Leeds United

Leeds United will aim to keep their place at the top when they welcome Swansea City on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Whites currently lead the Championship on goal difference but may find themselves back in second should Sheffield United prevail against Coventry City on Friday evening.

Though this could be a tricky fixture for Leeds, having seen somewhat of a dip in form in their past four league games prior to the international break (W1 D2 L1) and the pressure of keeping the title in their hands mounting.

Meanwhile, the Swans will spy an opportunity to get some revenge for the reverse fixture in November, when Wilfried Gnonto scored a winner one minute after Florian Bianchini had equalised for the hosts on the 90th minute.

• Leeds United have won each of their last four league games against Swansea City, scoring 3+ goals in each of the three most recent.

• Swansea City have won just one of their last 17 away league games against Leeds United (D3 L13), with the exception coming with a 1-0 victory at Elland Road in August 2019.

• Leeds have won each of their last six league games against sides from Wales, scoring 3.8 goals on average per match during that time. This is already the club's longest winning run against Welsh opposition in league action.

• Swansea have lost six of their last eight away league games (W1 D1), failing to score in four separate matches during that time and never netting more than once in a game.

• Leeds pair Dan James and Junior Firpo have both provided nine assists in the Championship this season, with only Georginio Rutter (15 in 2023-24) and Pablo Hernandez (12 in 2018-19) managing more in a campaign for the Whites in the last 10 years.

Image source, Rex Features

Leeds United captain Ethan Ampadu returned to training on Friday to provide a boost to the squad - but the side have big questions over the fitness of winger Willy Gnonto.

The Italy international returned back from national duty with an ankle issue on Sunday but is currently 50/50 for Saturday's game against Swansea City.

"We tried to involve him for the first time in a light session. It will be a late decision," Farke told BBC Radio Leeds.

"We know the less we use him, the more time he has for the healing and the less risk for reinjury.

"On the other hand, he was in good shape and you want to involve him, especially at this stage of the season as much as possible.

"We won't do anything stupid but I hope to have him at least available for the squad but the final test will be tomorrow."

While Gnonto may not be ready for the weekend, Leeds fans should expect to see Ampadu on the pitch after returning from a knee injury.

The Welshman has been side lined for the past five league games, having already previously missed 11 games earlier in the season with a knee problem.

"I spoke a lot about his value in the group," Farke added. "His value as a player is pretty beneficial so it's good to have him back in training.

"He's our captain, with him it's a bit special, so he will definitely be involved in the next game."

"By the end of next week, Leeds could be out of the top two and all of a sudden they are playing catch up - which sounds ridiculous," former Shrewsbury and Wycombe defender Joe Jacobson tells the 72+ podcast.

Jacobson joins Aaron Paul and former Reading midfielder Jobi McAnuff as they discuss crunch time in the Championship and how Leeds may not be as imperious as they once seemed.

The league leaders face Swansea on Saturday in a bid to keep ahead of Sheffield United and Burnley.

Victories for their rivals could see Leeds knocked out of the top two if the Whites' faltering form continues, having only won one of their past four league games (D2 L1).

"Leeds need to start this next little run of games with a really good win and a good performance because I just feel the nerves are beginning to creep in around Elland Road," McAnuff said.

"They will be the least confident going to the play-offs I believe, given their history.

"This is now not about who the best team is anymore. This is about who handles pressure, who handles those big moments and we've seen at Elland Road, when that tension starts cranking up - as much as it can be a great thing when it's going well - it can be a difficult thing to control when it isn't."

You can listen to the full episode and more on the Football Daily podcast.

Lewis Deighton
Fan writer

Image source, Rex Features

Post-international break is where it all went wrong for Leeds United this time last season, and some fans are fearing the same fate – understandably so.

There are several factors this season, however, that look kindlier than a year ago, going into the final eight games.

We are top and two points clear of third place rather than second and one point clear of third. Our goal difference (51) is higher than the 42 it was at this stage last year – and more than double Sheffield United's.

Due to a chaotic start, we spent much of last season chasing the top two – winning every single game bar one draw from 1 January up until the March international break.

The break seemingly killed our momentum, and we looked exhausted on the back of it – winning just two of the remaining eight games (D2, L4). This break comes on the back of one win in four (D2, L1) - so needless to say it's a lot more welcome.

Another key factor is that Sheffield United and Burnley must play each other, so one is guaranteed to drop points, if not both. Leicester and Ipswich had already played each other twice by this stage last season.

Another blow in last year's international break was Georginio Rutter's surgery on a hernia – after being pulled from France's under-21 squad. He returned to Leeds half the player he was some weeks prior, and it took a few games for him to rehabilitate.

Similarly, and to play devil's advocate, Willy Gnonto has just sustained an ankle injury playing for Italy Under-21s. It comes just days after a promising performance off the bench for Leeds in a 2-2 draw at QPR – sparking calls for him to start ahead of Brenden Aaronson. The extent of the injury is currently unknown.

Considering all the above, I'm still confident that Leeds will get over the line this time around – famous last words.

We may be in the grips of an international break but that still means there is plenty to talk about where Leeds United are concerned.

Willy Gnonto sustained an injury last week while on duty for Italy under-21s so who will replace him if he is not fit, plus with eight games remaining, just how many points will be needed to secure promotion?

There are just two of the questions being dealt with by Jonny Buchan, Adam Pope & Kaiser Chiefs' bassist Simon Rix on the latest edition of BBC Radio Leeds' podcast Don't Go To Bed Just Yet.

Episode 146: Crime against design is available to download now from BBC Sounds.

Image source, BBC Sport

Adonis Storr
Fan writer

I have previously written in this column of Leeds United's need to set Willy Gnonto free in the number 10 role but that could be something which is now not possible.

He was forced off with an ankle injury during an Italy Under-21 international against the Netherlands on Friday although the severity of the problem is not yet clear.

Leeds return to Championship action on Saturday against Swansea City and will be thankful it is a 15:00 GMT kick-off as lunchtime games have seen them, on average, pick up fewer points than those starting later in the day.

Adam Pope
BBC Radio Leeds reporter

Several former Leeds United stars including Kalvin Phillips, Brian Deane, David Batty, Noel Whelan and Paul Madeley grew-up playing on the famous TV Harrison ground in Wortley in Leeds.

In 2022 campaigners trying to save the historic football pitch known as 'Wortley's Wembley' from having houses built upon in it managed to secure it as an "asset of community value".

This meant the local community had the first say in what should happen to it.

For Deane, the TV Harrison ground is an important part of the city's sporting heritage.

"It's got so many iconic memories for a lot of people," he previously told the BBC.

"This is where I had my first taste of playing teams outside of Leeds and it really meant something."

Whelan added: "Cup finals were played on here. A lot of good players who went on to play for Leeds started here. It's where we developed our skills. This could be a really good opportunity to develop the next superstar of Leeds United."

Three years on and there has been even better news. On Wednesday night local Labour MP for Leeds South West and Morley, Mark Sewards, announced that the future of the TV Harrison Sports Ground was assured thanks to the help of Leeds United.

On social media he posted: "Leeds United's initial proposal to take over and invest in Wortley's Wembley has been accepted".

The deal would see Leeds United take charge of the TV Harrison Football ground for the next 250 years for a price of £50,000.

The deal includes a covenant that means the ground can only ever be used for sport and never used for houses.

Over the next six weeks other parties can put their equivalent bid for the ground forward but Leeds United's deal would also see the club invest to make it a better playing facility.

United are expected to comment should all the details of their proposal be finalised at the end of that period.

Listen to West Yorkshire Sport Daily, weeknights at 18:00, and subscribe to BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Leeds United's Ao Tanaka has helped Japan become the first team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup finals.

The midfielder appeared as a half-time substitute as Japan beat Bahrain 2-0 in Saitama to guarantee a top-two finish in their Asian qualifying group.

Tanaka won his 30th cap as the Samurai Blue made it to their eighth consecutive World Cup with three qualifiers still to play.

The 26-year-old has scored four goals for Leeds in 35 Championship appearances this season since joining from Fortuna Dusseldorf at the end of August.

Japan join co-hosts the USA, Canada and Mexico as confirmed qualifiers for the tournament which has been expanded to 48 teams.

Leeds United winger Dan James says that boss Daniel Farke's management style has helped him find his good form.

The Wales international is enjoying a fine season, scoring 10 goals and making nine assists across his 32 Championship games.

"When he first come in, he put his arm around me and said what he wanted from me," James told BBC Radio Leeds.

"We had a good relationship from the start and it's one I've tried to continue with.

"The way he sets up the team suits me down to the ground and that's where I get the benefits from."

His 10 goals make him the first Welsh player to make it to double digits in a single season for Leeds since John Charles.

Though James is quick to shirk off any comparisons to the Wales legend.

"It's always an honour to be put in a category like that. I think I'm a long way off to be put in the same bracket as him," James said.

"Things like that I try not to get too high off. We've got eight important games left and we are still at a stage where we haven't done it yet."

You can listen to the full interview and more on the Don't Go To Bed Yet podcast.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United and Leeds United have confirmed they will play each other in their first pre-season fixture before the 2025-26 campaign.

The two sides will meet in Stockholm on Saturday, 19 July at the Strawberry Arena, with kick-off at 14:00 BST.

It was the summer of 2023 when they last played each other, also in a pre-season friendly in Scandinavia, where the Red Devils won 2-0 in Oslo, the capital of Norway.

The Premier League side have history in the Swedish stadium having played the 2017 Europa League final there, winning 2-0 against Ajax to lift the trophy for the first time in the club's history.

Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips is pushing for a return to Leeds United following his loan spell at Ipswich Town this season. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer news? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Leeds United remain top of the Championship but now only lead second-placed Sheffield United on goal difference.

Saturday's 2-2 draw at QPR could have been worse but for a fightback from 2-0 down with substitute Willy Gnonto key to securing a point.

On the latest episode of BBC Radio Leeds' podcast 'Don't go to bed just yet' the team discuss whether the Italian should be given a more prominent role.

Episode 145: Freshman is available to download now from BBC Sounds.

Adonis Storr
Fan writer

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Rex Features

I can't remember an exact moment when Leeds fans lost faith in Brenden Aaronson, but we may have seen the moment Daniel Farke did.

Tracking back at Loftus Road on Saturday, Aaronson intercepted Koki Saito's pass, only to inexplicably play a no-look square ball in his own box back to the Japanese international that proved the perfect assist.

Farke replaced Aaronson with Wilfried Gnonto at half-time and the Italy Under-21 international had an immediate impact in Aaronson's number 10 role as Leeds came back from a 2-0 deficit against QPR to draw 2-2.

The American has been a lightning rod for fans since his first season at the club when United spiralled towards relegation under his compatriot Jesse Marsch.

"It has been frustrating the last two or three games because I haven't been able to see the ball because of the way teams are playing" Aaronson told LUTV before last weekend's fixture.

"I watched a lot of film, I spoke to the coaches a lot, I want to find a way to get back to where I was at my best."

Aaronson's work rate has never been in doubt, and Farke spoke about it in his post-match news conference, when the Leeds manager explained why he did not play Gnonto from the start.

"Because I opted for our two ballers in the double-six role, I thought that we couldn't afford to lose the running and relentless work of Brenden Aaronson in the number 10 position."

Farke emphasised Aaronson's defensive work rate, probably because the American has the same number of goal involvements as Gnonto (10) – despite playing over 1,200 more minutes of football this season.

Aaronson's metrics for pressing and pressures are world class, but pressing can only get you so far, and it seems Leeds must turn to Gnonto for goals.

Find more from Adonis Storr at The Roaring Peacock, external.

Image source, Rex Features

Speaking after his side fought back from 2-0 down to draw at QPR, Leeds United boss Daniel Farke said:

"During this period of the season when you have to play the third game in six days and you are 2-0 down after 30 minutes, it's a good point.

"QPR deserved to be in the lead because we were poor in the first 25-30 minutes.

"What was good was the reaction of my team today. Last season we were 2-0 down after 20 minutes [QPR won the game 4-0] but today we fought back.

"Second half we were completely on it, pressed the game, had four or five good situations where we were so, so close in the six-yard box.

"Yes, of course, we wanted to win this game [but] after the story of the game it's a good point on the road."

On Willy Gnonto's performance off the bench: "I was convinced he would make an impact.

"If I had opted for Ilia Gruev [to start the match] I would also have opted for Willy Gnonto. Perhaps we would have had a better start if we had made those changes.

"The feeling is he's playing more and more to create good situations in the centre and that's what he did in the second half."

Lewis Deighton
Fan writer

On the eve of yet another 400-mile round-trip for a 12.30pm kick-off at QPR, I wonder how many 3pm kick-offs are left for Leeds United this season?

Last Sunday we set off at 4.30am on a 520-mile round-trip to Portsmouth for a 12pm kick-off, to watch a 1-0 loss.

Leeds United's record in pre-3pm kick-offs this season hasn't been great to say the least – winning just two out of 10 (D5, L3).

With Sky Sports moving our home match against Preston North End to 12.30pm for TV, it begs the question whether Swansea's visit to Elland Road will be the last 3pm kick-off we see this season – being the only one not selected from their pool so far.

It also, once again – must be stressed how little the fans are taken into consideration when these decisions are made.

I set off at 5am from Leeds in the morning, which means a 4am start for me at the latest. Some people come from further away, even abroad, and have in some cases already booked travel, plus hotels etc in advance of the rescheduling – rarely reimbursed.

Too much time and money is spent following your team up and down the country for the inconvenience being caused by TV selections – further notice and consideration is a must.

It doesn't help that I'm not at all confident tomorrow – the 4-0 hammering at QPR to practically end our automatic promotion hopes last season replaying in the back of my mind.

Not only have we an awful record in early kick-offs, but an awful one in London and more specifically Loftus Road.

Whatever will be will be – but please can we start kicking off at three?