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Leeds can call on former Championship success in Derby duel

| 29.12.2015
SPORTSBOOK ODDS

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.

Soccer - Sky Bet Championship - Fulham v Leeds United - Craven Cottage

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.

Soccer - Sky Bet Championship - Wigan Athletic v Leeds United - DW Stadium

“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.

Soccer - Sky Bet Championship - Derby County v Wolverhampton Wanderers - iPro Stadium

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.

Related

Read our Championship archive.

Coral’s top tip: Back in-form Leeds striker Chris Wood to score anytime at 14/5.

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Author

Lee Gormley

Lee joined the Coral team in 2014 after studying at Leeds Trinity University, having moved across the water from Ireland, and has plenty of industry experience from his time with various news outlets in both England and Northern Ireland. After graduating with a BA Honours degree in Sports Journalism, he has since become an important member of the talented sports desk, passionately covering boxing, football and snooker, among many other sports. Lee is also a massive Manchester United and Republic of Ireland fan, but curbs any bias during his work, and outside of his job can be found regularly taking part in sport himself, such as boxing, GAA and football.