Leeds United can reach a terrific 50 points haul for their maiden season back in the Premier League with a win in the final match of the campaign at West Ham United on Sunday.
The Whites go into the last day encounter unbeaten in eight in the top-flight. Last weekend’s dramatic victory over Brighton & Hove Albion now means the club are enjoying their best spell of Premier League form since 2001.
All square deep into stoppage time, striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin reacted quickest to a loose pass at the back from the Seagulls, rounded the keeper and slid home to send Elland Road into raptures.
That finish made it three matches in a row where the forward has found the back of the net, beginning when he grabbed the third in an important 3-1 win over Burnley before levelling proceedings at Tottenham Hotspur with a second-half penalty.
Daniel Farke’s side head into the clash in the capital knowing they can finish as high as 11th with a win and should other results go their way, demonstrating the fantastic first year back in the top-flight United have enjoyed under the German.
While no true jeopardy rides on the fixture for Leeds, the same cannot be said for Sunday’s hosts who know that only a win, and a Spurs defeat against Everton, will save them from the drop to the Sky Bet Championship.
The Hammers have seen an upturn in form since appointing Nuno Espírito Santo after a difficult start to the season and, despite a defeat to the Whites in the Emirates FA Cup quarter-final to start April, they finished the month by taking seven points from nine available with wins over Wolves and Everton at the London Stadium.
However, the form has not continued into May and following a heavy defeat at Brentford, controversial loss to Arsenal and last weekend's 3-1 beating by Newcastle United, the East London club need a dramatic turnaround on the final day to retain their Premier League status.
Alongside the FA Cup quarter-final win in the capital, Leeds have also got the better of West Ham in the reverse league fixture back in October with Brenden Aaronson and Joe Rodon on target under the Elland Road lights.
Over the years, the clubs have met 113 times with Leeds winning 51 of those encounters. It will be the Whites’ sixth visit to the London Stadium, where they will be aiming to pick up a third win at the ground.
Action from the capital gets underway at 4pm.
We’ve met before:
Team News:
Following the Brighton victory, Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff will join Ilia Gruev, Gabriel Gudmundsson and Ilia Gruev on the sidelines, who remain unavailable. There is positive news regarding Pascal Struijk and Jayden Bogle, however, who have returned to team training.
How to follow:
Monthly audio subscribers around the world can listen to every minute of Sunday’s fixture LIVE on LUTV. All the build-up comes live from the London Stadium with Bryn Law and Tony Dorigo on commentary duties. The match has also been selected for television coverage live in the UK on Sky Sports.
The view from inside the camp:
Speaking exclusively to Premier League Productions, James Justin said: “We have still been training hard and, obviously, there is a nice vibe about the place.
“I feel like the last couple of results have been positive. But also, you look back the last couple of months and the last eight games we have been unbeaten.”
Read the full interview HERE.
Important supporter information:
Discriminatory language or chanting, including homophobic chanting, is not acceptable, and you could be breaking the law. The club condemns this behaviour and has a zero-tolerance policy towards discrimination abuse of all kinds.
Tough measures and sanctions are in place across all English football leagues to tackle dangerous and illegal behaviours within football grounds, and this involves but is not limited to, discriminatory behaviour, tragedy chanting, fans entering the pitch, the use of pyros and throwing objects.
What has Daniel Farke said ahead of the match?
League Position:
West Ham: 18th
Leeds: 14th
Top Scorer:
West Ham: Jarrod Bowen (8)
Leeds: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (15)
In the reverse fixture:
Officials:
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Assistant referees: Gary Beswick & Adam Nunn
Fourth Official: Stephen Martin
Video Assistant Referee: John Brooks
Additional Video Assistant Referee: Daniel Robathan
