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Leeds logo
Championship
Mar 8, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Bolton logo

1-5

Smith (90')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Mason (45'), Jutkiewicz (52'), Knight (56'), Davies (72'), Moritz (89')

Preview: Leeds United vs. Bolton Wanderers

Sports Mole looks ahead to Saturday's Championship clash between Leeds United and Bolton Wanderers at Elland Road.

Leeds United will need to get back to winning ways when they host Bolton Wanderers on Saturday if they are to get their Championship playoff charge back on track.

A three-match winless streak has stunted the mini-revival Leeds experienced amidst the Brian McDermott saga, leaving them 12th in the table, eight points behind sixth-placed Wigan Athletic.

They do have a game in hand over many of the sides above them, but the Latics are one of the teams who have played the same number of matches, and their form means that the rest of the chasing pack cannot afford many setbacks.

Leeds have only found the net once in their last three outings but still boast the division's top scorer in the shape of Ross McCormack, who has scored 23 of the team's 44 goals this season.

The match will be their first at Elland Road since February 1, when they thrashed Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town 5-1 to end a five-match winless streak at home.

They will have Jack Butland and Connor Wickham available this time round, with the loanees both expected to make their home debuts for the club on Saturday.

Bolton, meanwhile, have hit a spell of good form at the perfect time to drag them away from the immediate threat of relegation.

Convincing back-to-back wins over Watford and Blackburn Rovers made it just one defeat in their last five games, lifting Dougie Freedman's men nine points clear of the relegation zone.

However, Championship survival is by no means guaranteed just yet, as 22nd-placed Charlton Athletic have three games in hand over the five teams directly above them in the table.

A third straight victory for the first time since November could lift the Trotters as high as 16th depending on results elsewhere, and it would also leave them just five points behind their opponents on Saturday.

However, their recent away form has been poor, picking up just one point from their last five games, during which time they have conceded 16 goals.

Stuart Holden suffered another setback in his recovery from a knee injury during the week, so he will remain on the sidelines along with Joe Riley and Marc Tierney.

Recent form

Leeds: DWWLDD

Bolton: LDLDWW

Possible starting lineups

Leeds: Butland; Byram, Pearce, Lees, Warnock; Austin, Murphy; Stewart, McCormack, Kebe; Wickham

Bolton: Bogdan; Ream, Knight, Wheater, Baptiste; Medo, Spearing; Mason, Danns, Davies; Jutkiewicz

Sports Mole says: 2-0


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Written by
Barney Corkhill
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds382311476255180
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd38257653282580
3Burnley382115252114178
4Sunderland381912755371869
5Coventry CityCoventry38178135548759
6West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom381318748341457
7Bristol City38141594941857
8Middlesbrough38159145748954
9Blackburn RoversBlackburn38157164240252
10Watford38157164751-452
11Millwall381312133739-251
12Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds38149155359-651
13Norwich CityNorwich381213136054649
14Preston North EndPreston381017113944-547
15Queens Park RangersQPR381112154450-645
16Swansea CitySwansea38128183849-1144
17Portsmouth38119184661-1542
18Oxford UnitedOxford Utd381012163955-1642
19Hull City381011173947-841
20Stoke CityStoke38912173751-1439
21Cardiff CityCardiff38912174262-2039
22Derby CountyDerby38108204051-1138
23Luton TownLuton3898213460-2635
24Plymouth ArgylePlymouth38712194077-3733


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