LEEDS v NEWCASTLE
Monk: Make our home a fortress RAFA PUTS CHEICK ON SALES TALK
GARRY MONK wants his youngsters to turn back the clock and make Elland Road a fortress again.
And midfield starlet Kalvin Phillips has assured boss Monk the kids have the bottle to make his wish come true.
Under Don Revie, Leeds were virtually invincible in their own backyard for a decade from the mid-1960s.
And it was the same when Howard Wilkinson led the Yorkshire giants to their last top-flight title in 1992.
Since then, as United have slipped down the divisions, Elland Road has all too often become an arena of easy pickings for visiting teams. Until now.
Since his appointment in June, one of the major issues Monk has worked on is once more turning the stadium into a hostile environment for opponents.
And Leeds go into a huge tussle with Championship leaders Newcastle at lunchtime today on a seven-game unbeaten run on their own turf.
Electric
A 37,000 full house will make for an electric atmosphere and Monk, whose fast- improving side have surged into play-off contention, said: “This is a huge fixture – probably the biggest game in the Championship given the history and size of the two clubs – so there is going to be a real buzz among the fans.
“That buzz is important for everyone connected to our club. They haven’t had this type of atmosphere for a long time.
“I talked about Elland Road becoming a fortress when I was appointed. In my experiences here I’ve obviously been on the other side, and seen how much of a difficult environment it can be for an opposition team.
“So I talked about it right at the start – that we needed to make sure Elland Road is a place that teams come to and find it difficult to play.
“We’re building that, and succeeding because now the crowd are responding to what the team are producing, and the players are responding to that.”
Phillips, 20, was born in Leeds and is considered the club’s most exciting young prospect.
He said: “The game against Newcastle will be a new experience for the players – none of us have played in front of a full house here before. It will be a test of our nerves, but we can handle it.” RAFA BENITEZ has told Toon trio Cheick Tiote, Vurnon Anita and Yoan Gouffran that they will be going nowhere in January.
The three Newcastle midfielders are out of contract at the end of the season and are yet to be offered new deals.
But Magpies boss Benitez (right) insists they all remain in his plans as he looks to plot an instant return to the Premier League. Anita and Gouffran have been key performers this season as United have charged to the top of the Championship, while Tiote has not featured since the draw at Aston Villa in September.
But Benitez has no plans to cash in when the transfer window opens in the new year.
He said: “I spoke to the three players about a month ago. I wanted them to know where we are and to make sure there wasn’t a problem.
“They are happy, they are training well, and they know the situation. Maybe something will happen in the future, but selling in January is not something we are considering.”
With Newcastle unbeaten in their last 10 matches, Benitez is enjoying life in the Championship.
He added: “For me, it doesn’t matter whether I am working in the Championship, Premier League, La Liga or Serie A. What is important is having the right environment to coach and improve your players.”