Goal takes a look at everything you need to know as the two Yorkshire clubs clash at Elland Road on Saturday
Rotherham United are Saturday’s visitors to Elland Road as Leeds look to continue their impressive early-season form.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side have opened their season with two victories from as many games – a 3-1 victory over title-favourites Stoke was followed by a 4-1 thumping of Frank Lampard’s Derby – and have progressed into the second round of the EFL Cup after beating Bolton 2-1.
Leeds have also won three of their last four meetings with this weekend’s visitors and, after a ferocious start to life under Bielsa, will be confident of claiming another three points in this meeting.
Here is everything you need to know ahead of Saturday’s fixture.
| Game | Leeds vs Rotherham |
| Date | Saturday, August 18 |
| Time | 3pm BST / 10am ET |
In the United States (US), the game will not be shown on live TV.
| Online stream | |
|---|---|
| NA | NA |
In the United Kingdom (UK), the game will not be shown on live TV, but can be listened to via the LUTV app.
| UK TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| NA | LUFC (Audio) |
| Position | Leeds players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Peacock-Farrell, Blackman, Huffer |
| Defenders | Douglas, Ayling, Forshaw, Cooper, De Bock, Jansson, Pearce, Phillips, Berardi, Shaughnessy, Diaz, Struijk |
| Midfielders | Dallas, Hernandez, Baker, Nicell, Klich, Shackleton, Rey, Harrison |
| Forwards | Roofe, Alioski, Roberts, Saiz, Edmondson, Dalby, Bamford |
Bielsa is likely to name the same XI that started against Derby in the club’s last league outing.
Roofe scored twice in the 4-1 hammering of the Rams and will again lead the line here at Elland Road despite Patrick Bamford pushing for his place in the team.
Pontus Jansson is again in contention after a midweek appearance against Bolton and may be called upon in latter stages of the game.
Possible Leeds XI: Peacock-Farrell; Ayling, Berardi, Cooper, Douglas; Phillips, Klich, Saiz, Hernandez, Alioski; Roofe
| Position | Rotherham squad |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Rodak, Price, Bilboe |
| Defenders | Vyner, Mattock, Ajayi, Wood, Robertson, Ihiekwe, Raggett, Jones, Onariase, Hinds |
| Midfielders | Vaulks, Forde, Palmer, Taylor, Potter, Newell, Williams, Wiles, Bray |
| Forwards | Proctor, Ball, Vassell, Smith, Manning |
Rotherham are also set to come into the fixture with an unchanged starting XI, such was their success at Ipswich last time out.
Darren Potter will miss the tie due to an Achilles issue, while new loan signing Ryan Manning will start from the bench.
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Possible Rotherham XI: Rodak; Vyner, Wood, Ajayi, Mattock; Taylor, Vaulks, Palmer, Newell; Vassell, Smith
Leeds come into the game as firm favourites, Bet365 placing the hosts at 4/9 for a victory. A Rotherham win is priced at 7/1, while a draw is 15/4.
Leeds’ turnaround under Bielsa’s guidance has so far been extraordinary.
The former Argentina and Chile boss has overseen successive league wins, scoring seven goals, and swatted away competition from Bolton in the EFL Cup, beating the Lancashire side 2-1.
Bielsa has made minor tweaks to personnel over the summer, though it is the likes of Ezgjan Alioski, Pablo Hernandez and Kemar Roofe who have proved standout players so far.
Early returns on the field and a sense of unity off it, born from Bielsa’s summer appointment as Leeds boss, has the club’s support base dreaming of a return to the Premier League.
The manager has warned his players that they cannot afford to become complacent, however.
Speaking ahead of the game, Bielsa said: “Their style is different. It’s not the same as the first two opponents. They play long balls to the strikers and they don’t play with ball on the ground. This is the main difference but it doesn’t mean it’s going to be like that.
“It’s very hard to implement a style of play. It’s not easy. It becomes more difficult if you are not consistent and don’t respect your style of play. We will take into account the style of the opponent but we will play as we have done so far.
“If you think that we are favourites, you’re supposing that we should feel superior to our opponent or that our opponent should feel inferior to us. These things are never decided before the game. It’s better to demonstrate it than to say it. But regarding our team, before playing we never think we are inferior to any other team.”
Rotherham were welcomed back into the Championship with a 5-1 defeat by Brentford, though the Yorkshire club have sinced turned the humiliation into a source for success.
The Millers picked up an unlikely 1-0 home victory over Ipswich in their second outing before beating Wigan 3-1 in the EFL Cup on Tuesday, building some much-needed momentum.
Rotherham face a tougher task against Bielsa’s Leeds, though, who show no sign of slowing in their charge back to the English top flight.