Leeds United head into the international break sitting fifth in the Championship table but just three points adrift of current leaders Sunderland. The Whites had a big opportunity to close the gap on those above them when they faced the Black Cats last time out, but a nightmarish stoppage time error from Illan Meslier allowed Sunderland a way back in to snag a point.
Despite their disappointment, Leeds have only lost one match so far this season and will be looking to keep up the form once the action returns. Daniel Farke’s side are up against Sheffield United next, who are tied with Sunderland at the top of the table with 19 points.
The Blades statistically have the best defensive record in the Championship so far, with just three goals conceded from nine games. Down the other end of the table, Portsmouth have the worst, having shipped 20 goals already following a difficult start to their newly promoted season.
Using data provided by WhoScored, we have looked at the xG (Expected Goals) against each club at this point in the season. The definition of Expected Goals by Opta states it is a metric that ‘measures the quality of a chance by calculating the likelihood that it will be scored by using information on similar shots in the past’.
Looking at the xG for and against a team allows insight into how effective they might be both in front of goal and defending their own. We recently looked at the xG for Leeds’ attack compared to the rest of the league, so let’s see what the data says regarding their xG to concede.
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