Pontus: We can unleash the beasts!
LEEDS lionheart Pontus Jansson has told his team to fight like animals in the Yorkshire derby at Hillsborough today.
United head to Sheffield Wednesday on the back on a 3-1 mauling at Cardiff, and they can ill afford another defeat to promotion rivals.
The Swede said: “We are playing on their patch and we will all need to go out there like 11 animals and prepare for a war.
“We want to bounce back. It is a derby and there is a lot of expectation and pressure on Wednesday because of their start to the season. ”
If Leeds are to succeed, it will be without skipper Liam Cooper.
He is suspended following his dismissal at Cardiff. So that gives a chance to Matthew Pennington, who could make his second league start since joining on loan from Everton in the summer.
Wednesday themselves are still smarting from last weekend’s 4-2 home humbling by neighbours Sheffield United, and a shock 1-0 defeat at lowly Birmingham. But boss Carlos Carvalhal is confident his side have the ability to and desire to overcome Leeds.
He said: “We have quality, we have power and we have football to get out of this situation. We have a derby against Leeds and it’s a good game to play in my opinion. When you lose two, there is more pressure, I know that and I accept this. We deal with this pressure and what we must do is play hard and go for the next game.”
Wednesday trio Glenn Loovens (hip), Sam Hutchinson (knee) and Almen Abdi (knee and abductor) remain doubtful for the match, while goalkeeper Keiren Westwood is unlikely to return as he nurses a fractured a rib, so Joe Wildsmith will continue to deputise.
Carvalhal has no worries turning to the 21-year-old stopper, saying: “We believe a lot in Joe Wildsmith. He did very well against Birmingham. He gave the team a lot of confidence... we have a young goalkeeper with fantastic ability.”