OPINION
Leeds United are primed to rip West Brom to shreds if Phil Hay’s prediction that Marcelo Bielsa will field an unchanged side at the Hawthorns is proved correct.
United have delivered some outstanding performances under their Argentine manager this season, none more so than in last weekend’s 2-1 win over Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium as they climbed back to the Championship summit.
With Pablo Hernandez running the show from the right flank and Kalvin Phillips excelling in the centre of the three-man defence, United were very good value for their eighth league win of a campaign that promises so much.
Yorkshire Evening Post correspondent Hay is confident Bielsa will pick an unchanged XI for the fixture against 10th-placed West Brom, who will narrow the gap on Leeds to two points if they triumph in Saturday’s 5.30pm kick-off.
we’re all thinking goals tonight. Don’t imagine Bielsa will make any changes. Heard on the way down that Kyle Bartley is injured and won’t feature for West Brom.
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) November 10, 2018
Bielsa hailed West Brom’s attack, led by Jay Rodriguez and fit-again Dwight Gayle as the best in the Championship at his Thursday media briefing.
The problem for the Midlands big hitters is a back line, which has shipped 24 goals in 16 league matches, 11 more than Leeds despite the presence of proven Premier League duo Craig Dawson and Ahmed Hegazi, as well as Manchester City loanee Tosin Adarabioyo.
As Hay reports, they will be without former Leeds loanee Kyle Bartley on Saturday, a blow given that he has started all 15 of the league matches for which he’s been available this season.
That is likely to be music to the ears of the likes of Hernandez, leading Leeds scorer Kemar Roofe and in-form central midfielder Mateusz Klich.
If United play to the level they have consistently achieved this season, West Brom’s defenders should prepare for a mighty tough encounter.
Hay’s predicted XI: Peacock-Farrell; Jansson, Phillips, Cooper; Dallas, Klich, Forshaw, Douglas; Alioski, Roofe, Hernandez.