Leeds should continue impressive campaign by exposing wobbly West Brom defence

Sky Bet Championship
Sky Sports Football, 5.30pm Saturday

Leeds returned to the top of the Sky Bet Championship with a 2-1 win at Wigan last weekend and they can continue their fine form by defeating underperforming West Brom at The Hawthorns.

The battle for promotion to the Premier League looks as open as ever this term but Marcelo Bielsa’s men are showing the necessary consistency having lost only twice – by 2-1 margins to Birmingham and Blackburn – in 16 games.

The same cannot be said of West Brom, who have hit a real flat spot in their bid to bounce straight back to the top flight.

Darren Moore’s side have taken just one point from their last four matches although they are boosted by the return from injury of Dwight Gayle, Gareth Barry, and Kieran Gibbs.

Gayle, Jay Rodriguez and Harvey Barnes are a formidable front three at this level although there are major questions over the balance of the side and the last time the three attackers started together was in a 4-1 home defeat to Derby.

Gaffer Moore, a whole-hearted centre-back in his playing days, must be pained by his side’s record of one clean sheet in 16 league games this season.

There is no denying the Baggies’ goal threat – they beat QPR 7-1 in August and also put four past Bristol City and Reading at home – but they have come up short against the better teams in the division.

Their only win in six games against the top ten was a 4-3 victory at Norwich, during the Canaries’ sluggish start, and hosting a confident, energetic Leeds side looks a tough task.

The Yorkshire club have the best goal difference in the league and are averaging a shade under two goals per game away from Elland Road.

Kemar Roofe, Pablo Hernandez and Ezgjan Alioski are an in-form attacking unit and Mat Klich has chipped in with five league goals from midfield. The Poland international, who also scored against Ireland in September’s friendly, is 11-1 with Betway to break the deadlock.

Injuries have forced Bielsa into some defensive reshuffles recently but Leeds allowed only four shots on target in their last three games against Wigan, Nottingham Forest and Ipswich, and have conceded just 13 goals – two of them penalties – in their first 16 matches.

Recommendation
Leeds
2pts 17-10 Betway, BoyleSports

Bet on this match at Soccerbase.com

Team news
West Brom
Gareth Barry, Dwight Gayle and Kieran Gibbs are back but Chris Brunt (hamstring) is sidelined.

Leeds
Luke Ayling, Gaetano Berardi, Patrick Bamford and Izzy Brown are out.

Key stat
West Brom have kept only one clean sheet in 16 games in the Sky Bet Championship this season.

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