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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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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds1695228121632
2Sunderland1695226121432
3Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd1610422191232
4Burnley168621961330
5Middlesbrough1683529191027
6West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom166821811726
7Watford168262524126
8Millwall166641914524
9Blackburn RoversBlackburn156451917222
10Bristol City165742020022
11Derby CountyDerby165562020020
12Stoke CityStoke165561920-120
13Norwich CityNorwich164752524119
14Swansea CitySwansea165471414019
15Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds165471826-819
16Luton TownLuton165381826-818
17Coventry CityCoventry164572223-117
18Oxford UnitedOxford Utd164571924-517
19Plymouth ArgylePlymouth164571728-1117
20Preston North EndPreston163761624-816
21Cardiff CityCardiff164481524-916
22Hull City163671621-515
23Portsmouth152671628-1212
24Queens Park RangersQPR161871326-1311


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