Sinisterra benched but Cooper and Wober start as Javi Gracia’s side must bounce back to continue survival hopes

Leeds travel to face Fulham on Saturday afternoon as they continue their fight for survival in the Premier League.

Javi Gracia’s side are deep in the top-flight relegation battle and worries have peaked in recent weeks after a series of heavy defeats. 

AFP

The Whites have been hammered in back-to-back home games heading into this clash, being beaten 5-1 by Crystal Palace and 6-1 by Liverpool. 

And worryingly, the Yorkshire outfit have now conceded 16 goals in their last four games with their hopes of survival very quickly taking a huge hit.

They now face Marco Silva’s Cottagers who are sat in midtable and coming off a win against Everton after a brilliant first season back in the Premier League. 

Fulham vs Leeds: talkSPORT coverage 

This Premier League clash will take place on Saturday, April 22.

Kick-off at Craven Cottage is scheduled for 12:30pm. 

talkSPORT will have EXCLUSIVE live coverage of the game presented by Faye Carruthers. 

Commentary will then come from Nigel Adderley and former Chelsea defender Scott Minto. 

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

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Fulham vs Leeds: Team news

Fulham XI: Leno; Tete, Tosin, Ream, Robinson; Palhinha, Reed, Pereira; Wilson, Decordova-Reid, Willian

Substitutes: Rodak, Duffy, Kebano, Cairney, Solomon, Cedric, Lukic, Vinicius, Diop

Leeds XI: Meslier; Kristensen, Koch, Cooper, Wober; Roca, McKennie, Aaronson; Harrison, Rodrigo, Summerville

Substitutes: Robles, Ayling, Firpo, Forshaw, Bamford, Struijk, Sinisterra, Rutter, Gnonto

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Fulham vs Leeds: What has been said? 

Gracia knows his side are deep in a relegation battle and believes the last two results have been disgraceful.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, he said: “We’ve competed well, we’ve got good results, but it’s true we have to accept now the criticism because there were some moments last week which were unacceptable.

“I understand that and I understand the point of view of some supporters saying in some moments you can feel a lack of desire.

“I can understand that feeling 100 per cent. But I spend time with my players and I know how they are suffering.

“They want to change and I’m sure they’re going to do it. I believe in these players and I’m sure we’ll come back.”

Fulham vs Leeds: Match facts 

• Having scored two goals in his first 14 appearances in the Premier League, Luis Sinisterra has since scored twice in his last three for Leeds. The Colombian has, however, only won one of the four games in which he has found the net in the competition (D1 L2), scoring the winner against Nottingham Forest earlier this month.
• In Fulham’s 3-1 win against Everton last time out, Harry Wilson scored his first league goal since March 2022, and first Premier League goal since January 2020 while at Bournemouth. He last scored in consecutive league games in September 2021, and last did so in the Premier League in August 2019 (his first two appearances in the competition).
• Leeds striker Patrick Bamford has been directly involved in six goals in his last four league starts against Fulham, scoring four and assisting two. He’s both scored and assisted a goal in both of his Premier League starts against the Cottagers.
• Only three teams have conceded more away goals than Leeds in the Premier League this season (30), with no side keeping fewer clean sheets on the road than the Whites (1).
• Leeds have conceded 16 goals in four Premier League games in April 2023, conceding at least four goals in three of those matches. The Whites already hold the record for most goals conceded in a single calendar month in the competition, shipping 20 in February 2022.
• Fulham have lost their last two Premier League home games, as many as they had in their previous nine (W4 D3). Their five home league defeats this season have either come in London derbies (v Spurs, Arsenal and West Ham), or against teams currently in the top four (Newcastle and Man Utd).
• Leeds have lost all five of their Premier League games in London this season, conceding 16 goals in the process. The last time they lost five in a row in a single campaign in the capital was in 2020-21, a run which they ended with a 2-1 win at Fulham.
• Fulham have already beaten Leeds twice this season, winning 3-2 in the league and 2-0 in the FA Cup. As a top-flight side, the Cottagers have beaten a team three times in one season on three previous occasions – Blackburn in 1961-62, Charlton in 2002-03 and Norwich in 2013-14.
• Leeds won this exact fixture 2-1 in 2020-21, but haven’t won consecutive league visits to Fulham since a run of three between 1953 and 1956 in the second tier.
• Following their 3-2 win at Elland Road in October, Fulham are looking to complete the league double over Leeds for the first time since 1959-60, when the Yorkshire side were relegated from the top-flight.