Sky Sports pundit David Prutton has warned Leeds United that their Championship tie against Derby will be a much tougher test than their impressive victory against Stoke.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side got their league campaign off to a flying start with an unexpected 3-1 victory against the Potters at Elland Road last Sunday.
However, the Whites travel to Derby this evening, playing in front of the Sky cameras for the second consecutive time and the fixture will also be Frank Lampard’s first home game as Rams manager.
Writing for the Yorkshire Evening Post, the former Leeds midfielder feels that Lampard’s arrival will prove to play a difficult factor for the away side.
“For Leeds it will be a tougher test than against Stoke purely because forewarned is forearmed and with it being at Derby, you feel they have got to show the home fans what all the fuss is about under Lampard and the way he wants to play.
“But I think it’s good for Leeds to have these games early on because it ticks boxes in giving fans confidence if they show how good they are, but also it gives the players confidence because of the way they are playing and who they are coming up against.”
OPINION
Leeds made an excellent start to the new Championship season but their real test of character will be their performances away from Elland Road. If Marcelo Biesla is to guide United towards a potential play-off spot, Leeds must start picking up points on the road and Derby is not the easiest of places to go, especially when they have a new manager in Lampard who has achieved so much in the English game. Leeds did not start Patrick Bamford or Pontus Jansson in their win over Stoke but should be selected against Derby, with the pair expected to play big roles for the club this season if they are to achieve any success. Many football fans would have failed to back Leeds in their league opener against Stoke but were proved wrong after a splendid display of attacking football mixed with the ability to win the ball back as quickly as possible to gain possession. Bielsa’s managerial profile has been mentioned a lot already and, although he has been a success in the past, he will be purely based on whether he has the ability to guide the club back into the Premier League for the first time in 14 years.