BIG MATCH PREVIEW - EFL CHAMPIONSHIP - LEEDS V BRENTFORD

EFL CHAMPIONSHIP

SATURDAY - LEEDS V BRENTFORD 12:30

Dean Smith's stuttering Bees travel to Leeds for this coming Saturday's lunchtime game against Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds. Leeds have not been in the form of earlier this season in their past few games but are on the back of a 1-0 victory away at Hull thanks to young striker, Tyler Roberts. They enter their crunch match against the Londoners once more with injuries to several key players. Pablo Hernandez, Kemar Roofe and Gaetano Berardi all miss out. Bielsa however will be looking on Leeds' best ever league start to a season since 2009/2010 (League One) where they amassed 27 points from their opening 11 games obtaining promotion later that year. If the Argentine coach is looking to any further omens, it's keen to note that Brentford have not won away from home since last April (seven away games ago). It is also noteworthy that their last two trips to Elland Road have been 1-0 defeats.

Leeds will be without Scottish left back, Barry Douglas coming into Saturday's fixture as he sustained an injury in the midweek 1-0 victory over Hull. In that case I expect "El Loco" to switch from the back three he reverted to against Hull with the versatile Stuart Dallas being touted for a start. Leeds have usually started most games this year with a standard back four, but how long Bielsa and Leeds will remain loyal to the back three will be interesting, certainly against a team like Brentford who are possession orientated like the whites who will look towards the pacey, Neal Maupay to exploit any weakness in the Whites defence. How much respect Bielsa gives to the Bees attack of Maupay and the returning Ollie Watkins will be reflected accordingly in the approach he takes Saturday. Jamie Shackleton is a ready made replacement at full back and would allow Phillips to play in his preferred position as the anchor in the Leeds midfield switching back to Bielsa's favoured 4-1-4-1. However the trade off as to what you gain in midfield and attack is what you lose in the transition to defence. Leeds have been poor in transition this season and their concession of goals this season owes a lot to both complacency and sloppiness in the middle third.

Going forward they remain a constant threat and joy to watch in attack. Jack Harrison has been prominent in recent weeks and everything apart from the final ball is there in his play to date. Saiz and Alioski have been out of sync in the past few games but few other players are capable of turning a game in an instant. It's noteworthy though that the Macedonian Alioski has drawn much unease among the Leeds faithful this season alone for how many times he has been caught offside. Polish international, Mateusz Klich is a formidable presence in the whites midfield and along with Philips earlier this season was the source of everything good in white. Up front young Tyler Roberts has had his problems since his January move from Forest Green. recent goals however against Preston and Hull can only serve to give the 19 year old confidence. Leeds' performances have not dropped off in recent weeks but their results have inadvertently. Saturday's crunch clash provides them with a brilliant chance to lay down an early season marker against a team almost compatible in the entertainment stakes.

The West Londoners travel to Yorkshire on the back of two disappointing draws at home to Reading and Birmingham. They started the season in mesmerizing form catapulting them to the top of the league. This was down largely to the deadly forward duo of Ollie Watkins and Neal Maupay. Maupay in particular has proven to be in inspired form and is the league's top scorer with eight goals. The stocky Frenchman is athletic, quick, strong and technically gifted all traits required to dine at the top of the table. He is simply a nightmare for all defenders. He has not been without his critics though and is a master of the dark arts. A red card earlier on this season coincided with a dip in Brentford's form while he came under heavy scrutiny from his detractors for his role in Birmingham's midfielder Maikel Kieftenbald's red card last Tuesday which has since been rescinded.

His colleague and tormentor in chief Ollie Watkins has been in glorious form too and has come under Gareth Southgate's watchful eye as rumours continue to circulate over a possible international call up. The former Exeter man will be hoping to improve on his 10 league goals last season, he has already contributed four thus far. To any non-EFL fans this guy is a must watch. Pacy, dynamic, technique and a drop of a shoulder Watkins has it in abundance. He plays a bit too "laissez-faire" at times but when Watkins is on fire, Brentford usually are too. He will be against it tomorrow with one of the beat right backs in the league, Luke Ayling guarding the Leeds defence. For many a neutral's sake one hopes Bielsa persists with this 3-4-3 formation just to see the potential carnage Watkins could cause between Ayling and Phillips down the Leeds right side. He is also capable of cutting in and drifting into central positions where Said Benrahma and him combine wonderfully. The three forwards behind Maupay be it Macleod, Watkins, Canos or Benrahma all interchange so wonderfully at time and keep the fluency in the Bees play.

The base of the Brentford midfield will be held by ex-Chelsea man Josh McEachran and the energetic Romaine Sawyers. They have been central to Dean Smith's possession based brand of football this season and everything goes through the duo. One concern is that the pair are a bit too risk averse in their approach at times. Although Brentford enjoyed 74% possession against Birmingham Tuesday night most of the play was backwards or sideways. McEachran in particular has the ability to dictate a game from start to finish with his range of passing. Konsa has been an inspired signing following his summer move from Charlton and both him and Chris Mepham form a meancing pairing and both have the ability to springboard Brentford attacks. A key factor Brentford will be looking to build on is that no Championship side has scored more first half goals than them this season (10). If they are to submit a serious challenge for promotion this year, Saturday's clash will be crucial. Although it is early in the season such a game between two great teams already has the elements of a six pointer. If the Bees do falter they will fall eight points behind the Yorkshire giants which under the tutelage of Bielsa could prove an unassailable lead.

Manager, Dean Smith has always been effusive in his praise of his sides commitment to playing the game in the right way with plenty of style and elegance. He may have been disheartened by results of weeks gone by but will he deviate from the system that has served the Bees so well when they take on the main protagonists themselves in Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds? It all promises to be a great titanic tussle between too footballing heavyweights. Expect one of the EFL games of the season to ensue and a few goals. For all the style and grace on show it could take a goal of quite little beauty to decide this one.

PREDICTION - Leeds 2 - 2 Brentford