Graham Smyth spots possible Leeds United advantage in Tottenham Hotspur clash

Leeds United will hope to go into the second international break of the season on a high as they prepare to host Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday lunchtime.

The Whites are currently sitting in twelfth place in the Premier League table after they followed up their hard-earned 3-1 win at bottom of the table Wolverhampton Wanderers with a 2-2 home draw against Bournemouth. The league table could have taken an even more positive form had Daniel Farke’s men not been prevented from claiming successive wins by an agonisingly late equaliser from Cherries winger Eli Junior Kroupi at Elland Road last weekend.

With a free midweek to prepare for their home clash with a Spurs side still finding their feet under new manager Thomas Frank, there are high hopes the Whites can extend their unbeaten run and head into the international break sitting in the top half of the Premier League table.

For their visitors, life under former Brentford boss Frank has been largely positive after they claimed wins in half of their six Premier League games so far this season. However, a 1-1 home draw with struggling Wolves and a 2-2 Champions League draw at Norwegian club Bodo/Glimt in midweek has shown there is still work to do for the men from North London.

So could their midweek exploits in Scandinavia play a part in Saturday lunchtime’s Elland Road clash? The YEP’s chief football writer Graham Smyth believes so.

What has Graham Smyth said about Leeds United v Spurs?

Speaking on the Inside Elland Road podcast, Smyth said: “He has options. This is not a squad with a paucity of options so he can freshen things up, he can put out a very good midfield if one or two are a bit tired so I certainly wouldn’t say it’s an easy game. I think you’re right that if you play against Newcastle and more than match them, caveat they didn’t have Woltemade in yet, but you match their midfield and you match them for legs and physicality and you made it really difficult, if you played Bournemouth at home and were physically superior to them, and you’ve had no midweek game, you should be absolutely raring to go for this one.

“Leeds should be going out there every bit as aggressive as they were against Bournemouth to try and rattle Spurs early, to let them know they’re in a game and try and run over the top of them and maybe one or two who have played in midweek will start to feel it and you’ll force them into changes. I can see a route to points for Leeds in this game and Spurs have been a bit hot and cold. It’s a manager getting to grips still, he’s not go the luxury that Farke has that, even if Farke has a few new players, he has the basis of a squad that know his system inside-out, they know what he wants to do inside-out. So a good start could be key to Leeds to really set about them and let them know they’re in a difficult game and get their heads down a bit.”

Your next Leeds United read: Leeds United warning as star hails 'great' new Tottenham addition with 'very important' aim