Leeds United will play their final match on their tour of Australia this Friday, taking on fellow Premier League side Crystal Palace at the Optus Stadium in Perth. The match gets underway locally at 18:05 (AWST), which in the UK is 11:05 (BST).
The Whites have played twice Down Under so far this pre-season, and three times overall. A 4-0 win over Blackpool in York kicked the friendly matches off before going away and two matches so far in Australia were productive, seeing a win over Brisbane Roar and a narrow defeat to Aston Villa as the team built up their fitness for the new season.
Playing abroad twice already themselves, Palace have lost both matches from their pre-season tour up to now. The Eagles lost 2-0 against Liverpool in Singapore, before then being defeated 3-1 against Manchester United on Melbourne. A number of the first team squad are not on the trip, with Covid disruptions prior to the departure of the squad.
Patrick Vieira is going into his second campaign in charge at Selhurst Park and the manager will be looking to get further minutes into his players before their Premier League season starts at home to Arsenal.
How did last season go?
Palace finished a more than respectable 12th in the Premier League last season, winning 11, drawing 15 and losing 12 of their 38 matches. The Eagles impressed many along the way and oversaw plenty of change at the club, with Vieira taking over at the top and a number of players transitioning into the team.
Patrick Vieira with his players, during the pre-season tour.
A player to watch…
Recent England debutant Tyrick Mitchell is a key player for Friday’s opposition, with an important part to play not only defensively, but also offensively. The 22-year-old full-back races up and down the left-hand-side of the pitch, often denying opposition attacks but also starting them for his own team.
Tyrick Mitchell in action against Liverpool during pre-season.
Previous meetings…
Last season, the Whites claimed four points against Palace from the two matches played. A 1-0 win at Elland Road courtesy of a 90th minute penalty was followed up with another clean sheet and ultimately an important point in the battle for safety, with a 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park.
Jesse Marsch on the touchline at Selhurst Park, during the 0-0 draw last season.
Supporter information:
For fans attending the game, the address for the Optus Stadium is: 333 Victoria Park Dr, Burswood WA 6100, Australia.
For fans not attending, you can watch live with a match pass on LUTV by CLICKING HERE, or alternatively stay right here on leedsunited.com for full updates, a match report and reaction after the game.
A stunning view from above of Friday's venue, the Optus Stadium.