Leeds are welcoming Everton at Elland Road stadium in Leeds. They will be looking forward to completing a league double over Everton for the first time since 1990-91 when the two sides faced off at Elland Road on Wednesday evening
Saturday’s 2-0 home loss to Newcastle United may have killed the Toffees’ momentum, but they still find themselves only six points behind the top four with two games in hand.
That defeat to the out-of-form Newcastle came on home soil, though away at Goodison Park they have won four of their last five matches in the league, including each of the last three.
Since December 1985 have the Merseyside outfit won four top-flight away games in a row, but Elland Road is not a happy hunting ground for Everton.
The Toffees have won only one of their last 37 top-flight away games against United – a 1-0 victory in November 2002 thanks to a Wayne Rooney’s goal.
Leeds enter this contest full of confidence, too, having won back-to-back league matches against Newcastle and high-flying Leicester City.
However, while Everton have looked impressive on their travels, Leeds have won just two of their last eight at home, most recently losing 1-0 to Brighton & Hove Albion.
Of just as much intrigue will be the men in the dugouts, with Marcelo Bielsa aiming to become the fourth manager to win his first two top-flight games against Carlo Ancelotti.
The others, incidentally, were Alberto Zaccheroni (Udinese, 1996-97), Zdenek Zeman (1996-97, Lazio and Roma) and Gerardo Martino (2013-14, Barcelona).
Should he achieve that, Bielsa’s men could move into the top half of the table. Victory for Everton, meanwhile, and Champions League football next term will remain a realistic aim.
Head-to-Head
The both played 25 games and draw 10 games.
Leeds Everton
Total win 8 7
Home 7 6
Away 1 1
Recent Meetings
Saturday 28 November 2020, Goodison Park, Liverpool
EVERTON 0 – 1 LEEDS
Tuesday 13 April 2004, Elland Road, Leeds
LEEDS 1 – 1 EVERTON
Sunday 28 September 2003, Goodison Park, Liverpool
EVERTON 4 – 0 LEEDS
Saturday 01 February 2003, Goodison Park, Liverpool
EVERTON 2 – 0 LEEDS
Sunday 03 November 2002, Elland Road, Leeds
LEEDS 0 – 1 EVERTON
Everton may be better off than Leeds in terms of points, but the home sides come into this game in a better form thanks to the back-to-back victories.
Out Of the 45 teams the Toffees have faced at least 10 times away from home in their top-flight history, their lowest win rate on the road is against Leeds.
However, Ancelotti’s men have looked good on their travels and we can see them taking at least a point from this latest trip to Elland Road.
