Following successive home victories over Jaap Stam’s Reading (2-0) and Dean Smith’s Brentford (2-0), Leeds United (5th) gear up for a potentially arduous trip to Preston North End (11th) ahead of a reunion with former manager Simon Grayson...
Presently, there is bonafide cause for Christmas cheer among Leeds United fans. Kyle Bartley’s late, yet ultimately decisive header against Brentford not only sent Elland Road into delirious pandemonium, but it also ensured that the Whites would be spending Christmas day in a play-off position for the first time since 2011.
Incidentally, Leeds United’s manager in 2011 was no other than Simon Grayson, who of course now manages Monday’s opponents Preston North End, having initially joined the Deepdale club in February 2013. In their last fixture prior to the jovial festivity of Christmas Day, Grayson’s Lilywhites recorded a 2-1 success over Bristol City at Ashton Gate, courtesy of goals from Simon Makienok and Daniel Johnson. Since the fiasco at Sheffield Wednesday, a match marred by an acrimonious altercation between Jermaine Beckford and Eoin Doyle, Preston have taken seven points from an available nine, and the Lancashire side will most certainly prove a difficult test for United.
Team News
Preston North End
There are two definite absentees with regard to Preston North End’s team news.
Ambidextrous full-back Calum Woods remains sidelined, while midfielder John Welsh will also miss out on the match by way of a calf injury.
The seasoned Championship stalwart, Paul Gallagher, may return to the matchday squad after recovering from a similar injury to that of Welsh, but Jermaine Beckford and Eoin Doyle, the delinquents who partook in the altercation at Hillsborough, will likely be excluded from the starting lineup despite returning from suspension.
Leeds United
There remain a few injury problems that persist within the Leeds United squad.
Midfielder Eunan O’Kane and right-back Lewie Coyle will be absent, while left-back Charlie Taylor is a doubt.
Creative conjuror Pablo Hernandez could return after recuperating from an injury that has deprived him of football since the opening week of November.
Top goalscorer and perennial striking threat Chris Wood is set to be available for selection after recovering from the hamstring injury that kept him sidelined for the visit of Brentford.
Probable Lineups
Preston North End (4-1-4-1) - Maxwell; Baptiste, Clarke, Huntington, Cunningham; Pearson; Robinson, Johnson, Browne, McGeady; Makienok.
Leeds United (4-2-3-1) - Green; Ayling, Bartley, Jansson, Taylor; Phillips, Vieira; Sacko, Hernandez, Doukara; Wood.
Team Facts
Preston North End
Top Goalscorers: Callum Robinson (5), Jordan Hugill (5), Daniel Johnson (4).
Most Assists: Paul Gallagher (5), Greg Cunningham (4), Daniel Johnson (3).
Highest Statistical Average Rating: Tom Clarke (7.55).
Record in 2016-17 (League) - W - 9, D - 5, L - 8.
Leeds United
Top Goalscorers: Chris Wood (14), Souleymane Doukara (3), Kyle Bartley (3).
Most Assists: Hadi Sacko (3), Pablo Hernandez, Kemar Roofe, Charlie Taylor, Eunan O’Kane, Alex Mowatt (2).
Highest Statistical Average Rating: Pontus Jansson (7.61).
Record in 2016-17 (League) - W - 12, D - 2, L - 8.
Media: Leeds United head coach Garry Monk and Preston boss Simon Grayson
Garry Monk has declared that his side are "focused” on delivering three festive points for the Leeds United fans on Boxing Day.
Speaking to leedsunited.com, Monk commented, "Each game is as important as any other, we focus the players on the next three points. Of course there is a quick change around in games but we just need to focus on the next game and not worry about anything else and give our maximum to get the three points.
"It’s quite normal now in the football world to train on Christmas day and while others get to enjoy the day a little bit more and have time off with the families, our job is to train and work hard to prepare for the games ahead.
"We want to try and keep this run that we’ve started going and it’s a chance to put  3 wins in a row together which is a good motivation. Preston is always a difficult place to go to and get a result. They are doing well and having a good season so it’s a tough game for us. We just need to concentrate on ourselves, put our best football on the pitch, show our determination and get the right result for us."
Meanwhile, his opposite number Simon Grayson was eager to profess that he was is not prepared to allow sentiment to cloud his judgement when he does battle with his former employers on Monday.
When interviewed by pnefc.net, Grayson remarked, "It’s a team that is close to my heart but ultimately it's about trying to get three points against anybody in the Championship.
"It would be a great satisfaction to get another three points to add to the run we’ve been on recently.
"Any points you get in the Championship have to be hard fought no matter who you are playing against.
"Traditionally, Boxing Day is a fantastic fixture in the English football calendar and there’s probably no better way to celebrate it than to play Leeds who have got their full allocation of tickets, and I’m sure the home support will be out in their numbers as well.”
Match Facts
Preston have scored in every one of their last 19 league home matches against Leeds, last failing to find the net way back in April 1935.
Leeds have in won three of their last five games against Preston, drawing once and losing once.
The hosts are unbeaten in their last four Boxing Day games at home, keeping a clean sheet on no less than three occasions; winning twice and drawing twice.
Leeds last kept a clean sheet on Boxing Day back in 2003, when they took on recently relegated Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Star Men
Preston North End: Tom Clarke, Central Defender - (7.55 Statistical Average Rating)
29 year-old Tom Clarke has been stellar at the heart of the North End defence this season and he has arguably been one of the most consistent performers in his position thus far this campaign. The committed Halifax-born defender has featured in the first-team at Deepdale with much regularity since joining on a Bosman from Huddersfield in 2013, making 173 appearances for Simon Grayson’s side to date. He has already appeared on 22 occasions in league competition this term and his defensive prowess will be called upon once more as Preston will hope to keep the free-scoring Chris Wood at arm’s length on Monday.
Fact: Clarke has played 1,962 minutes of Championship football in 2016-17, scoring two goals.
Leeds United: Pontus Jansson, Central Defender - (7.61 Statistical Average Rating)
The 25 year-old has flourished in the world renowned white of Leeds United since joining the club from Torino on a loan basis in the summer. His abrasive, combative tackling style coupled with his contrasting, tranquility and composure on the ball have made him a hit with the Leeds United supporters and if Garry Monk’s side are to combat the aerial threat posed by Preston’s Simon Makienok, the Swede will play an integral role in nullifying said threat.
Fact: Jansson has averaged a pass completion rate of 86.1%, a highly dignified statistic for a central defender.
Writer's View
After the euphoric exultation that greeted Kyle Bartley’s winning goal at the death last Saturday, we embark upon an onerous excursion to Deepdale to take on our former manager Simon Grayson.
Having closely examined the personnel that Grayson has at his disposal, I have identified Paul Gallagher as being their most potent and pre-eminent offensive threat. His adroitness from set-piece situations, in addition to his guile in possession have made him a perennial thorn in the side of many teams in the past. It is probable that he will play a part on Monday and we should be wary of the threat that the former Leicester man carries.
Deepdale is never an easy place to visit in pursuit of precious points, but our record against the Lilywhites makes for pleasant reading; since 1983, we’ve won 50% of the matches that we’ve contested against Preston, losing merely thrice in 12 matches. That offers hope, and although we laboured to a draw on this ground back in May, I say in full confidence, that we will go one better and take all three points.
Prediction: Preston 1-2 Leeds
I envisage a close, competitive fixture, but I take the view that the performances of Leeds this season have offered more in the way of consistency than Preston's have.
Statistics derived from WhoScored.com