After a poor start to the season, Derby County have managed to steady the ship, and now they will be eyeing a spot in the fourth round of the FA Cup when they square up against an inconsistent top-flight club in Leeds United.
The home team endured a very disappointing start to the season, as they could only win one out of their first nine outings. However, John Eustace’s men have bounced back in some fashion, and they are currently 13th in the Championship after 26 games.
The Rams failed to go past the third round last time, as they lost to League One side Leyton Orient. They will certainly want to do better this time around. Derby are heading into this fixture on the back of a disappointing 2-1 defeat at the hands of Wrexham; as a result, they will be eager to get back on track against Leeds.
On the other hand, the visitors are 16th in the Premier League, with 22 points in their 21 outings. While the West Yorkshire outfit are only two places above the drop zone, they do have an eight-point cushion over 18th-placed West Ham United. Leeds United will head into this FA Cup fixture as favourites, but they have not been in the best of form of late.
The Whites have been winless in their last four outings, and they are heading into this fixture on the back of a 4-3 defeat at the hands of Newcastle United. While they were far from their best against the Magpies, Leeds should be the one dominating the proceedings against Derby. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the could put to use.
The hosts are without the services of Max Johnston (hamstring), David Ozoh (thigh) and Carlton Morris (knee). Derby County will line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, where Jacob Widell Zetterstrom will take charge in goal. The back three will be made up of Sondre Langas, Dion Sanderson, and Matt Clarke.
The trio will look to keep things tight at the back, and they will receive adequate support from Joe Ward and Callum Elder, who will feature as the wing-backs. Meanwhile, Liam Thompson will start alongside Bobby Clark in the centre of the park. They will try to ensure the Leeds United midfielders do not dominate the proceedings.
Ben Brereton Diaz and Patrick Agyemang should feature as the two attacking midfielders behind Rhian Brewster, who is expected to lead the line for Derby County against Leeds United on Sunday.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Zetterstrom; Langas, Sanderson, Clarke; Ward, Thompson, Clark, Elder; Brereton Diaz, Agyemang, Brewster
While Joe Rodon and Brenden Aaronson were both subbed off in their defeat against Newcastle United, Daniel Farke has confirmed that it was down to cramps. As a result, the duo will certainly take part in this fixture.
However, Leeds United do remain without the services of Daniel James (thigh). Sam Byram (back), and Jayden Bogle (calf) are both expected to undergo a late fitness test to determine their availability.
The away side will line up in a 3-5-2 formation, where Karl Darlow will take charge in goal. Joe Rodon, Sebastiaan Bornauw, and Pascal Struijk will form the central defensive unit. The trio will receive significant support from James Justin and Gabriel Gudmundsson, who will feature as the wing-backs.
As for the midfield unit, Ethan Ampadu will take up the holding role, while Ao Tanaka and Ilia Gruev will be in his support as the two box-to-box midfielders in the centre of the park. Noah Okafor and Lukas Nmecha will be the two forwards for the visitors. Okafor will drop deep to link up with the midfield, while Nmecha will try to stretch the oppositions backline.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Darlow; Rodon, Bornauw, Struijk; Justin, Tanaka, Ampadu, Gruev, Gudmundsson; Okafor, Nmecha
Okafor has not had the desired impact at Leeds since joining them from AC Milan last summer. The Swiss attacker has been involved in a total of 19 matches, and he has only managed two goals so far. His last goal came back in October, which means he has failed to find the back of the net in his last 13 outings.
The 25-year-old’s overall game has been decent, but he will certainly be frustrated by the lack of goals. The Swiss international will look to bring an end to this dry patch, and this fixture against Derby could be a perfect opportunity for him.
Derby County will see this tie as a chance to test themselves against top-flight opposition, especially at Pride Park, where they will look to make life difficult for Leeds. While the Rams have shown signs of recovery after a slow start to the season, their recent form suggests they may struggle to consistently threaten a side with Leeds United’s depth and physicality.
Leeds United, despite their recent struggles, should back themselves to control possession and dictate the tempo of the game. With superior quality across the pitch, Daniel Farke’s men are likely to create enough chances to edge this contest.
The home side could make it competitive, but Leeds United’s attacking options should prove decisive in a narrow win for the visitors. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Daniel Farke and his charges.
