: Butland; Wootton, Pearce, Lees, Warnock; Mowatt, Brown; Murphy, McCormack, Tonge; Smith

Sports Mole says: 1-1


ID:150369: cacheID:150369:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5335:No Data Analysis info

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Brian McDermott. manager of Leeds United looks on during the Sky Bet Championship match between Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United at Hillsborough Stadium on January 11, 2014
Read Next:
Preview: Leeds vs. Blackpool
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sunderland1594225111431
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd1510321971231
3Leeds UnitedLeeds158522491529
4Burnley157621861227
5Watford168262524126
6West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom15672169725
7Middlesbrough157352317624
8Millwall156541813523
9Blackburn RoversBlackburn156451917222
10Bristol City155732019122
11Swansea CitySwansea155461110119
12Derby CountyDerby155461919019
13Stoke CityStoke155461819-119
14Norwich CityNorwich154652322118
15Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds155371725-818
16Oxford UnitedOxford Utd154561718-117
17Plymouth ArgylePlymouth164571728-1117
18Coventry CityCoventry154472021-116
19Hull City153661620-415
20Preston North EndPreston153661523-815
21Luton TownLuton154381726-915
22Cardiff CityCardiff154381423-915
23Portsmouth152671628-1212
24Queens Park RangersQPR151771225-1310


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!