Tuesday night promises a blockbuster encounter for Championship fans as Daniel Farke’s Leeds United host Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough at Elland Road.
Leeds reclaimed second place in the Championship standings over the weekend with a 2-0 victory against Derby County, courtesy of first-half goals from Joe Rodon and Max Wober.
In contrast, Middlesbrough were held to a 1-1 draw away at promotion contenders Burnley. Despite creating several clear-cut opportunities in the second half, Boro failed to capitalize, leaving them in fifth place and seven points behind Leeds. The Whites will aim to widen that gap on Tuesday.
Recent matchups between these teams have been action-packed, with four of the last five clashes featuring three or more goals.
Last season, Leeds secured a double over Middlesbrough in thrilling, high-scoring matches, winning 3-2 at home and 4-3 away. However, Boro hold the upper hand in recent form, having claimed a 3-0 victory at Elland Road in this year’s EFL Cup.
| Leeds United Record vs Middlesbrough Past Five Games | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Result | ||
| Elland Road | 0-3 L | ||
| Riverside | 3-4 W | ||
| Elland Road | 3-2 W | ||
| Riverside | 0-1 W | ||
| Elland Road | 4-0 W | ||
This match is shaping up to be a thrilling contest, with both teams having netted 33 goals this season, suggesting fans can expect plenty of excitement.
In the lead-up to this crucial showdown, Football League World has examined the players who will be unavailable for the game.
Ilia Gruev
Ilia Gruev sustained a meniscus injury during a match against Norwich City in early October.
Following surgery, he has reportedly returned to light training, as noted by the Bulgarian outlet 24 Chasa.
However, the clash against Middlesbrough is expected to come too soon for his return, with the midfielder likely sidelined until the New Year. Fortunately, Daniel Farke has ample midfield options, especially with Ethan Ampadu available again after overcoming his own injury setbacks.
Junior Firpo
Leeds’ vital weekend victory over Derby County came with a setback as Junior Firpo suffered an injury.
The Dominican Republic international sustained a hamstring problem midway through the first half, making his return for the midweek clash against Middlesbrough highly unlikely.
Manager Daniel Farke has since confirmed that Firpo will be sidelined for four to six weeks. This opens the door for Max Wober to potentially make his first league start for Leeds since May 2023.
Jayden Bogle
Bogle completed the full 90 minutes against Derby, but during his pre-match press conference, Farke revealed that the full-back experienced hamstring discomfort.
Although the issue isn’t considered serious, the Leeds head coach indicated that Bogle is likely to sit out this game to aid his recovery. This opens the door for Isaac Schmidt to step in or potentially a return for the now fully fit Sam Byram.
Tommy Smith
Tommy Smith played a pivotal role in Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough side during the 2022-23 season, but he has been sidelined since rupturing his Achilles in October 2023.
Last month, Smith shared that he was nearing a return, but he has yet to resume training on the pitch. As a result, the experienced defender will need to wait a bit longer for his comeback.
Aidan Morris
Aidan Morris was sidelined last month after sustaining a twisted knee during an international match for the United States against Jamaica. Michael Carrick has confirmed that the midfielder will be out for “several weeks.”
As a result, Morris will miss the clash with Leeds, but Middlesbrough remain optimistic about his return in the near future. The club had invested $4 million to secure him from Columbus Crew.
Darragh Lenihan
Darragh Lenihan remains a long-term absentee, having been sidelined since September 2023 due to an ankle injury that required surgery.
This was followed up by an Achilles issue, ruling him out until at least the New Year, in what has been a very unlucky period of time for the Irishman.
