Leeds can call on former Championship success in Derby duel
Lee Gormley | December 28, 2015
Leeds v Derby County
- Championship
- Tuesday, December 29th
- Kick-off: 19:45 GMT
- Elland Road, Leeds
- Live on Sky Sports 1
Whites welcome Derby in Championship
Leeds United welcome current Championship leaders Derby County to Elland Road for another festive match-up, but Steve Evans’ Yorkshire outfit will hold plenty of confidence having already toppled their opponents this season domestically.
The Whites rallied to a narrow 2-1 triumph in the reverse fixture last time out in August, with Chris Wood starring and striking the winning goal, and the hosts are 3/1 with Coral to secure another victory this time around on home soil.
Home boss Evans saw his Leeds side end level with Nottingham Forest in their previous Championship outing, but he is still hopeful of edging towards a successful promotion to the top-flight, where he believes the club belong.
“We’re looking forward to it, it’s an opportunity for us to go into the top half of the table, which six or seven weeks ago when I joined, it was said by many people to be ambitious,” stated Evans.
“I certainly think we can mount a challenge.”
“The size of the football club is huge, but as I remind everyone inside it we are where we are for a reason and that’s normally because what happens on the football pitch is deemed not good enough for the top-flight.
“If I’m given the time, I certainly think we can mount a challenge to take us to the top-flight.
“First and foremost we set ourselves two or three short-term objectives: the first one to get away from the relegation zone – we haven’t quite achieved that but we are on our way – and the second aim is to get into the top half of that table.”
Derby can stifle Leeds further
Although, depsite Evans’ believe, the Rams have been superb this term and are 21/10 to earn an away win to nil at Elland Road. They will hope Chris Martin can emulate his goal scoring heroics from the reverse fixture, when he struck on home turf, and he is 4/1 top open proceedings here.
Meanwhile, another scorer from that previous Leeds win in Derby, Wood is 14/5 to get his name on the scoresheet once again anytime, as the Yorkshire outfit seek to move further up the table with a strong result over the division’s dominant leaders.
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Coral’s top tip: Back in-form Leeds striker Chris Wood to score anytime at 14/5.
