Match Day Thread Swansea City v Leeds United

Swansea City v Leeds United

Competition - Sky Bet Championship
Date - 12 July 2020
Venue - Liberty Stadium
Kick off - 13.30

Following their impressive 3-1 away victory at Birmingham, next up for Steve Cooper’s Swansea squad is a home match against seeming promotion certainties Leeds United.

On Wednesday evening, the Swans breathed life into their push for a return to the Premier League when Steve Cooper's team climbed to within one point and one place of neighbours Cardiff City, who currently occupy the Championship's final play-off place, with four regular-season games to play.

Birmingham's winless league run stretched to 10 matches despite Lukas Jutkiewicz heading in his 14th goal of the season to give Pep Clotet's side a fifth-minute lead.

Swansea needed only seven minutes to level, with on-loan Liverpool striker Rhian Brewster volleying in his eighth goal in 16 appearances for the Welsh club.

Academy product Ben Cabango claimed a first senior goal with a deflected effort to put Swansea ahead at the break before Jay Fulton's somewhat fortuitous strike from a Matt Grimes corner stretched their lead early in the second period.

Having beaten Sheffield Wednesday last time out, Swansea held on to claim back-to-back wins for the first time since December, while Birmingham's poor form leaves them only four points above the bottom three.

Pep Clotet left the Blues shortly after the match ended.

The following evening, Leeds United moved a step closer to ending their 16-year Premier League absence, as a thumping 5-0 win over struggling Stoke City sent them back to the top of the Championship.

Goals either side of half-time set the platform, as Mateusz Klich stroked in from the penalty spot at the end of a dominant first period before Helder Costa scores a second just after the break to finish off a slick move.

Liam Cooper slammed in the third from inside the box shortly after as Leeds took control, and Pablo Hernandez's wonderfully precise effort from the edge of the area ended any Stoke hopes.

Patrick Bamford swiped in the fifth off both posts in added time to deliver a win that moved Leeds above West Brom and established a six-point gap on in-form Brentford in third, with four games left to play.

It was a chastening evening for Michael O'Neill's Stoke, who saw spirited defensive work undone when Tommy Smith lunged in on Costa to give away the spot-kick, and they failed to mount a meaningful challenge to the hosts throughout.

While Leeds fans can look forward to league visits to Anfield and Old Trafford next season if they earn (a maximum of) seven more points, Stoke must contemplate the possibility of exiting the Championship at the other end of the table, as they sit just a point and a place above the relegation zone.

Turning to Sunday, the Swans really need a victory to maintain their Play-Off hopes, whilst Leeds will want to win to maintain not only their automatic promotion bid but also to be crowned champions and return to the PL in style.

Whilst my heart says that the Swans will eke out a 2-1 win, my heads says that this time around, under Bielsa, Leeds will not ‘choke’ as the season draws to a close, and that they will run out 1-3 victors.

The match was originally selected to be shown live on Sky, but they have since changed their minds.

It's understood that Sky bosses are only able to show a certain number of a club's matches during the course of the campaign, and with Leeds being regulars on TV this term, they appear to be holding their next Leeds pick for a later date in a bid to be able to capture their seemingly inevitable promotion.....

Sky’s change of mind means that the Swans will miss out on a broadcast fee of £50,000....

 

Taff this is going to be a real tester, personally I would like a Leeds win, obviously, but I don't for one minute think that this is going to be a stroll in the park, look what happened at our place. Should be a good game though.

 

I think Leeds will see it hrough this time so unfortunately I think they will edge it 2-1.

 

Taff I like your heart thoughts about the score and I too would like that result. It is achievable if we can show another 90 odd minutes of consistency and as we are home attack them not allow them to control the game. Perhaps we are not strong enough to go all the way back up but who knows.

 

Not giving any encouragement here but If Cardiff think they have a chance?

 

Are you referring to the yo yo Club , probably, they've got the easier run in but Colin won't want to lose to them and Fulham wont be easy

 

Can you leave off trying to catch them until the last three games though?

 

No ......

 

sorry but at this stage of the season its every man for himself

 

I'm going for 5 - 0
Just not sure to who......

 

2-2

 

1-0 swans win

 

0-0

 

Tough game so I’m going for a 1-1 draw. I won’t watch the game do I don’t put the mockers on the lads.

 

Good man that's the spirit

 

I was in the North Bank as a 10 year old there - nobody seems to mention about the crowd trouble from the Leeds End . I remember the game being stopped a couple of times as the goals kept going in. Was quite scary for a 10 year old.

 

I see our neighbours are being charitable again so we go into the play off spots if we can win

 

...or draw, if Preston don't beat Forest by a big margin...