EFL confirm official decision ahead of Leeds United v Sheffield Wednesday
The decision could be a positive for Leeds United based on past results.
Leeds United will hope to boost their bid for a return to the Premier League and extend their impressive home record when they host Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday lunchtime.
The Whites have lost just one of their 13 home league games so far this season and have collected more points on their home patch than any of their promotion rivals. Ahead of the weekend fixtures, Daniel Farke’s men are sat one point clear of Burnley and Sheffield United and could find themselves out of the automatic promotion places by the time they walk out at Elland Road if their rivals pick up maximum points in respective home games with Sunderland and Norwich City this weekend.
With Wednesday pushing for a play-off place and sitting just four points adrift of the top six ahead of Sunday’s clash, the stakes are sure to be high and there will be plenty of pressure and intensity at Elland Road as both sides look to further their own causes. David Webb has been confirmed as referee for the game and he brings vast experience of officiating both Leeds and Wednesday after overseeing a combined 30 fixtures involving each club.
For the Whites, Webb’s appointment could be viewed as a positive as they have lost just two of the 14 fixtures he has officiated over the last 16 years. Webb was on the whistle as Farke’s side eased to a 3-0 home win against Plymouth Argyle earlier this season and also oversaw wins against Queens Park Rangers, Preston North End and Swansea City last season. The last Whites league defeat with Webb in the middle came with a 2-1 home loss against Wolverhampton Wanderers in October 2014.
The Lancashire-born official has refereed 26 Wednesday fixtures over the last 16 years and the Owls have come out on the wrong end of the result in half of them. However, Danny Rohl’s side are unbeaten in their last three games officiated by Webb after he was appointed to oversee wins against Rotherham United and Blackburn Rovers, as well as a 1-1 home draw with current play-off rivals Middlesbrough.
Rob Smith and Nigel Lugg have been confirmed as referee’s assistants for the game and Tom Nield, who was the man in the middle for Leeds’ 2-1 defeat at Coventry City in April last year, will conduct fourth official duties.