Leeds United vs Preston North End Prediction: Leeds aiming for 4th consecutive victory

Leeds United will welcome Preston North End at Elland Road in Game Week 28 of the English Championship. Leeds need to solidify their place in the top six in the table. Who will come out on top after 90 minutes?

Leeds have become a team known for their streaky performances since Daniel Farke arrived in the summer. Their current run of three consecutive wins is the fourth such streak in the 2023-24 season. While this is a reason for optimism, the supporters are cautious as they know not to get too excited just yet. They have achieved three 3-0 victories in a row against Birmingham City, Peterborough United, and Cardiff City, after a period of struggling with just one win in five matches.

Looking ahead, Leeds have a favorable FA Cup fourth round match against Plymouth Argyle at the end of the month. However, Farke insists that their full focus should be on improving their position in the league. Despite being unbeaten in all 13 Championship fixtures at Elland Road in 2023-24, Leeds still trail leaders Leicester City by 14 points and second-placed Ipswich Town by seven points.

Assuming there are no further fitness concerns, Farke may opt for the same starting lineup that secured a win against Cardiff. Even if Liam Cooper recovers from his groin injury, Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev could still retain their positions in central defence and midfield, respectively. Despite scoring in the previous match, Joel Piroe might have to settle for a place on the bench.

The potential starting lineup for Leeds United consists of Meslier, Gray, Rodon, Ampadu, Firpo, Gruev, Kamara, James, Rutter, Summerville, and Bamford.

In contrast, Preston has been on a streak of losing, with eight defeats in their last 12 matches in all competitions. However, they did manage to secure a 2-0 victory over Bristol City at Deepdale last weekend, giving manager Ryan Lowe some reason to be positive. This win has kept them in contention for a top-six finish.

It is worth noting that Preston has not won consecutive matches since the first half of November, indicating a significant drop in form since their strong start. Despite this, Lowe is satisfied with his team's close proximity to the playoff spots. Despite having a -11 goal difference, a few more wins could potentially put Preston back in contention for a playoff spot.

 Will Keane is highly likely to return to the starting lineup for Preston after his two-goal performance against Bristol City. Mads Frokjaer-Jensen is also a contender for a recall, but manager Lowe might choose to be cautious and not start Emil Riis, despite the forward making several substitute appearances since recovering from a knee injury. 

 Preston North End could start with Woodman, Potts, Storey, Lindsay, Hughes, Whiteman, Holmes, Frokjaer-Jensen, McCann, Millar, and Keane. 

Although Preston has the ability to cause an upset at Elland Road, their recent form suggests it is unlikely. Leeds is gaining momentum, and we predict a fourth consecutive victory on Sunday. Expect only leeds to score in this game.